OCR Text |
Show rants ' "i -7' ' v - V 1 AM 1 ' an "I Will Try U Anivwf." affection, cynicism, mutely replied. StrelchlDg both hands toward Mrs. Mlssloner, advancing with faltering steps, the victim of the detective's persecution cried: "Mrs. Mlssloner, la It possible you can think do you even Imagine I I oh," with a swift turn to Miss March, "Dorothy, Dorothy!" Dor-othy!" To the credit of little Miss March be It remembered she met Elinor's second appeal with undiminished tenderness. ten-derness. Mrs. Mlssloner, too, was kind, but her gentle "No, Elinor," was not as reassuring as the loving pats Dorothy squandered on the beut shoul-ders shoul-ders of the distressed girl. Sands swore In his thoughts. Ills big fingers bent a gold penholdor Into wary lines. Ranscome, with alternate finger-tips, traced lines In bis palms. Orlswold turned his cigarette 'round and 'round with agile fingers and thumb. Wodg-ett's Wodg-ett's eyes seemed to lunge at the detectives. de-tectives. "I guess Miss Holcomb Isn't ready to tell all she knows yet," said Donnelly Don-nelly meaningly. "While we're waiting wait-ing for her to steady her nerves, we'll just have a look In her room." Mrs. Mlasioner was about to negative nega-tive the suggestion, but a glance at Elinor's shaking form stopped her. She did not reply, and the detectives walked out of the room In silence. A look from the widow sent Blodgett stalking In their wake. The footman kept his eyes on Donnelly's turned-out turned-out tons as If calculating bow much strength was required to seize those thick ankles wit a sudden heave. Not until the central office men were at the end of tye pnssnge did the sobbing sob-bing secretarr start In great agitation toward the door. On the threshold she paused and turned slowly till she faced the group. "Sine they are going to search my the pom," she said. In a choking voice, '1 wish you would all come the-e with me. I I feel that won't yj all come please?" The men hung back, but Doris and Dorothy Joined her on the Instant and together the three women followed fol-lowed t.b detectives Into the lift Illodgett backed from the car and stood staring at the detectives through the rose-tinted grill. A boy In quiet livery threw the lever and the steel cage shot upward. The car stopped at the third floor and the little party proceeded to a room at the end of a softly-lighted corridor. It was a charming little boudoir Into which Donnelly's spreading feet and Carson's flat tread carried the detectives. de-tectives. Mrs. Mlssloner, Elinor and Dorothy went only a little way In and looked on silently. The men made their search according to their natures, Carson with moderate Indifference Indif-ference and dispatch, Donnelly exhaustively, ex-haustively, Ungerlngly, gloatingly. When the large sleuth's thick fingers and beady gaze became more than ordinary Intrusive, Mrs. Mlssloner sremed about to protest, tat each time she checked herself. "It Is better to let them search thoroughly." said Elinor. "Since this Is considered necessary, I wish It to be made complete. Please do not Interfere In-terfere with them." 8he handed to Carson a small silver keyring. He rtfi&.At It r Yitm mat ftitst tVinnaltv's) SYNOPSIS. The story opens with a scream from rorothy Munlie In the opera box of Mrs. Mlssloner, wealthy widow. It Is no casloned when Mrs. Mlaatnner'a necklace break. scattering the diamonds nil over the floor. Curtis Orlswold and Hruxton Hand, society men In love with Mrs. Mlssloner, Mls-sloner, gather up the spins. Orlswold steps on what I suposed to be the relo-hratnd relo-hratnd Maharanee ami crushes It A Hindoo Hin-doo d'H-lnro It was not the genuine. An einert later pronounces all the atones substitutes for the original. Infectives Ikinnelly ami Carson InvestiKate. CHAPTER Ill-Contlnued. The Mg man straightened abruptly. Hacrlianto's heels came down and her hands fluttered aloft. The catch In his voice, characteristic of blm when In the presence of the rich, was brushed brush-ed out of his throat by a burst of professional pro-fessional teal. He recognised a situation situa-tion that enabled him to play Inquisitor Inquisi-tor In a home of wealth. "Where were the Jewels stolen from?" he asked. "I don't know," said Mra. Mlssloner. "When did you miss them?" Again the widow recited the Incident Inci-dent of the opera box. "Who was In the party?" Mrs. Mlssloner told blm. She did not mention the Oriental