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i ‘i= CHAPTER VI.
174 A MORNING VISIT.
I pip not forget the superintendent’s
good advice. Immediately after the
disappearance of the diamond I searched
the whole of Villa Ballarat most care-
fully.
The servants behaved with exemplary
resignation, and offered to open all their
trunks. I even took the liberty of
searching Mr. Howell's rooms. All his
drawers and. trunks,were open, but con-
vill tained nothing of interest. My investi-
0. gations also made it clear that this gen-
tleman had proceeded direct to the sta-
en- tion on the day the diamond dis-
ets appeared, and from there took the train
en- to Elverum.
oe I don’t know how it was, but I al-
, hy :
ways had a misgiving that this young
Englishman might have had something
to to .do with the disappearance of the
at diamond. This, perhaps, was the rea-
pa- son that made me feel, more acutely
than ever, that not one of us really
ys, knew the young man, in spite of his hav-
ul- ing been several months in Villa Bal-
are larat. His manners were free and open;
om but—one did not learn to know him.
ar I soon placed Iverson, the gardener,
the cook and the housemaid hors de
concours. Iverson had for many years
shown himself to be a most respectable
| and reliable person. He was a bache-
{e lor, had a nice little sum in the bank,
and it was easy to find out about his
antecedents. He was the son of well-to-
do peasants in Smaalenene, and when
quite young had gone into the non-com-
missioned officers’ school and followed
a military career, until he entered Frick’s
service. He had always borne a most
irreproachable character.
Last of all, we now come to the lady’s-
maid, Evelina; and should you have a
suspicion that she is likely to play an
important part in the lamentable events
which now followed, one upon the other,
you will not be far wrong.
From the first, or, more correctly,
from the second day I entered old
Frick’s house, this young girl had struck
me as being strange. There was some-
thing mysterious about her, perhaps on
account of her reserved and even sulky
manners.
Sigrid also considered her unusually
silent, more so by nature than most
young girls are. She thought that she
was a girl of strong character, and
liked her, in spite of her reticent ways.
During the latter days she had been
still more reserved than before, and had
not give one the impression of being in
good health, although there was little
change noticeable in her appearance on
account of her naturally pale com-
plexion,
The afternoon of the disappearance
of the diamond, Evelina had spent in the
following manner (her explanation tal-
lied exactly with that of others): She
had, soon after dinner, when the fam-
: ily had retired to the museum, served
' the coffee there. When that was fin-
i ished, she had left Villa Ballarat to visit
her sick mother, just before the time
Jurgens had left the house. At six
NT
o'clock she had returned to the villa
again to fetch something she had forgot-
ten, and had, at the same time, put on
another dress on account of a change
in the weather; but she had been scarce-~
ly half an hour in the house.
It struck me as strange that Evelina
g had suddenly become more lively than I
had ever seen her, and Sigrid also
thought that she looked better and more
cheerful since the day when the dia-
mond disappeared.
As regards Evelina’s mother, Ma-
dame Reierson, I found out that she
made her living by washing and ironing
and by letting a couple of her fooms;
but it was said that she was fond of
drink, and that her principal income evi-
dently consisted in what her daughter
allowed her. Miss Frick’s generosity
mother considerable help.
Madame Reierson’s specialty lay in
talking of times gone by, when Reierson
was alive and was a well-to-do turner
in Gronland ; “she, too, had had her own
house and a horse and trap.”
As you see, I had not gained much by
my investigations, but my opinion re-
garding the loss of the diamond had,
however, begun to take shape, which
made it desirable that I should make
Madame Reierson’s acquaintance.
* * * * * *
At half-past nine the next morning,
when the May sun was shining warmly,
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role 1 intendea to pay.
in the courtyard a woman was stand-
ing rinsing clothes under a pump. I
asked for Madame Reierson, and learned
that she was living in the fourth story
on the right-hand side of the stair-
case.
“] mean the woman who takes in
washing.”
“Well, I dont think there’s much
washing done, but there’s only one
Madame Reierson in this house at any
rate,” was the surly answer.
“I think you're right about the wash-
ing. In any case, the clothes T last
got home were only half washed,” I
i remarked.
My depreciatory remark about her
neighbor's work evidently appealed to
the woman; she deigned to let go the
wet clothes she had in her hand, and
turned round to me.
“Ah, indeed! Really! So she has been
washing for you, has she, and you don’t
like her washing? Well, you'r not the
first as says that. It's a shame that
such a drunken wretch should take the
bread out of other people’s mouths, and
live in grand style, and enjoy herself.”
“Well, I, for my part, have been think-
ing of giving her up as my washer-
“Ha! ha! you give her up?” said the
worthy woman, with a scornful laugh.
“A lot she'll care about that! As long
as she’s got that fine daughter of Hers
in service at old Frick’s, in the Dram-
men Road, she can live in grand style,
and enjoy herself without washing a
rag. But I should say it'll all come to
a terrible end some day; when people
begin to run after them actors I wouldn’t
give you a thank you for ’em!”
And with that our short but pleasant
conversation ended.
