THE RING AND THE DETECTIVE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 14, 11 October 1919, Page 3

THE RING AND THE DETECTIVE

A TRUE STORY". "Is that tho detective ofhcc?" "res." "Mrs. — speaking.'' "Yes, what is it?" ■'I would liko you to como along to tho — Hotel, as my daughter has just had a valuable ring of hers stolen. It only happened a few moments ago, and she is terribly upset." The conversation stopped, a button was pressed, and tho arm of the law was eet in motion. With the. bare knowledgo that a lady staying at a certain hotel had had a ring stolen, a* trained sleuth proceeded to take up his investigations. On arrival at the- hotel tin: detective introduced himself to the lady, who promptly related to him the story of the missing ring. Her daughter occupied a certain room which she always loeked after leaving. Shortly before six o'clock on the evening in question she adjourned to her room to prepare herself for dinnor. Completing this, she left tho room, locked tho door, took the key with her,' and joined her friends in the lounge downstairs. Everyone was talking and laughing and expressing joy over the renewal of acquaintanceships mnde in Australia. The party was quite a jolly one and everyone was happy right up to the moment when the gong sounded for dinner. Preparing to rise, her daughter suddenly missed her ring and, excusing herself for a moment, went straight to' her room. As she approached her room sho noticed tho chambermaid passing along the corridor. Entering her room sho went to the waslistand and feverishly hunted for her ring. It was gone. Sho mado a thorough search but it. could uot bo found. Sho had been, washing 'her hands and beforo doing 60 placed tho ring on the tabic. She left her room, forgetting to replace tho ring, and proceeded to the lounge. "Now you know as much«about it as I do," concluded the mother, in tho presence of her agitated daughter. The detective then questioned the daughter, but she was certain she had not left it anywhere else—-in' fticc, she was positive she had left it on tho washstand. No, she had no suspicions of anyone, and she proceeded to a lot of thinking, at tho conclusion of which sho recalled the fact that she had seen tho chambormaid in tho corridor. She wondered if—and the detective did likewise. There were only two keys to the door, ono held by the daughter and the other by tho chambermaid. The detectivo as a possible clue decided to question the maid, bat sho denied all knowledge of the ring and naturally enough became very agita ted. Tho daughter magnified the circumstances and felt that it could not bo anyone but tho maid. What was to be done? Tho next step wad a search, and whilst contemplating this tho detectivo was called to the office of tho hotel. "One of the porters found this under a chair in tho lounge just a moment ago," said the lady clerk as she handed the "stolen" ring to the detective. And so life goes on!