In the next box. It did not occur to her. "Isn't there anybody you can think of." pursued the big detective, "who could have taken them?" "Nobody who would," answered Mrs. MUsloner. "Did anybody else have the combination combi-nation of the safe?" "One," responded Mrs. Mlssloner. BIiu answered defensively, like a witness wit-ness under hostile cross examination, volunteering nothing. Donnelly seemed seem-ed not to hour her. He was examining examin-ing the safe again. He passed his hand over the door and Its frame again, turned the handle that shot the bolts, noted their strength and smoothness, turned them back, and -wheeled on Mrs. Mlssloner abruptly. "There's been no forcing here," he said sagely. "It's an Inside Job." Mrs. Mlssloner's eyebrows went up. "Yes'm," thu detective went on, "an iDslde Job. Who did you say had the combination?" "My secretary Miss Holcomb." "Oh!" said Donnelly. Carson's Hps i fihTHH pi11' fepeUUon. Hands, Impatient of the detective"! awkward questioning, shook himself llon-llke and went to a window. Orlswold Orls-wold swung his foot Idly, and smoked In shorter measure. Itanscome looked look-ed nervously at tho Inquisitor, then wung his gaze back to the Jewel trays. Dorothy listened with wide-eyed wide-eyed Interest "What do you know about this Miss IloYomb?" asked Donnelly, squaring himself aa If for a trial of strength with the widow and turning out bis Iocs farther than ever. "I have known her many years," ald Mrs. Mlssloner quietly, adding with warmth, "She is a young woman of high character." "Oh, she is, Is she?" returned t'" sleuth. "And how, may I ask, ma'atn. do you know that?" "I say. I have known her many years," said Mrs. Mlssloner. Donnelly held whispered consultation consulta-tion with bis mate. Then he asked If be might question the servants. "Certainly, If -you think It necessary." neces-sary." assented the widow. "Hut I should warn you that I cannot bring myself to suspect any of them." "Everybody seems to be above suspicion," sus-picion," snapped Donnelly. "It's always al-ways the way, until we begin to get on the trail, and then everybody becomes be-comes suspicious, I think I'll question the servants, ma'am. Shall I have 'em In here?" Mrs. Mlssloner bowed and sent Illodgett to summon his comrades. "One at a time, please," said Donnelly. Don-nelly. The first to enter was the housekeeper, a staid woman In a black gown with narrow white ruch-Ing ruch-Ing about her withered neck. She knew nothing of tbo Jewels save that mndam always locked them in the stfo herself, unless Miss Holcomb was there to do It for her. The answers of the other servsnts were equally straightforward. The butler, under-butler, chef, second footman, foot-man, pantry boy, parlor-maid, chamber cham-ber maids, and kitchen maid, and the majestic Illodgett himself were interrogated inter-rogated persistently, minutely, doggedly, dog-gedly, even bullylngly, and In the end the net result of what they bad to tell was tero. That Is to say, as far as Mrs. Mlssloner and ber friends snd the diamond expert were concerned. Donnelly thought otherwise, Carson's Blind was a receptive blank. "Are these all the servants?" asked the larce detective. "All at present." answered Mrs. Mlssloner. "My own maid Is away on leave Oh. yes, there's All." "Is Allle the name of your maid?" "No, All Is a man an Indian." "And what's his Job?" This aggressively. ag-gressively. "He Is a courier." Donnelly was puzzled. "When I travel, be looks after the transportation and baggage," Mrs. Mlssloner explained. The detective stroked his Jaw and whispered with Carson again. Tbla advance agent of yours this All where Is her Tilodgett" called the widow, "send AH here." The presence faded into the perspective per-spective of the passage and In a few minutes materialized on tbe thresholdalone. thres-holdalone. "All la not in the house, madam," the footman reported. "Ask Miss Holcomb if she sent blm anywhere." "What tribe does this Indian belong to?" Donneljjf Inquired Importantly. "Choctaw? Cherokee? Sioux? Maybe he's an Apache?" Mrs. Mlssloner smiled. It was not an unpleasant smile, but it Jarred an J unconscious "Huh!" out of the detective. de-tective. All the others save the serious seri-ous Itanscome smiled too, and Orlswold Orls-wold laughed aloud. "He Isn't that kind of an Indian." Sands enlightened the sleuth. "He's a native of India a Hindoo." "Of course," rumbled the