The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-07-30

piece of information--tha Smith was
going to the Earl's Court Exhibition
that night.
At the exhibition fair haired
stranger got into conversation with
Smith. The stranger did most of the
conversation, while Smith drank whis-
key and soda ut the strangers expense.
In burst of confidence the stranger
owned that he was collector of pre-
cious stones, had just bought couple
and would like Smith to look at them.
Smith looked and said "Good night"
and incontinently went up the Great
Wheel.
On the following day, while Smith
was at Morton's Office, fair-halred
stranger called at Smiths lodgings
to correct the gas meter. "E did
deal of pokin' about" said the land
lady. ''Ah!" said Smith.
Then a week elapsed, during which
the workings Of Mr.. Roynal's agents
were wrapped in darkness. At the
end Of that time Mr.. Hayyers called
for list of Morton's customers Qadies
especially who were in the habit Of
buying opals.
"You have q clew?" asked Morton.
''We are drawing the nets closer.
Patience for day or two" and Mr..
Hayvers, who seemed very busy, left
hurriedly.
Mr.. Morton exercised patience for
a day or two. A month passed without
any news of the green opal. Ones
patience cannot last forever, and Nor
ton wrote short, sharp letter to Roy
nal, ordering him to relinquish the
case, saying that he would hand it on
to the police and greatly regretting
that he had not done so at first. The
letter promptly producedan apologize
reply. The case had suddenly devel-
oped features of exceptional difficulty,
but Mr.. Roynal was now giving it his
personal attention, and it had so far
progressed that satisfactory termina-
ton could be guaranteed in "a hours.
Early on the following morning
Morton received telegram, opal
recovered. Please call at your con-
venience. Roynal." Morton found
it convenient to call at once and was
shown into Roynal's private room.
"Your case was the most difficult [
have had to deal with for three
years, said Mr.. Roynal, though the
difficulty did not lie in the direction
you imagined. You cannot prosecute,
and I will not give you the name Of
the thief. But you wanted your
opal-and here it is"
eff you don't tell me how you got
it'll don't see how I'm to be quite sure
it's NINE"
cit answers your description, and
but wait minute" Roynal wrote
hastily on a sheet of notepaper and
handed it to Morton. "There is my
guarantee that if your legal claim to
that stone is disputed I will pay you
ESQ. Is that satisfactory"
Morton put the opal in his waist
coat pocket with the guarantee.
cit is very kind of you," he said.
81 have had your bill made out, "
Roynal went on, "and | have also had
it receipted. l take this as test case
and make no charge"
"It is, indeed, good Of you," said
Morton.
GAIL I ashland expects that you
will employ us regularly in the flu
ture."
And then over Morton's fat and
usually solemn face Il Q e came an un-
holy grin.
81 shall never employ you again, Mr..
Roynal, because you have failed in
this case. The story that I told your
Mr. Hayyers was a fabrication from
beginning to end. l have never had
an opal stolen. The whole thing was
an effort of the Imagination, test for
you. And you have failed"
81 could never have believed" said
Mr.. Roynal, warmly, chat you could
have acted in such bad faith"
"Mr. Roynal, Of what use to me
would private detective be who failed
to suspect where suspicion was justi-
fed? And what am I to think of a
private detective who undertakes to
find a certain stone, fails and procures
substitute which he attempts to palm
off on his client? 1t must have cost
you much time and money to find an
opal exactly answering to that descrip.
ton"
"You will return that stone," Mr..
Roynal said, sharply.
81 think not. | have your guaran.
tee in my pocket, Good morning, Mr..
Roynal. The Boston Guardian and
Lincolnshire Independent.
Statistics of the Blind in Europe.