The Argosy — page 303: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Great Mystery. 285 shall be undisturbed by thieves. Not that they disturbed us last night,” she added laughing. ‘‘Considering all things, I’m sure they were as polite and considerate thieves as we could wish to have to do with.” Whether the others slept well, I cannot say: I know I did. So well ‘that I never woke at all until the same cries from Lettice disturbed the house as on the previous morning. The thieves had been in again ! Down stairs we got, as quickly as some degree of dressing allowed, and found the breakfast parlour all confusion, the servants all conster- nation: the window open as before; the furniture turned about, the ormaments and pictures moved from their places, the books scattered, the papers of the secretary lying unfolded in a heap on the carpet, and a pair of embroidered slippers of Helen Whitney’s lying in the wash- hand basin of water. | e “What an extraordinary thing !” exclaimed Miss Deveen, while the | rest of us stood in mute amazement. Lettice’s tale was the same as the previous one. Upon proceeding to the room to put it to nghts, she had found it thus, and its shutters and glass-doors wide open. There was no trace, save here, of the possible entrance or egress of thieves: all other fastenings were secure as they had been left over night ; other rooms had not been disturbed ; and more singular than all, nothing appeared to have been taken. What could the thieves be seeking for? ‘Shall you call in the police now, ma’am ?” asked Cattledon, her tone implying that they ought to have been called in before. ‘¢- Yes, I shall,” emphatically replied Miss Deveen. “Oh!” shrieked Helen, darting in, after making a hasty and im- promptu toilet, ‘oh, look at my new slippers !” After finishing the ferns last night they had neglected to send the basin away. The slippers were rose-coloured, worked with white flowers in floss silk; and the bits of loose green from the ferns floated over them like green weeds on a pond. Helen had bought them when we were out yesterday. “My beautiful slippers!” lamented Helen. “I wish to goodness I had not forgotten to take them up-stairs. What wicked thieves they must be! They ought to be hung.” “It’s to know, mum, whether it was thieves,” spoke the cook. “Why, what else can it have been, cook?” asked Miss Deveen. “Mum, I don’t pertend to say. I’ve knowed cats do queer things. We've got two on ’em—the old cat and her half-growed kitten.” ‘Did you ever know cats unlock a secretary and take out the papers, cook ?” returned Miss Deveen. 4* Well no, mum. But, on the other hand, I never knowed thieves break into a house two nights running, and both (times.go away empty handed.” ECOMicoOOKS.CoOm