Central Office man. Indignantly. "I know that What I want to know Is what kind of a Hindoo?" "I should say ha was a Sepoy," remarked re-marked Orlswold. There was a malicious ma-licious gleam In his eyes. "Sepoy huh?" Donnelly turned to Carson. "What do you know about that?" he asked. Carson knew nothing noth-ing whatever about that It would have been disloyal to know more than bis colleague. There wsa a man In Mulberry Street Itnixtnn was to find much more efficient effi-cient than the present visitors from headquarters. As the widow did not know that she was a good deal bored, and some of her first distress at the loss of her Jewels, particularly the Maharanee diamond, returned. She was almost despondent when the detectives, de-tectives, after an exhaustive search of the servants' quarters, returned. They had ransacked even the room of Mrs. Mlssloner's absent maid, but to no purpose. "Is there anything more you wish to know?" asked Mrs. Mlssloner, rising. ris-ing. I)onnclly was oblivious to the hint. "Yes, ma'am, Mis' Mlssloner," he answered. an-swered. "I think we'll talk to your secretary now." CHAPTER IV. "The Chief Wants to 6es You." Elinor Holcomb, tall, graceful, gray eyed, stood framed between crimson I portieres like a Velesquet portrait Her refinement differed from Mrs, Mlssloner's climatically, but, despite the polarlc opposlteneas of their coloring, color-ing, there was a resemblance between them. Mrs. Mlssloner's eyes turned to her apologetically. "I regret to disturb you so late, Elinor," she said, "but these gentlemen gentle-men Insist on seeing you. I suppose you were sleeping?" "I was doting, I fear," smiled the girl. "I had been reading." She held a book In her hand. "The necklace with the Maharanee diamond Is gone," the widow explained, explain-ed, "and paste Jewels have been put in their place. This Is Detective Donnelly, Don-nelly, of the Central Office, and this is Detective ah" "Carson, ma'am," said Donnelly, "I'm sure I'm very glad to see Mr. Donnelly and Mr. Carson, since there has been a robbery," said Elinor easily. easi-ly. She move softly to the center of the room and stood looking at the Headquarters men. "Are you sure the reul diamonds are gone?" Mrs. Mlssloner made a gesture toward to-ward the safe and Indicated the heap of false gems on the table. "Is It likely," sneered Orlswold. "that whoever put the paste stones there would neglect to take the real ones? I see you read De Maupassant, Miss Holcomb. Stories like 'Tha Necklace' don't happen." Elinor laughed as she turned the book In her hand so the others might see the name of the great Frenchman on the cover. "Yet the way the young coup! spoiled their lives to pay for the false necklace reads plausibly," she retort ed. "You are growing more observ ant. Mr. Orlswold." Sands was overcome by his growing Impatience. "If the detectives have any ques tlons to put to Miss Holcomb. I sug gest that tbey waste no time," he said. "There can't be much to ask." "No. there Isn't much, Mr. Sands," retorted the large Central Office man "I'd Just like to ask the young lad) who the thinks took the diamonds." Elinor looked amaxed. "How should I know?" she queried a little Irritated by the man's abnpt ness. "This Is the first I've heard o! the robbery." "Then msjbe you'll explain, miss why you didn't come In with the otb er huh! that Is, why you didn't ap pear before?" "I have told you I was reading It my room." she ""piled. "I knew noth Irg of the ropery, nor even of Mrs Mlssloner's reiurn from the opera, un til the housekeeper knocked on mj door with the Information Mrs. Mis sloncr wished to see me In the II brary." "I reslly regard this as wholly no necessary. Mr. Donnelly," said thi widow, with slow insistence. "Mlsi Holcomb Is not only my secretsry but my trusted friend. Her elder sU ter was In my class at Smith. I hav known tbe Hoirombs many years." "You may think yon know their "Just what I said, you see," he exclaimed. ex-claimed. "Nothing but trinkets and other little souvenirs huh! of old romances, perhaps. Eh, It's great to be a summer girl, Miss Holcomb. If only you had Jewels like Mrs. Mlssloner's, Mlsslon-er's, you'd shine with the best of them. Gee, but that must be a beauty, that necklace, If the Imitation Is so pretty." J He stirred the contents of the box Idly. Nothing else remained to be searched. He had ransacked tbe Intimate Inti-mate sanctity of the girl's room. He