Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-14
CHAPTER III.


 CHAPTER III.
 Having established the genuinCneSs of the great ruby. another duty was be- fore mr-the snding of purchaser. The conviction that there was something wrong behind tho whole businesS-that, in other words. Darius C. Howard was one of those brilliant criminals who are continually pitting their brains against tho law and generally winning-was fixed in my mind It was incredible that he should have brought such a priceless gem thousands of miles across land and ocean, passing by more invit- ing markets on tie road, and then plac- cd 1t in my hands at an absurdly low price, He must have had some all pow erful reason for this extraordinary step. There was no ground for fearing that l could become implicated in the dark work What had done was wholly regular, and my standing could not be imperilcd by anything that ? or any one else could do
 gave up the idea of negotiating the sale through some of our correspond entS i'll Europe, not that l feared l would not secure a princely price, but because of the annoying complications that were sure to follow
 You may speculate for days and weeks. remarked my friend Carl Witt her after he had made his report of what he had learned about my caller, and the chances are that you will be further f i.,t h i.- one point where you can stand upon safe ground.
 Where's that:'
 At tho beginning Thus we know that a gem worth several fortunes has been placol in your custody by man who is registered at tho Astor House as Darius L. Howard from London He has told you an interesting story of how he found it on the spot where the late lamcntcd Mana Sahib crossed the great divide. and-wcll. that is all we know about it. "
 But wo know that what he says is untrue
 "Wo know nothing of the kind we simply know nothing "
 What is yoEr thcory?"
 Wittncr shook his head, with a sig niticant grin,
 No, you don't have given up tho business of dealing i'll theories naven't been v,ry successful. My last theory re- quir,d the murder of that merchant in the TvnlrrlUin district The whole ! thing was r, yfvct. but iL ;ho end flaw appcarc! Ihr merchant was uufeeling enough to co&le back from Europe and prove he hadn't been murdered at all. No, Brown, there isn't any satisfaction in the thrur:2ing business, Take my ad- vice and keep cut of it, Gaboriau's s de- tcctivcs who could spin facts and theo- ricS down to the mllliOnth of hair never lived The only man who could strike a true theory i'll this business was Sherlock Holmes. and now he has been killrd-au unpardonablo crime on the part of the gifted Doyle. So, as said, let's keep out of the whole thing"
 "Eut a man cant help thinking True, lat let him strike out and try to get hold of the truth. The mystery is before him Solve that if he can. and let theories alone.
 
 is the harm of SpeCulating when you do not allow yourself to be misled by your | spcculatiOns.
 "You cannot help it For instance, you havc formed the belief that Mir. How ard has lied to you about the ruby; that it was not the gem which Mama Sa- hib carried in his turban with him to the | Himalavas "
 No; don believe it, nor do you"- Never mind about me. but Mir. | Howard may have told you the truth. suspect that that ruby is what he de- | clarcs 1t to be- It seems to mo that if it was not great deal moro would be known about it. but his story explains the fact that you, and, SO far as you l know less than half q dozen persons are aware of itS presence among civilized l people My advice is to sell the thing, if you can find a buyer, explaining the circumstances, of course, and then wash your hands of the business. Have you any purchaser in vicw:'
 "Yes; Godfrey Sandhuscn. He ha. moro money than he knows what to dc with and is q connoi>seur in precious | stones You remember that it was he who bought the Darak diamond of me last year and that famous black dia' mond from Kimberley couple of year: ago,
 Wittner nodded his head.
 An old friend of mine. I've dont some work for him. Did hc ever tel you how he lost the black diamond ant I suCcvcdcd i'll recovering it."
 Never heard the story"
 'I may tell you some time; can now. Is he at home?"
 No; his family have not returned from Europe, He's staying at the Wind sor, I'll take the ruby up there this aft ernOon.
 Wittner left n few minutes later, anC was sitting in my office reading daily paper when n lady entered tn store and asked to look at some dia mondS, remained in my seat. leaving the clerks to wait upon her. when heard her ask:
 Let me see the finest ruhies yo' have"
 Tho words. ns well as the slightl foreign accent, caught my attention : and laying down my paper I Gtrollc into the store.
 As l did so my gaze fell upon tn most beautiful woman have ever be held. She was elegantly dressed. wa } perhaps 30 years old (though am awar