The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-27

conversation, while Smith drank
whisky and soda at the strangers S
expense. In burst of confidence
the stranger owned that he was a
collector of precious stones, had just
bought a couple and would like
Smith to look at them. Smith look
ed and said "Good nightl" and in
continently went up the great
wheel.
On the following day, while Smith
was at Morton's Office, fair haired
stranger called at Smiths lodgings
to correct the gas meter. "'E did
a deal of pokin about" said the
landlady. "AhI" said Smith.
Then week elapsed, during which
the workings of Mr.. Roynal's agents
were wrapped in darkness. At the
end of that time Mr.. Hayvers called
for list Of Morton's customers, la
dies especially, who were i'll the
habit of buying opals.
"You have clew9" asked Nor
ton.
1--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
day or two. A month passed with
out any news of the green opal.
Ones patience cannot last forever,
and Morton wrote a short, sharp let
ter to Roynal, ordering him to re-
linquish' 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 prompt
ly produced an apologetic reply. The
case had suddenly developed fea-
lures Of exceptional difficulty, but
Mr.. Roynal was now giving it his
personal attention, and it had so far
progressed that satisfactory ter.
mination 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
I have had to deal with for three
years, said Mr.. Roynal, though
the difficulty did not lie in the direc-
ton you imagined. You cannot
prosecute, and l will not give you
the name of the thief. But you
wanted your opal, and here it is
IF you don't tell me how you got
it, l con t see how I'm to be quito
sure it's mine. -
ut answers your description, and
but wait minute +" Roynal wrote
hastily on Il sheet of note paper and
handed it to Morton. There is my
guarantee that if your legal claim
to that stone is disputed will pay
you $50. Is that satisfactorily"
Morton put the opal in his waist
coat pocket with the guarantee.
"It is very kind of you" he said.
II have had your bill made out, "
Roynal went on, land have also
had it receipted. l take this as n
test case and make no charge
ut is indeed good of you" said
Morton.
"All ashland expects that
you will employ us regularly in the
future. -
And then over Morton's fat and
usually solemn face there came an
unholy grin.
~ shall never employ you again,
Mr.. Roynal, because you have fail
ed in this case. The story which
TOLD your Mr.. Hayvers was fabri-
cation from beginning to end. |
have never had an opal stolen. The
whole thing was an effort of the
imagination, q test for you, and you
have failed. F."
II could never have believed.
said Mr.. Roynal warmly, THAT you
could have acted in such bad faith. "
Mr.. Roynal, of what use to mo
would a private detective be who
failed to suspect where suspicion
was justified9 And what am to
think of private detective who un-
dertakes to find certain stone, fails
and procures substitute which he
attempts to palm off on his olient'
1t must have cost you much time
and money to find an opal exactly
answering to that description
"You will return that stone at
once" Mr.. Roynal said sharply.
II think not. l have your guar
antee in my pocket. Good morning,
Mr.. Roynal. Boston Guardian
and Lincolnshire (England) lnde-
pendent.
Comforting.