felt baffled and sorely Irritated. At the thought of failure, he thrust his fingers Into the box with such violence vio-lence that everything It held fell to the floor. Carson stooped to pick u the scattered Jewelry, placing It in Donnelly's hand to be returned to the) box. After recovering several bits of Jewelry he laid In his big colleague's gjeedy clutch a small, round object wrapped In silk tissue. "Hello, what's this!" exclaimed Donnelly, Don-nelly, rolling the fairy parcel between finger and thumb. "You won't mind if I peep In the paper, young lady? Of course you won't And this is only a say. what the mischief Is It? Oh. glory!" Even Carson was startled into an echoing "Oh!" snd the three women almost screamed. For, nestling In the folds of the tissue, Its facets twinkling twink-ling in the Insistent green glow of the vacuum lights, flashed a diamond an unmistakable diamond which Mrs. Mlssloner and Dorothy and Elinor recognized rec-ognized as one of tbe lesser gems from the Maharanee necklace much smaller than the Maharanee diamond, but twice the size of an ordinary stone. And It was a diamond even a novice could tell was genuine! All the blood left Elinor's face. The muscles of her throat leaped and knotted knot-ted as If she were strangling. She swayed for a moment, then took a long step toward the detective and stood trembling, covering her face with quivering hands. Donnelly, holding hold-ing the diamond to the light as about to speak In what words, what manner, one can guess. Hut tbe misery mis-ery In the girl's attitude struck tbe triumphant grin from bis face, and there was momentary compassion In the tone In which he said: "We'd better go back to the library, I guess. Will you go with my side-partner. side-partner. Miss Holcomb?" Carson's advance to the secretary's side was checked by tbe violence with which she whirled toward Mra. Mlssloner, Mls-sloner, again with outstretched bands. This time the widow was slower In meeting the appeal. She was stunned by the detective's discovery. All the finer sensibilities of her womanhood were benumbed. Astonishment large and compelling, was all she could feel for the moment Still, she took Elinor's El-inor's Imploring hands In hers and stood motionless, listening to tbe girl's passionate entreaty not to believe be-lieve the evidence of her eyrs. not to believe her kindness could be outraged out-raged In such a way, not to believe that Elinor for all the. Jewels In tbe mines of the world could be tempted from the high honor In which she bad been reared. Clasping the younger woman's locked fingers In her own soft palm, she slipped her arm about Elinor's waist and walked with her to the lift Dorothy, crying almost childishly, controlled ber voice-once or twice long enough to beg Elinor not to give way to such torturing emotion. Hut Elinor Holcomb, shaking, sobbing, sob-bing, wildly beseeching, was oblivious to the silent watchfulness of the central cent-ral office men. the covert glances from Hlodgett's mask-like countenance, tbe amazed stare of the liveried youth in the elevator. All the way ro the room In which Sands and Orlswold and Itanscome walled, all the way across .the old English library to tbe ruddy tone before the fireplace, she continued con-tinued ber prayers to Mrs. Mlssloner to hold her guiltless. That was the one thought that shaped her thoughts; that the woman to whom she owed the shelter of ber later youth should not think ber capable of such Ignoble Ingratitude. There was no slightest shade of appeal to the detectives, no regard for the conclusions others In the room might draw. I!ut that Mrs. Mlssloner should give credit to the cold accusation that glittered In tbe diamond Donnelly had found that plainly was the unbearable thing In the wretched young woman's present position. "You won't have to telephone the chief, Mr. Man." said Donnelly to Sands with as direct a sneer as he thought advisable. "This has been one of our esslest cases." His fat hand was extended toward the millionaire. In tbe crease of tbe I aim, the diamond blazed as If Indignant In-dignant at such a settle Sands glared at the stone, Orlswold crated st It ss If siclll'Ound. Ranscome polluted pol-luted his g'nsres with much deliberation deliber-ation and. adjusting them with equal precision, looked at the gem fixedly. "This ore's the goods, eh?" the detective de-tective went on. Itanscome, with marked fastidiousness, took