Part 33 (2/2)
Three hours later, Mrs. Vanderheck, wrapped in an elegant circular of crimson satin, bordered with ermine, and attended by her maid and a dignified policeman as a body-guard, swept down the grand stair-way leading from the ball-room to the street, on her way to her carriage.
As she stepped out across the pavement and was about to enter the vehicle, a quiet, gentlemanly looking person approached her and saluted her respectfully.
”Madame--Mrs. Vander_beck_,” with an intentional emphasis on the last syllable, ”you are my prisoner!”
The woman gave a violent start as she caught the name, and darted a keen glance of inquiry at him, all of which Mr. Rider was quick to note.
Then she drew herself up haughtily.
”Sir, I do not know you, and my name is not Vander_beck_; you have made a mistake,” she said, icily.
”I have made no mistake. You are the woman I have been looking for, for more than three years, whether you spell your name with a _b_, an _h_, or in a different way altogether; and I repeat--you are my prisoner.”
Mr. Rider laid his hand firmly but respectfully on her arm, as he ceased speaking, to enforce his meaning.
She shook him off impatiently.
”What is the meaning of this strange proceeding?” she demanded, indignantly; then turning to the policeman who attended her, she continued, in a voice of command: ”I appeal to you for protection against such insolence.”
”How is this, Rider?” now inquired the officer, who recognized the detective, and was astonished beyond measure by this unexpected arrest.
”She has on her person diamonds that I have been looking for, for over three years, and I cannot afford to let them slip through my fingers after such a hunt as that,” the detective quietly explained.
”It is false!” the woman stoutly and indignantly a.s.serted. ”I wear no jewelry that is not my own property. Everything I have was either given to me or purchased with my husband's money.”
”I trust you will be able to prove the truth of your a.s.sertions, madame,”
Mr. Rider quietly returned. ”If you can do so, you will, of course, have no further trouble. But I must do my duty. I have been employed to search for a pair of diamond crescents which properly belong to a person in Chicago. I have seen such a pair in your ears to-night. You also wear a cross like one that I am searching for, and I shall be obliged to take you into custody until the matter can be properly investigated.”
Mrs. Vanderheck was evidently very much startled and upset by this information, yet she behaved with remarkable fort.i.tude, considering the trying circ.u.mstances.
”What am I to do?” she inquired, again appealing to the policeman attending her. ”The crescents he mentions are _mine_--I bought them almost three years ago in Boston. Of course, I know that I must prove my statement, and I think I can if you will give me time, for I believe I still have the bill of sale in my possession. I will look it up, and if”--turning to the detective--”you will call upon me some time to-morrow you shall have it.”
Mr. Rider smiled, for the unsophisticated suggestion amused him immensely.
”I cannot lose sight of you, madame,” he said, courteously. ”What you have said may be true; I shall be glad, on your account, if it proves so; but my duty to others must be rigidly enforced, and so I am obliged to arrest you.”
”But _I_ cannot submit to an _arrest_; you surely do not mean that I--a woman in _my_ position--am to be imprisoned on the charge of _theft_!”
exclaimed the woman, growing deadly white.
”The law is no respecter of persons or position, madame,” laconically responded the detective.
”What _can I_ do?” Mrs. Vanderheck cried, in a tone of despair.
”Rider, I am afraid you have made a mistake,” the policeman now remarked, in a low tone; ”the woman is all right. I've acted as escort for her on such occasions as these for the last two years.”
The detective looked astonished and somewhat perplexed at this statement.
<script>