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Show SYNOPSIS. m fmm Th amr efn with a Ix.fi.lhy Manh In ll etwre tag of Mr. Mu i It I a wvallhr nr. Mlliinr,Mlirn Mn. Ul"l"tIiT' tirrklai- (Inlixi uvt-!) nil dlamina trafc. ataiirlna; th ntmr. i'urti OrtiwoM n4 Krun Panda, iHMliy mn In luv with Mr. umlirr up tli mi. UrUwolil trm nn what hi iiim4 la b tl I'. A I (in Maliaran ntxl emalir iIimi iiM larf it waa ma tin-t.in-- . An ! lalnf all lit pinna )' uf III pulHilMlllr fur Hi orlttlnal. fuunt In iniKin UlniMin.l tinun ronO'l-Midl KM'H'r f lliilroiiih, romp fHim l ilm ft Mr. Miaul, nrr. hi-- t wliliaiamllti: brlli-Mr. tlaaltinrfirrinl, In hrr Imiixfiir. M"iiiiiii, In an In win ar manoinn, twn iml", Am-r- l In lh Mlnrm-- , ilia, Imi-Harr-t. lh Kriii lakra ma . II of aks lh up th In mtinln-dowlr. r'litli. Klinof Dun', Itrlti that of Mr. MlMlun-r- 'a pn tluimiml dupllralr -- t riiailtt In I'nHa nn th at llulrninb, While walklns Drill I txititt't and rantf-- d liy lllniM. I liiiprlwiw.J In a Ikiu, but make III ftriu diaeever tn tn-- n h diamond'N, lirvr expert(tlti--whom r waa niipird by Haml of llrla-wol- d nt th Miwlim. in malt emintrrf-lr rn. (trlawuM Intimate that land of falliir. Twn MimIimii la nn Ida vrr tiuraiarlxe th rm i.f ftawl an4 ar by flrlla. On nn of thru h urt find tint ty "Milhwnt" an4 o "f'urila.N Drill luratea wo man nanwit Millirnt IvUrorli, in wtinm tiruwuM Iiaipn ravin marked 1. ma. Th Hwaml atl-m- l a ball at Mr. Miannr'a hnm- -, but Inarna nothing rr about tba diamonds, r Mm-lm- f n rl i1. f rH lnd a'ti-n-- ha-tli- CHAPTER XXI. . Stop, Thlefl MlUlcent Delaroche alept soundly. Hers was the type of beauty that r taint Its freshness throuih IndulRenc In creature comforli. Not all ber fond nets for amunotnent could leal ber to rob beraelf for many nlgbU of the repoae aba Inatlnctlvely knew wai essential to the preservation of ber cbarna. Sbt waa the aort of woman, past thirty, wbo retains a false youtb sometimes more effective than the Immaturity wblcb la' measured by the calendar. Her complexion waa as delicate aa a debutante's. Her eyea were brighter than those of the aver age athletic younf woman, and no silver thread shot the dusk of ber luxuriant balr. All this was due largely, she waa convinced, to ber lifelong bablt of sleeping early and cften, and of resolutely refusing to let her slumber be disturbed by any aucb useless things as dreams, which, after all, are mere ghosts of thought and too much thinking waa not one of her foibles. Tbougn Mrs. Delaroche slept profoundly, ber external senses were not ' wholly unvlgllant Long study of herself had made her sensitive to disagreeable Impressions that were purely corporeal; and so, though no Intrusive vision of mind could Interrupt the fluid calm of ber beauty sleep, a slightly uncomfortable feeling at the precise spot whence her tresses swept upward In an elaborate coiffure or parted In the braids of negligee had the effect of arousing her aa no mere dream possibly could have done. It required not many seconds, allowing for the habits of her mind, and the fact that she suddenly was recalled from deep repose, for Mrs. Delaroche to realize there was a hand beneath ber pillow, and that hand was not one of her own. Rigid with fright, she waited an Instant to assure horself she had not committed the Innovation of dreaming, then she made a awlft reach for the alien hand too late. It bad been withdrawn swiftly In the few moments requisite to complete comprehension of the situation, and If Mra. Delaroche bad not been so certain that she never dreamed, she might have thought she still was of the sleeping. Hasty exploration space beneath her pillow, however, told her the midnight hand had not gone away empty. Realizing that, she was broad awake in an Instant. She sat erect so swiftly that she bruised ber forehead slightly against something cold and hard and round and smooth that was Immediately pressed menacingly to her bead. "Don't move, or youH get this!" . said a rough votce. Mra. Ttolnrnrhfl easned. and desnlte the hand, sank back again to her pillow. She could still feel, however, or fancied she could, the Icy rim of the metal that had touched her brow. This was a great feat of Imagination,' (m J-for Mrs. Delaroche. continued still!" "That's right; lie the voice. "If you know what's good for ycu." Rough though the voice was, It was carefully subdued. It could not have been heard in the corridor. Mrs. Delaroche drew a deep, fluttering breath, and was evidently on the point of making another attempt to speak when the metallic rtng touched her forehead again, chilling her to silence, and the