Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-10

1O1Ss 0tsAA 'S tt' A'tA tion of the surbase running along the side of the room next to his own.
 They were at work somewhere near that spot" he said, looking keenly at the portion near the corner of the apart ment. Il heard them using their knife for a good while. They are cunning workers at that sort of thing and have | concealed their work well. When some minutes passed without any discovery, feeling of doubt crept | into his mind, and he asked himself whether it was not some trick, after all, which they were playing upon him. If it was, I can't suspect it's nature, | but I'll find out"
 There was so little light in the corner, despite the two windows, that he struck a match, and stepping down passed it slowly along the wood. Using his vision the best he could, he finally detected tiny bit of chipping on the cheap, in grain carpet close to the wall. It re- | sembled a fragment from match that some one had dropped, but it was the clcw for which he was searching. A rectangular ridge two or three inches in length extended along the surbase so faintly marked that only the closest scrutiny could detect it.
 Inserting the point of his knife, he cx- erted steady and increasing pressure. Soon there was slight yielding, and then a shell of wood resembling the thin lid of small box fell out on the floor, revealing cavity behind it a couple of inches in depth.
 Max MansOn's heart gave a quick throb when he perceived a fine tissue paper resting within, but without any nervousness of manner, though his ex- citement was intense, he drew it out. He unfolded it just enough to catch glimpse of a red, round substance within, when he showed it into his vest pocket.
 Then with the same care he had shown from the first he replaced the covering, adjusting it with such delft ness that the appearance was precisely the same as before He blew out the third match which he had found it nec- essary to employ, placing that, like its companions, ill his pocket so as not to leave any trace of his work behind.
 Rising to his feet, he passed out of the room, carefully rclocked the door behind him and once more entered the apart mcnt where he had spent the previous night. Then, walking to the window, where he had full light, he took out the paper and unrolled it.
 An exclamation of delighted astOnish- mcnt escaped him. The object was the size almost of a robins egg, deep red in color, bright and seemingly with light almost as luminous as that of a diamond.
 Eureka! 1 have found it. That's the rajahs ruby as sure as I live! Did any man ever have a better stroke of for tunc:'
 He turned it over i'll his hand and feasted his eyes upon its beauty.
 ''I am not much of a judge of precious stones, but I'll wager that that gem is worth all that is claimed, which is S1OO- GOO. What story it could tell if it but possessed the power of Speech!"
 Max Manson was certainly authorized in fclicitating himself, for his success had been little short of marvellous.
 My theory was right. Dr. Maidotf stole the gem from Miss Livermore and was paid well for it by these two wrctchcs The shock from which she died was not caused by their visit, but by the physician himself. There ought to be some way of punishing him, but 1 know of none, for these fellows will never brtray him. When they find how they have been outwitted, they will quiet ly swallow their loss. for I don't intend to give them d second chance to steal the prizc'
 There was no call for him to stay long CT at the hotel, su he badr the landlord goodby again. and hurrying to the sta t,, t1,,n11,r1, train for New York He scanned his surroundings closely before entering the cars, but observed nothing of the East Indians; but, all the same, the very one that had followed him to the station that morning saw him.
 This fellow was the one known as Wi .hlnan, and peering around the cor ner of a building, carefully screening his body from observation meanwhile, he kept his black eyes fixed on the detective as long as he was ill sight
 Max Manson did not forget his obliga- tions to Folsom Simpson, whom he had left working on the case at Elltnville A moment before entering the cars he telcgraphed him in cipher:
 The case is closed. have recovered the ruby and am on my way to head quarters Wire me thcre"
 Simpson is q good fellow and will send me his congratulations. Whatever he says, too, he will mean, for there is no Glvy in his nature. can sec now palmer than ever how he maneuvered from the first to throw the glory of the whole thing in my way"
 The day was drawing to a close when his train rlumbled into the Grand Gen. tral station, and calling cab he was soon whirled to headquarters. Chief Narick was absent, and he found no 9le present to whom he deemed it advisable to make his report.
 The following message, however, from Simpson was awaiting him, and, as may be supposed, Manson read it with pe- culiar feelings:
 'l would like to congratulate you, old fellow, but don't think you have got the rajah's ruby
 What the mischief can he mean?" Manson asked himself as he held the writing in his hand and read and reread 1t. Il told him plainly enough that I had recovered the gem. It looks to me as if Fol feels a little jealous after all"
 Yielding to vague misgiving for which he could not account, he left the office, and boarding a street car rode to the well known establishment of Tiffany 6 Co.
 II will get them to write out certif- cate for me and forward that to Fol, since he won't accept mine."
 Max Manson expected to see the eyes of the clerk before whom he laid the stone protrude with amazement. So they did, but when the gentleman took the gem in hand peculiar expression came over his face, an expression which deepened the detectives uneasiness.
 "You don't often sec gem like that" remarked the visitor
 "I don't know" replied the clerk, with