1 tried to find out a little more about
the actor who had suddenly been in-
troduced upon the scene, but I was
sharply sent about my business by the
woman, who “did not go about telling
tales, let alone to strangers.”
There was nothing. more-to be done,
so I mounted up to the fourth story.
On a door with glass panes were fas-
tened two visiting-cards, I read: Lud-
wig Frederiksen, actor; Tho. Herstad,
medical student.
To the left 1 found an ordinary
kitchen door. As I knocked at this a
stout woman appeared. Madame Reier-
i son was clad in what I would call a
|
simple morning toilet. I can hardly de-
| scribe the various articles of her dress;
"all of them, however, appeared to be too
i
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a gentleman entered the courtyard of
44 Russelok Street.
The gentleman was not very elegantly
dressed; his coat was somewhat shabby,
and his trouser-bottoms le the
worse for wear, but still he might pass
as quite a pectable person; for in-
stance, as a poor theo udent of |
| middle age. |
1 hoped, at least, that my ance
was something like this, for this was the !
tight-fitting for her buxom figure, and
to have seen better days.
I lifted my large, broad-brimmed, low-
crowned, clerical hat to her, and then
explained that the object of my visit
was to ask madame to do some washing
for me.
She seemed greatly surprised that any
one, unsolicited, should intrust his
clothes to her to wash, and asked rather
suspiciously who had recommended her.
“Perhaps we might go inside,” said I.
“I would like to sit down a little. I
am not quite well, and the stairs trouble
me.”
She mumbled something about “she
didn’t mind,” and showed me through
the kitchen into a disorderly room, filled
with foul air. This served as her par-
lor and her bedroom.
I sat down heavily and laid my hand
on my heart.
She didn’t seem, however, to be
troubled with any sympathetic feelings,
for I heard her mumble something about
“Why do folks climb stairs when they
can’t manage ‘em?”
“But who has shown you up to me,
then?” she continued.
I could see it would be difficult for me,
if not impossible, to get into conversa-
tion with this unpleasant woman, as she
apparently had not yet had her “morn-
ing drop,” and was therefore not amen-
able to any friendly approach.
I decided to come to the point at
once.
“Miss Frick has recommended me to
come to you, as I wanted a good wash-
erwoman—Miss Frick, who lives in.
Drammen Road.”
The woman sat herself down in a
chair right opposite me, and looked
rather astonished.
“Do you go to the Fricks’?—You?”
was the unflattering answer, as she criti-
cally surveyed me.
I regretted the plain attire, which I
had thought would be suitable for my
supposed errand; but there was no help
for that now; I had to get along as best
I could.
“I am studying for the church,” 1 said
with dignity, “and I am secretary to the
women’s mission, and we generally have
the committee meetings at Miss Frick’s.”
“Oh, indeed! Really!’ Suddenly
there was a gleam in the woman’s eyes.
She had evidently got an idea into her
head, because from that moment her
manner was affable and insinuating.
“Oh, indeed! Now really! So you
are going to be a parson? That was
what our eldest son was also to be.
Reierson wanted him to become a doc-
{ tor, but I swore that he should become
no _doubt enabled Evelina to give her |
a parson. Well, I expect you meet a
lot of grand ladies there, then! Have
you seen my daughter at Miss Frick’s?”
“What, your daughter?”
“Oh, well; that’s no matter ;” she evi-
dently did not find it very opportune to
say anything about her daughter, since
I myself didn’t appear to know her posi-
tion in Frick’s house. “But, as you go
to old Frick’s, you have, of course, heard
summat of his big diamond which he
has lost.”
I knew, of course, that the town had
already begun to talk of the diamond
affair, but it came quite unexpectedly
upon me to hear this woman talking of
it. Did she want to know what suspi-
cions they had at Frick’s house? Did
she know anything about it? Had she
her own suspicions, or was it only curi-
osity?
“Yes; fortunately, they have got hold
of the thief”
“No! now you don’ 7 so)’
Just int of the
conver kitchen door
open
' him at ten o’clock to-day.—A strange.
Madame Reierson left me, and quickly
disappeared.
Then began a lively conversation in
almost a whisper, but the door was rick-
ety and my hearing sharp; it was Ma-
dame Reierson’s voice and another wo-
man’s voice. I recognized it; it was
her daughter’s.
“_Not home ?—not come home yet, do
you say ?—been out the whole night—"
I heard the mother mumble something
that “he” must soon come home.
“And he has not even left any mes-
sage? He promised that I should meet
gentleman, do you say, whom Miss Frick
has recommended to come to you—?2"
The mother must have spoken of my
presence, but the daughter seemed to
have a legitimate suspicion about the
recommendation from Miss Frick. Per-
haps she was inquisitive, and wanted to
see the phenomenon who came to Ma-
dame Reierson with his washing; for
the door immediately opened, and I
stood face to face with Evelina, the
lady’s-maid.
She stood there, tall and erect, pretty
and tastefully dressed as usual.. When
she recognized me, her pale face be-
came sill paler, and it seemed to me
she tottered a little. She only pressed
her thin lips together and looked calmly
at me.
“Are you here? I did not know the
police were here” She looked at my
garb and smiled a little scornfully.