voice went on: "See here, lady, I've got no time to waste with you. Just you tay where you are, and don't make a sound, unless you want to get this I" and the metal was pressed a little harder to her forehead. "I am going to get out of this room quietly, and I'm going right now. If you make any noise for the next five minutes, I'll blow your head off!" The cold pressure was removed from her forehead, and the burglar m6ved about the room. . The thick carpet and doubtless the felt soles on the man's feet as auxiliaries, made his steps soundless. He went rrom ner dressing table to a writing desk, lighting each tn turn with a vivid circle of ravs frqm an electric pocket torch, .' but holding the Illuminating device always In such poaltlon that no faint est gleam fell upon blmsotf. Not for "Madam, how do you rome to be In that you tell me tbe man's name," f these llrlii said. "Ills name?" ahe returned wonder- All the ranting loveliness of Mrs. Itolurm he shivered as tbe sharp ques-- Ingly. n bored fis way to ber Inner "It la Curtis (irlswcld. Isn't It?" Bald It was now ber turn to be the Headquarters man Incisively. Mrs. IMaroche, with a little cry Ont. 8he looked at the Headquar ters man as If be held In his hand ber Men showed more emotion than any life, liberty, and whatever rhnnre re- one would expect from so self center! mained to her of baiiplneas. A gleam a woman, sprang to her feet and adof appeal glowed In ber beautiful eyes vanced toward ItrKa with bands out fur a moment llslnly, If she did not stretched In protest "You don't meaa to say that you be speak It was riot fur lark of lll. ' Her words were as frozen aa the normal lieve Mr. GrlswoUl to be a thief!" she condition of, her thoughts. Fhe put exclaimed. "We shall see, madam," reJolneJ her hunda to ber breast and gazed at the Central Office man as pltwnialy as Brits, "how successful be baa been la charms st least one robbery." a woman of ber Junoequ "Inalde this little casket." be said, could be expected to do. The Ingenue are Jewels worth more than half rule wss Impossible to Mrs. Delaroche; but had it not been so. undoubtedly million dollars. Mease let me bave the she would have anumed It In this enter key to this Jewel box." Reluctantly, she unfastened a slengency. "Answer me, madam; this calls for der gold chain that bung about ber You told neck, from which depended a tiny slian Immediate explanation. this man these Jewels belonged do you. ver key. Brits fitted It Into the lock How does It rome you have the dia- and turned the bolt Triumphantly be monds everybody In New York knows seized the lid, and as everyone otae laas the Maharanee necklace of Mrs. the room focused eager eyes upon the silver box, Brits opened It; then dropDoris MlMloner?" Mrs. Delaroche atlll struggled faintly ped It on the table with a furious exfor speech. Her lids quivered; her eyes clamation. Tbe box waa empty! alternately ckmed and then were fixed upon the detective, and a tremor, beCHAPTER XXII. ginning at the crown of ber adorablo head, move In waves to her perfect feet She sank Into a chair and let her Het en the Scant bead fall upon ber arms as they Brits bounded Into the Inner room stretched Inertly aenss a little table. and made a quick examination of There waa no amallest streak of pity every window. He found marks on In the look Detective Hrlta bent upon one of the cssemenU that told his her. He had dealt with womon of her practiced eye entry to the apartment type before many times, be told him-sei- had been made through tbe window and now that he was so near the by some one skilled In daring burgheart of tbe great Mlssloner mystery, lary. It gave on tbe fire escape. Brlta it was not his purpose to be Influenced flung up the sssb and looked out As In the slightest degree by tbe distress be expected, there was a long string of a Diana, to say nothing of an Aphro- of ladders and balconies that ended dite. Dry sobs choked tbe woman. one story above tbe street The fire Her eyea strained at ther tendons so escspo was at tbe least frequented painfully that tears would have been a end of the big hotel, and an awning divine relief. Whether she was grieved threw a shadow from an arc lamp on or frightened was not so apparent as the globe big enough to afford opporthat she was sorely distressed. Mln tunity for an agile man to mount on utes passed before ahe lifted her face the shoulders of comrade., grasp th and once more looked at the detective, econd story window and awing himThe bouse aleuth and bis porter bad self up unseen. He let bis eyes fall retreated a yard or more, and the on the balcony one atory below the erstwhile