tbe Jewel from his hand and examined It as if bis reputation as sn expert depended on his test Reluctantly, he returned the gem to Donnelly and said, gently, with a pitying glance at Elinor: (TO UK CONTINUED ) ma'am." Donnelly persisted, "but my experience la you never' can tell who you know In a case like this. Me and my side-partner have been sent here to recover your Jewels and locate the thief, and If you don't let us do It In our own way, we can't be held responsible." re-sponsible." Elinor then did something that was unaccountable to the widow who thought she knew her so well, and which rather startled Sands. She turned to little Miss March and, laying lay-ing her head on the young girl's shoulder, shoul-der, wept unrestrainedly. Dorothy, patting her shoulder, stood looking helplessly at Mrs. Mlssloner. One of those awkward pauses followed fol-lowed In which nobody seemed., to know what to do. Sands stared hard at the floor. Ranscome wriggled In his chair uncomfortably. Even Blod-gett's Blod-gett's carven features twitched for an ' Instant Mrs. Mlssloner gated at i Elinor, plainly perplexed. ' Sympathy struggled slowly to tho surface of her gaze. She went up to her secretary, 1 and put her arm about the weeping girl's waist "This cannot be necessary, Mr. Donnelly," Don-nelly," she said. "I would rather lose Jewels twice as valuable than have Miss Holcomb distressed In this way. She knows nothing she will not tell us." Donnelly and Csrson whispered fervently to one another at a little distance from the central group. Hlodgett's eyes, turning slowly in a grsven face, traversed the length snd breadth of them as if nothing could please blm better than to still Te Itacchante with a mighty blow and Jolt Carson out of the room. The only person entirely at esse was Orlswold. He smoked tranquilly, his glance traveling trav-eling from one to another in rotation with the apprectatlveness of a connoisseur, con-noisseur, studying a great picture. There was something of tbe dilettante In tbe man. He was the opposite of Bunds In every particular save breeding, breed-ing, and even In that respect there was a difference. Sands broke the tension with a suddenness that fairly shouted his whole character. Rising so abruptly that his chair fell backward with a crash, be strode to the telephone and ' seized the Instrument savagely. He ' was calling Police Headquarters before be-fore either of the detectives recovered 1 from his surprise. Donnelly hastened ' toward him, the Racchante In great 1 cgltatlon. He pushed out a fat hand as If to stop the millionaire. ' "What are you going to do?" asked ' the sleuth, visibly anxious. "I'm going to have Manning call you fellows back to Mulberry Street," , said Sands, his Jaw hardening. "He's ' sent the wrong men. This Isn't a Tenderloin cae." "Now, see here, Mr. Sands" , snarled Donnelly threateningly. "I'm seeing straight enough." re- turned Sands. "I saked the Infective Hureau to send up on an Important r case, and the wires crossed before my message got to the Chief. Somebody told him It was a Chinatown hold up. Now I'm going to talk to him straight. ! Hello, Spring! What's tbe matter f with that number?" "You're going strong, Mr. Sands, even for a society man," said Donnel- . ly, doing his best to quiet the Hac- . chante, "but i don't see any shit Id on your shlrtfront and me and my part- i ner ain't got any call taking orders from you. We're on this case, and . we're going to stay on It And U you - start anything with Manning, yoi r want to be sure you can finish It" He - was white, shaking whether with - rsge or fear no one could sa. Turning Turn-ing to Mrs. Mlssloner. he went on: "I suppose you know, ma'am, Interfer-i Interfer-i ence with an officer Is a pretty serl- ens thing. We're here on duty, snd . It's up to you to see we're not both ered." Mrs. Mlssloner psled. She drsaded. not tbe law, but a scene. . "I think we would better let them have their way, Hruxton," she murmured, mur-mured, the light of admiration in her eyes in contrast to hor words. "Mr. Donnelly knows Miss Holcomb's standing stand-ing now. He will remember." Donnelly didn't know precisely what he was expected to remember, but he realized gentler tactics were safer toward to-ward the widow's secretary while Sands was around. It did not escape even bis observation that neither Ranscome nor Orlswold had said anything any-thing in Miss Holcomb's