At these words, Madame Reierson |
forced herself past her daughter and
surveyed me angrily.
“Police, do you say? Does he belong
to the police? Well,
began to talk of the stolen diamond
and suchlike.”
I looked at the daughter, but her
features were immovable. Either she
had nothing to do with the diamond rob-
bery, or she had a stronger will power
than most people.
“You forget, Madame Reierson,” said
I, “that it was you who began to talk
to me of the robbery at Mr. Frick’s.”
Was 1 mistaken, or was it really so? :
It seemed to me that the young girl's '
look was dirested for a second or two
at her mother with great displeasure.
“Well, if it was I who began the
talk, it must have been because you
fooled me om to do it,” ssid Madame
Reierson, jumping up from her chair;
“else why did you come here? Perhaps
you fancy we have stolen Frick’s dia-
mond! Be so kind as to look for your-
self, and see if it is to be found in my
house.”
The worthy dame began to pull out
her chest of drawers, and to open her
cupboards, while her tongue went on
with startling rapidity.
“I hadn’t thought of making any in-
vestigations in your house, my dear ma-
dame,” said I, trying to pacify her; “I
came really to find out a little about
your lodger, the actor, Frederiksen.”
This time the daughter’s self-control
did not serve her; for some seconds her
face was overspread with a deep flush,
and she went away and looked out of
the window.
“Frederiksen is old enough to answer |
for himself,” said Mrs. Reierson,. curtly.
“He is not at home now, and I don’t
know when he is likely to be.”
As I had nothing further to do there,
I took my hat, nodded to the woman,
and left without ceremony. The young
girl still stood at the window, and did
not turn round when I went out. Either
she did not notice it, or she did not wish
to show her face.
When I had descended to the next
- floor, I heard the sound of heavy steps
coming up. First of all a ruffled silk
hat appeared on the stairs, afterward a
pale, dissipated-looking face, with clean-
shaven cheeks, luxuriant curly hair un-
der the brim of the hat, a black frock
coat of faultless cut but with spotted
silk revers, light trousers somewhat |
‘ patent-leather shoes with large bows.
frayed at the bottoms, and Sr
he apparition stared at me stupidly
and disappeared through the door lead-
ing to his apartments. It was Ludwig
Frederiksen, who had little or no repu- |
tation as an actor, but was well known
as a Don Juan, now somewhat on the |
decline, but worshipped, nevertheless,
by the fair sex, not only of the better |
classes, but also of the demi-monde.
He possessed the happy gift of being
able to easily forget unpleasantness, for
at this moment he evidently did not rec-
ognize me, while less than a month be |
fore we had had a not very pleasant con-
versation at my office.
The cause of this conversation was a
respectful application from the artist for
a loan of some thousand of kroners, di-
rected to one of the merchants of the
town. This document the merchant in
question found best to deliver into the
hands of the police, although the be-
witching artist had offered to deposit,
as security, several pink and perfumed
notes, billets» doux from the merchant’s
own daughter to the owner of the curly |
locks.
“We shall probably have another in-
teresting conversation,” I thought, as
my eyes followed the form of the artist !
as he mounted upward and disappeared;
“ but not now.”
The fact was that in the course of the
last half hour, certain ideas, which earl-
ier had begun to dawn in my mind, now
assumed a more solid form, and fitted
together, so that they formed a chain, |
I thought I had hold of one end of |
the chain, and I was determined to fum- |
ble my way to the other end; or perhaps |
it would be better with a fesolute pull |
to try and grasp it without fumbling at |
all.
The chain had, however, begun to link |
itself in this way, and when I left Mrs. |
Reierson’s parlor, I felt convinced that
Evelina knew something about the dia-
mond, and very likely her mother also. |
As I had passed through the little |
kitchen my elbow knocked against |
a dirty coffee-service which stood |
there—a pot and two cups with |
dried-up grounds at the bottom. |
This accident was sufficient te set !
EN ....
i ten thousand kroners for it!
I might have ;
. guessed it, since he sneaked i in here and
goinig a train ot thoughts whicn, no
doubt, had already been unconsciously
developing in my mind; but which would
never have been started into active life
if Mrs. Reierson’s objectionable coffee-
cups had not been standing there.
They brought to my mind an expres-
sion in Evelina’s explanation the other
day:
“I went home to my mother as soon
as I had served the coffee in the
museum.
She had served the coffee in the mu-
seum; she had seen that the diamond
had been shown about; had seen Jur-
gens’s imbecile greediness to become
possessed of it; she had heard him bid
Later on
she had passed the mesum, when all
were gone, and seeing the door standing
open, krew she had only to stretch out
her hand to become possessed of a large
sum of money.
Perhaps she had some use or another
for the latter, of which I, as yet, had no
certain knowledge,—but of which I had
a suspicion.
If this train of thought was correct,
then Mr. Jurgens had now the diamond
in his possession.
The improbability that this worthy old
man should have become the receiver of
stolen goods did not concern me. I
knew that the mania for collecting
sweeps away all moral considerations
like chaff before the wind, especially
when second childhood has already be-
gun to obscure the mind.
(79 } be Continued.)
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