pajama squad, now an i window. On It lay something yellow,, founded force of Cossacks and Bedouins as If dropped inadvertently.. crumpled In a varied array of dressing gowns Brlti ran down tbe ladder and reand bathrobes, looked and listened In turned to tbe room with the object. . hushed expectancy. It waa an Oriental handkerchief sucb "Come, Mra. Delaroche," said Brltz, aa be bad seen in the Swaml'a possternly. "You really must not waste session. any more of my time. I bave spent an It was perfectly plain to Brits that hour In getting these jewels away the Hindoos had been beforehand' In to from you, and I don't Intend put with him in recovering the Mlssloner many more words In getting tbe facts jewels. By this time be knew enough from you. You have got to answer to be certsln that their object in getsoon or late, and you may aa well do of the gems was even possession ting It at once." than the stronger professional pride If there was to be any third degree that had actuated blm to recover tbem' In ber case, the detective waa deterfor their owner. He was aware they to mined apply It then and there. reason yet to be explained why ' 'They were given to me," said the had awere In aucb a desperate hurry they woman faintly. to take the stones of the necklace, or "By whom?" at least one of tbem the Maharanee' "By by a friend of mine," she reto India. Even now they might be plied. aboard a vessel that would put to sea "And bis name?" Inquired the detec- In a few hours, leaving no trace of tive curtly. their Or, It might be they "I do not care to tell his name," said were departure. the city limits on their beyond wno a Mrs. ueiarocne, nad recovered t way to another port of exit little of her calmness. them at all hazards. He stop "You must tell It!" Brits Insisted. leaped to the telephone, called Tollce "I cannot," she said. on the' "But I tell you you must!" returned Headquarters, got Manning and asked the Chief to give per wire, the detective. "Don't you see you have sonal attention to the request be was got to tell It to square yourself?" about to make. do she "What asked you mean, sir?" "Notify all precincts," said Brltz.. with a pretty show of indignation. "to stop every man of Oriental apof those don't "Now, games try any on me," said Britz. In his impatience, pearance attempting to leave the city boat or train. Have all the ferries he was descending close to the meth- by and send a double detail to watched, ods of Donnelly and Carson. He rethe Grand Central Station. Telephone) membered that In a moment and rethe Associated Press for a list of sumed more persuasively: r about to sail today; have "It will save 'you a great deal of for tramp steamfront watched trouble for you, Mrs. Delaroche, If you tell me the truth, and tell it at once, ers, and don't forget the small craft, sail and steam." without holding anything back. You both "Have you found the Jewels?" asked' I am a detective from Pounderstand, at the other end of the Manning, lice Headquarters, and I was assigned weeks ago to find Mrs. Mlssloner's dia- wire.'' "No!" roared Brltz, "but I will hav monds. I have found the diamonds, tbem In a few hours. If you'll make and now I must And the thief." bunch hustie to help me. Will Mrs. Delaroche shivered, and started the you attend to all this yourself. Chief?'" to feet. disShe her a turned slowly Brltz found Doctor Fitch waiting; dainful glance on the group at the door, him on the sidewalk, as'he had arfor then faced Brltz once more, and la a voice title more than a whisper, she ranged before entering tbe apartmentat of Mrs. Delaroche in the guise of said: in a single word told tho "Whatever you may think, I did not burglar, and how be had been balked la , physician I know the jewels were stolen. did not chief object of bis nocturnal visit. know fney ever belonged to Mrs. Mls- the the word now, doc!" said "Quick's Mltmion-er i Mrs. heard never (if sloner. . Brltz. ( before tonlgnt, except through the asked-Fitch- . "Where are you going?" I not did know that of my any papers. acquaintances knew her. I was not (TO BE CONTINUED.) aware she had lost her diamonds. What you tell nie about the theft of a Stirring the Melting Pot. necklace from .Mrs. Mlssloner Is enWhat is believed to be the first attirely new to me. I seldom read the tempt by an agricultural college tor papers, and when I do, I do not read teach immigrants coming to this counaccounts of crime." promise of try, is said to give every ' "All you say may be true," Brltz per success. Ninety-fiv- e Polish farmers slated, "but you may take my word for from the Connecticut Valley, southern It the Jewels