defense. "Now, this Is all wrong, young lady," he said to Elinor, bearing- on the soft pedal aa much as he could. "It Isn't right for you to go on like this, you know. You'll " get yourself all worked up and then you wont be able to answer our questions. Tae my word for It, It's best for yvt to keep yourself In hand." Elinor couldn't keep herself (n hand wtlle tbat raucous voice was thrust Into her self respect like & rusty file gripped as a polnard. She fought for self-mastery, but the shock was too much for her determination. Dorothy's Doro-thy's sisterly comforting only made her tears flow more freely. Her whole form quivered with staccato sobs. Carson, still on bis little Journey around the room, came full within range of Hlodgett's right-angled gaze. As he sensed the footman's expression he started violently and, stepping back swiftly, turned away in confusion. con-fusion. Not a muscle of Rlodgett's other features moved, but his eyes seemed to reach for the detective. Donnelly was rapidly recovering his place on the pedestal. Hands wrist-deep wrist-deep In pockets, he rocked on bis heels and looked at Elinor piercingly with his little eyes. Tbe girl. In an Interval between sobs, raised ber head and saw that gaze. A slow flush swept her face. She detached herself gently from little Miss March, and lifting that graceful head of hers higher, ever higher, faced the sleuth with composure as startling as bad been her loss of control. "If you have anything more to ask, sir," she said in a low tone, "I will try to answer." "Thanks!" came the curt reply. "I knew you'd come around. You see. Miss Elinor" "Miss Holcomb!" burst from Sands In a thunder tone. "H o-l-c-o-m-b you understand Miss Holcomb." Donnelly Donnel-ly pretended not to notice the Interruption, Inter-ruption, but ly did not address Elinor by her first came again. Hut Carson seemed as perturbed as be had been under the malignant gaze of the motionless mo-tionless Illodgett "What were you doing in Maiden Lane the other day?" asked Donnelly, sharply. "I was not In Maiden Lane. I haven't been downtown In weeks. The last time I went south of the shopping shop-ping district was more than a month go" 'That Is true." said Mrs. Mlssloner hurriedly. 'Miss Holcomb went to the Rattery Trust company for me." "Much obliged, ma'am." Donnelly was learning to show more deference to the widow. Carson had whispered to htm something of her social Importance. Im-portance. Yes, Carson, although he was only a neutral tint In the human color scheme, knew a few things. "Was that the day you tock the diamonds dia-monds to Tiffany's?" queried tbe big detective quickly. "To have one of the small stones made tighter, you know." Miss Holcomb's disdain had given place to dull wonder. Where had the man got bis misinformation? Could It be be resllv thousht but no. It was impossible. She felt aa If something some-thing suffocating was cloilng about her. She lifted one band to her throat to force back the sobs that would come. s" "I am completely confused by your questions." ibe stammered. "I I do not know how to answer. What you lay Is s- strance." She looked at the others wlta a world of appeal In those gray eye. Astonishment sympathy. Essmlned It ss if His Reputation Depended De-pended en His Test. enjoyment of the situation Increased by leaps and bounds. No single key on the tiny ring escaped ue of his hands. He unlocked boxes, a dressing case and other places of Kslble concealment con-cealment His method would have drawn a derisive smile from Chief cf Detectives MannlnK. Dut Manr.lt. K was far downtown in Mulberry street, and could not know the course his subordinates were pursuing. From a drawer In Elinor's Chippendale Chippen-dale secretary Donnelly took a box of rare lacquer and fitted a key to It. He stopped to gare searrhlngly at Miss Holcomb for a few minutes, then be unlocked the box. "I hate to pry into any young lady's little) keepkakes." he said tn a ponderously ponder-ously patronizing manner, "but. as Mss Holcomb hasn't been to Maiden Ijne In rich a long time. I know sbe won't object Now, this little bix. of course, contains nothirtj but trinkets or odds and ends love letters, maybe?" may-be?" Elinor's heart sickened at the leer In hts face. She turned her eyes to Iktrothr's lovlnsr little face, and clung to the debutant' hand. Donnelly, Don-nelly, fumb'.lng with the key for awhile opened tbe lacquered box. |