THE CHAMPION THIEF.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 284, 29 November 1881, Page 4

THE CHAMPION THIEF.

The V'Fnna correrpopd^nt of the London Globe ea?s :— " Last week a certain Huojrßrisn countess, well known for her riches end beauty (the same spirited lady who last year seconded her brother in c dupl). graced with her presence the performance at thr Areas, or summer theatre. On one of her fair fingers my larly wore two splendid diamond ring? exactly like each other. During an entr'acte thpre presented himself in her h»x a big fellow in pore<ous livery «ix feet of the 6nes* flunky iroa-.inahla Q'ioth be, in finest Hungarian «Mv mistress, Princes P— , has sent me to beg of your ladyship the loan of one of your rings for five minutes. Her Highness Us observer! <b"m from her box oppogite, and she is very anxkus to examine one more closely, ftß she wishes U> bave one mode after the pattern Without an instant's hesitet on, the counters banded a rin? tn * Jearoes,' who bowed wit?, respectful dignity snd retired. The performance over, thetwosreat la M^s met on Ihp staircase, and the countps* begeed her friend to kepp the ri D g B fc her convpnience. 'What rin c , ffi y dper V Denouement ! Tableau ! The 'powderprf menial' was no flockey at all, bot, c fMef, fe-n.i the ri--, c Wft9 e(lQfi Thp police wpro informed of the impugn' uick. Ju^tire seamed to have ovprfnkeo the culprit in a very few sfri<W, Tor Dext mnrnin-^ *h P pnuntess, whilf still en robe-dc chambre, receiver] n letter informiop her ;liat tha thief had been eau.ht. , n <\ tbe ring fouDci on his person, ' Only,' addeJ fbe note, ' the man stoutly denies the charge, and tfenitres tbe rio? to be hie own. To clear up ail doubt, pray come at once to the police station or aend the duplicate rin? by bearer.' To draw the second ring from the finger end entrost it joyfully t 0 the messenger— a fi\n« fellow in full police uniform— toeither with a handsome « tip ' for tbe .lorious new P , was the work of c moment. Ooly when my lady, an hour later, betook herself radiant to the police ststion to recover her jewels, a slight mi«tak« came to light, "Well, my rings ? I coa id not^come myself the instant I got your letter,' ' What Setter, medame ?' Denouement 1 Tableau No. 2 ! The thief had got them both.