are Mrs. Mlssloner's; New Hampshire and northern Conthey were stolen from her, and you necticut, gathered at the MassachumuBt tell me the name of the person setts Agricultural college to be Inwho gave them to you." In structed agriculture and good citiThe beautiful ' woman's distress at zenship. The lectures were Interthis time was so sincere that the preted by K. J. Wolski of Holyoke. Headquarters man involuntarily dealt George Chapman of the department, more gently with her. He urged her of botany told these men of the necesto be seated again, and then for the sity of getting good onion seed,- this . first time apparently remembered his being one of tbe most Important crops hands still were gripped by the bands of the valWy. , He also trowed th of steel the house detective had snap- water and wind blast me'Jjod-oef i. fecting the poor from th" frpoi! ped upon them. Christian Science Vcnltor "Madam, I must Insist once more poMtmalun a moment, however, did be slacken his alertness sufficiently for Mra. Del arorhe to have a good chance to get to the Inner room, He pretended to search thoroughly" several places where money or Jewels might be kept, but, even to a woman of her slow wit. It was apparent be did so In a half hearted way. MlUlcent felt assured the man knew Juit what he had taken from beneath ber pillow, and that he was satlsffi'd with It. He showed that to be true when be gave up the pretended search without so murh as trying the handle of a small safe Id a far corner of the room. Returning to tbe bedside, he renewed his warning, throwing to much savage meaning Into bis words that Mrs. Delaroche was certain there was no pre- ' tense about that Then he walked to tbe door giving on tbe corridor, turned the handle cautiously, thrust his head through a second opening, and looked np and down the hall. Evidently reassured, he opened the door, stepped outside, and closed It swiftly and silently. There was not a sound to Indicate whether be had gone along the corridor, or still stood Just outside tbe door. Mrs. Delaroche waited, listening Intently In the hope of hearing bis footsteps, but she listened vainly. She waited perbapa a minute, for she had no desire to hazard a shot from that terrible thing tbe burglar bad pressed against her brow. Then ber courage oozed back, and she bounded to tbe floor, screaming with all her might. pausing only long enough to snatch a peignoir and throw It about ber shoulders ere she pulled open the outer door of her suite and sent ber shrieks shrilling down the long ball. Her cries, for she was a magnificently constructed animal of most expansive lung power, not only echoed far along the corridor, but penetrated even tbe sound proof doors of tbe other apartments. The disturbance she made was alarmingly novel to be exclusive calm of the Hotel Rer . Doors I out, were flung open, heau. and a dozen Inquiries wt Jung at her from aa many parts of the ball; but Mrs. Delaroche had exhausted her coherence In framing that one purpose of screaming with all ber might until some man of action should speed to her assistance. She did not waste any strength In articulation. She simply screamed, and so eloquent were her shrieks that although she uttered no concrete word, only a few of them were needed to tell the more Intelligent of ber auditors that she had been robbed, and that what she had lost was of priceless value to her. Before the fusillade of her cries died away In a scattering fire of gasping sobs, half a dozen pajamaed specters were racing down the corridor In the direction they deemed the What account burglar had taken. would of themselves have given they had they come up with the fugitive is conjectural. They were spared tbe disagreeable necessity of submitting their courage to that test, for as tbe burglar turned a corner of the hall many yards In advance of his pursuers, he was tripped by a foot adroitly Interpolated In his path, and when he recovered his breath after a Jarring fall. It was to find two men of sturdy build sitting UDon him as composedly as If nature ad p'anned him for a conversation balr. The pistol he had carried In bin bands throughout the pursuit waa notched from his grasp, and altfcouo'u ue struggled furiously, rms were dragged behind his his back and handcuffs were snapped upon his wrists. Then he was dragged to his feet by four Insistent arms and Impelled with much vigor along the hallway In the reverse direction to that which he had followed. Unmistakable was the rejoicing of the pajama squad at the sight of his captivity. Undeniably heroic was Its surge toward him. Faces grim with postscript bravery