The Portland daily press., 1895-07-06

and then Tell BACK against Mr.. Barnes,
crying:
"The master himselfr'
Mr.. Barnes looked over the mans
shoulders and could scarcely believe his
eyes when he observed Mr.. Mitchell.
alive and well, brushing his hair before
a mirror.
GIVE rung for you twice, Williams, %
said Mr.. Mitchell, and then seeing Mr..
Barnes he added: "Ah, Mr.. Barnes, you
are very welcomed Come in. Why,
what is the matter, man? You are as
white as though you had seen a ghost!''
'"Thank God, you are safe!' fervently
calculated the detective, going forward
and grasping Mr. Mitchel's hand.
"Here, read this, and you will under
stand He drew out the afternoon pa
per and handed it to him.
''Oh, thatl'' said Mr.. Mitchell care
lessly. "I've read that. Merely a sensa-
tional lie, worked off upon a guileless
public. Not word of truth in it, I as
sure you. :"
''Of course not, since you are alive.
But there is mystery about this which
is yet to be- explained -
"Whati A mystery, and the great
Mr.. Barnes has not solved it? am sur
prised! I am indeed. But then, you
know, I told you after Goldie made a
tizzle Of our little joke that if I should
choose to play the principal part you
would not catch me. You see, I have
beaten you this time. Confess. You
thought that was my corpse which you
gazed upon at the morgue?"
"Well, "said Mr.. Barnes reluctantly,
''the identification certainly seemed
complete in spite of the condition of the
face, which made recognition impossi-
ble.''
eyes, fiatter myself the whole affair
was artistic
"Do you mean that this whole thing
is nothing but joke; that you wen, SO
far as to invent cables and letters from
Paris just for the trifiing amusement of
making fool of me?'
Mr.. Barnes was evidently slightly
angry, and Mr.. Mitchell, noting this faot,
fastened to mollify him.
''No, no; it is not quite SO bad as
that" said he. 81 must tell you the
whole story, for there is yet important
work to do, and you must help me. No,
Williams, you need not go out. Your
anxiety over my absence entities you to
a knowledge of the truth. A short time
ago heard that a very rare gem was in
the market, no less stone than the
original emerald which Cortez stole
from the crown of Montezuma. The
emerald was offered in Paris, and was
notified at once by the dealer and az
thorized the purchase by cable. A few
days later received a dispatch warning
me that there was danger. understood
at once, for similar danger has lurkd
about other large stones which are nov
in my collection. The warning meant
that 1 should not attempt to get thu
emerald from the custom house until
further advices reached me, which
would indicate the exact nature of the
danger. Later Ireceived the letter which
was found on the body now at the
morgue and which suppose you have
read?"
Mr.. Barnes nodded assent.
81 readily located the man Palma at
the Imperial, and from his openly using
his name knew that had dangerous
adversary. Criminals who disdain
aliases have brains and use them. kept
away from the custom house until sat
isfied myself that was being logged by
a veritable cutthroat, who, of course
was the tool hired by Palma to rob, per-
haps to kill me. Thus acquainted with
my adversaries, I was ready for the en-
terprise.
''Why did you not solicit my assist.
ance?" asked Mr.. Barnes.
partly because WANTED all the glory
and partly because I saw a chance to
make you admit that I am still the cham
pion detective baffaer I sent my wife
and daughter to Europe that might
have time for my scheme. On the day
after their departure | boldly went to
the custom house and obtained the
emerald. Of course was logged by the
hireling, but I had arranged plan
which gave him no advantage over me.
I had constructed pair of goggles
which looked like simple smoked glasses,
but in one Of these / had little mirror
so arranged that I could easily watch
the man behind me should he approach
too near. However, was sure he would
not attack me in a crowded thorough
fare, and I kept in crowds until time
for dinner, when by appointment I met
my neighbor Mordaunt and remained
in his company until reached my own
doorway, late at night. Here he left
me, and stood on the stoop until he
disappeared into his own house. Then I
turned and apparently had much trou-
BILE to place my latchkey in the lock.
This offered the assassin the chance
which he had hoped for, and gliding
stealthily forward he made a vicious
stab at me. But, lin the first place, I had
put on chain armor vest aud, in the
second, expecting the attack to occur
just as it did, turned swiftly, and with
a blow with club knocked the weapon
from the fellows hand, and with an
other I struck him over the head so that