Martin Hewitt, Investigator | Page 6

business, and altogether I'm not pleased with things, I
can assure you. See what a position it is for me! Here are three ladies,
in the space of one year, robbed one after another in this mysterious
fashion in my house, and I can't find the thief! It's horrible! People will
be afraid to come near the place. And I can do nothing!"
"Ah, well, we'll see. Perhaps we had better turn back now. By-the-by,
were you thinking of having any alterations or additions made to your
house?"
"No. What makes you ask?"
"I think you might at least consider the question of painting and
decorating, Sir James--or, say, putting up another coach-house, or
something. Because I should like to be (to the servants) the
architect--or the builder, if you please--come to look around. You
haven't told any of them about this business?"
"Not a word. Nobody knows but my relatives and Lloyd. I took every
precaution myself, at once. As to your little disguise, be the architect by
all means, and do as you please. If you can only find this thief and put
an end to this horrible state of affairs, you'll do me the greatest service
I've ever asked for--and as to your fee, I'll gladly make it whatever is
usual, and three hundred in addition."

Martin Hewitt bowed. "You're very generous, Sir James, and you may
be sure I'll do what I can. As a professional man, of course, a good fee
always stimulates my interest, although this case of yours certainly
seems interesting enough by itself."
"Most extraordinary! Don't you think so? Here are three persons, all
ladies, all in my house, two even in the same room, each successively
robbed of a piece of jewelry, each from a dressing-table, and a used
match left behind in every case. All in the most difficult--one would
say impossible--circumstances for a thief, and yet there is no clue!"
"Well, we won't say that just yet, Sir James; we must see. And we must
guard against any undue predisposition to consider the robberies in a
lump. Here we are at the lodge gate again. Is that your gardener--the
man who left the ladder by the lawn on the first occasion you spoke
of?"
Mr. Hewitt nodded in the direction of a man who was clipping a box
border.
"Yes; will you ask him anything?"
"No, no; at any rate, not now. Remember the building alterations. I
think, if there is no objection, I will look first at the room that the
lady--Mrs.----" Hewitt looked up, inquiringly.
"My sister-in-law? Mrs. Cazenove. Oh, yes! you shall come to her
room at once."
"Thank you. And I think Mrs. Cazenove had better be there."
They alighted, and a boy from the lodge led the horse and dog-cart
away.
Mrs. Cazenove was a thin and faded, but quick and energetic, lady of
middle age. She bent her head very slightly on learning Martin Hewitt's
name, and said: "I must thank you, Mr. Hewitt, for your very prompt
attention. I need scarcely say that any help you can afford in tracing the

thief who has my property--whoever it may be--will make me most
grateful. My room is quite ready for you to examine."
The room was on the second floor--the top floor at that part of the
building. Some slight confusion of small articles of dress was
observable in parts of the room.
"This, I take it," inquired Hewitt, "is exactly as it was at the time the
brooch was missed?"
"Precisely," Mrs. Cazenove answered. "I have used another room, and
put myself to some other inconveniences, to avoid any disturbance."
Hewitt stood before the dressing-table. "Then this is the used match,"
he observed, "exactly where it was found?"
"Yes."
"Where was the brooch?"
"I should say almost on the very same spot. Certainly no more than a
very few inches away."
Hewitt examined the match closely. "It is burned very little," he
remarked. "It would appear to have gone out at once. Could you hear it
struck?"
"I heard nothing whatever; absolutely nothing."
"If you will step into Miss Norris' room now for a moment," Hewitt
suggested, "we will try an experiment. Tell me if you hear matches
struck, and how many. Where is the match-stand?"
The match-stand proved to be empty, but matches were found in Miss
Norris' room, and the test was made. Each striking could be heard
distinctly, even with one of the doors pushed to.
"Both your own door and Miss Norris' were open, I understand; the
window shut and fastened inside as it is now, and nothing but the

brooch was disturbed?"
"Yes, that was so."
"Thank you, Mrs. Cazenove. I don't think I need trouble you any
further just at present. I think, Sir James," Hewitt added, turning to