werethrust into the prisoner's, and voices raging from bombarded mockery to indignation him with questions. All of w hich the prisoner met with sullen silence and with looks that made the squad retreat a pace or two In spite of the firmness with which his captors held him. Mrs. Delaroche's fading screams guided the little group to her apartment, where the hands of ministering angels had adjusted her peignoir to its normal position upon her Junoesque form and fastened its fluttering ribbons in becoming bows. She there received the heroes of the man hunt with astonishing composure. "Is this the man who robbed you, madam?" asked one of the men who had caught the burglar. He was the house detective. "Stand behind him, Jim," he said to his colleague, a porter with the fullback's shoulders. "It must be," said Mrs. Delaroche. "but I cannot tell by his face. I did not see It looks like the man, though. Make him speak." But that task was beyond the house detective's Irresponsible powers. though his mind might be as compared with the city's sleuth's and blue-coathe hardly felt Justified in employing the most mehleval forms of torture to accomplish that purpose. Seemingly, nothing short of the boot, the thumbscrew and the Iron Maiden Jrli?" She Waa Broad Awake In aa drag a word from tbe captive. He maintained bis Sullen silence, although It might be said be broke It In a wsy, for tbe furious looks be cast at the pajama squad were almost audible. Those looks caused several of the squad'a doughty heroes suddenly of to realize the unconventlonallty their attire, and to send tbem precipitously In search of dressing gowns. One or two of tbem remained, bow-eve- r, and the house detective, wbo, In hotels as frostily patrician as the Renaissance, did not often have an opportunity to bold tbe center of the stage, was fairly well content with his audience. "Now, then, you!" he said, brusquely addressing the prisoner, "speak up. What were you doing beref "He got my Jewels!" cried Mrs. would ....... " The prisoner turned one of his sullen looks upon ber, but, conscious that she was robed as daintily as tbe most fastidious society actress In tbe Du Barryest of bedroom scenes could be, her equanimity was not so vulnerable as that of the deserters from the a aquad. '"He took the whole case of jewels from under my pillow," she continued, addressing the house detective. "They must be In bis possession still, unless he dropped tbem while be was running away." "We will soon find out." said the leading man. "Jim, go through him!" Jim only shrugged those fullback shoulders when the burglar attempted to petrify him with a look, and his search through tbe prisoner's pockets was thorough. Mrs. Delaroche gasped her delight when from the captive's coat the porter drew forth a heavy silver casket, and" held it toward her. "Is" that your property, madam?" asked the bouse detective. "Yes, yes," said Mrs. Delaroche, eag " Instant am so glad be did would , She checked herself hastily. "You must come to me In tbe morning, Mr. Mr. for a reward," she add ed In tones so sweetly suggestive of a golden guerdon that tbe detective's eyes glistened. "Thank you, madam, that Is not nec essary," be replied perfunctorily. "Let's see what else tbla fellow has erly. "Oh, dear, not escape with 1 It What got" He and tbe porter explored the cap tive's pockets further, but found noth' Ing more In the way of loot Mrs, Delaroche looked hastily through ber desk and dressing table and told tbe man apparently nothing else waa miss , ing. . "Then," said the bouse detective, "I guess there Is nothing else for us to do but ta turn this burglar over to the police. May we use your' telephone, madam?" Mrc. Delaroche gladly nodded assent, and the aleuth continued: "Jim, call up Headquarters, and have a couple of men sent here to take this fellow away." Tbe effect of that command upon the prisoner startled everyone. Not only did It cause him to break his sul len silence, but it drew from blm words that made the house detective Involuntarily loose bis hold on tbe man and step back, staring. Jim's jaw fell, and Mrs. Delaroche gazed at the fel low, wide-eyed- . "I can save you that trouble," said the burglar. "You need not telephone for tbe Central Office men. I am Lieutenant Detective Brits of Headquar ters! And these," and he nodded toward the silver casket, "are the missing Mlssloner diamonds that were stolen from tbe richest woman In America." Turning to Mrs. Delaroche abruptly, be said: I """ " r, He-mus- the-vessel-s the-wate- It' s, "the Jewels Are Mrs. Mlssloner's." i glowing beat -- 7 fro'Slhs minute it tahted. Mxry tot uie |