The Pringles~Part 3

 

Harry Plumb from Greensboro was the first customer of the day. Priscilla was finishing up the last of the delightful ornaments at her workbench in the shop. Harry was a good customer. He owned the Jewelry store in Greensboro and often stopped in to purchase a holiday memento for his best customers. Today he was ordering a wreath for his front door. He knew it was early, but he wanted to make sure he got his order in early and besides, it had been awhile since he had paid the Pringles a visit. Harry noticed Priscilla's handiwork with the ornaments. Priscilla was truly an artist.

He noticed the jewels and thought they looked familiar. He mentioned that his store had been robbed a few months ago and the thief had made off with some jewels that he was storing for Mrs. Penelope Crane while she was traveling to Europe. Mrs. Crane had taken her authentic jewelry with her along with her body guard. Normally, the jewelry was kept in the safe at the jewelry store but they were exchanged for the paste ones the day before the heist. He had also stored a pouch with some beautiful, but imitation stones that looked a lot like the ones in the ornaments in front of him.

Priscilla felt terrible. These stones belonged to her friend Harry. Why didn't she think to ask him about them. Who would have thought a pouch from Greensboro would end up on the shores of Lake Camden. She explained about running the ad in the paper and visiting with Sheriff Mendenhall. Priscilla wanted to pay Harry for the stones but he insisted they were his contribution to these beautiful keepsakes for the children.

Eb, who was hiding in the bushes heard every word of the conversation inside the store. His heart sank. He had stolen fake jewelry and had turned it over to his boss. Ronald Crump was not the type of man who would understand that Eb had made an honest mistake. He even had one of his henchmen pick up a Greensboro newspaper and that was where he read about the silk pouch that was stolen along with the jewelry. He was giving Eb fair warning that the pouch must be found and brought to him before the end of the week. The article in the paper didn't say anything about the jewels being paste. They probably didn't want to alert any other thieves that Mrs. Crane had the real stuff with her.

Eb decided he'd better take off on his horse riding west and just keep riding. When Mr. Crump caught up with him he would be toast anyway. That's exactly what he would do but not before he stopped into the Pub for one last beer.

Harry said goodbye to the Pringles. He had some other friends he wanted to visit while he was in Camden Corners . He stopped in O'Sullivan's Pub. Gus Reilly was working that Monday morning. While he and Gus were talking, Harry noticed a nervous looking man sitting at the end of the bar. He matched the description of the thief who had broken into his store a month ago.

Gus stepped out of the bar and flagged down Sheriff Mendenhall. He explained the situation and the Sheriff approached Eb. Panic set in and Eb took off out the front door of O'Sullivan's leaving a full mug of beer on the bar.

He raced down the street to find his horse when Rudy who was laying by the front door of the Snowflake Christmas Shop suddenly took off after Eb catching him by the seat of the pants.

Eb confessed his crime and many others that sunny Monday morning. A little nip on the backside and a few years in the state prison were nothing compared to the punishment Ronald Crump would have subjected him to. Rudy was the town hero and was allowed to ride next to his friend Spot on the front seat of the fire truck in the Christmas parade that year. The same year the children of Camden Corners all received their special Christmas ornaments lovingly made by Priscilla Pringle with the help of Mr. Ebeneezer Finch.