The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-11-09

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osity piqued by the remark of the editor.
s'That is rather long story" replied
Mr.. Hardwick, ssand before / begin il
would like to ask you one or two
questions. Can you manipulate type
writer?"
'.That depends on what make it is
The ordinary typewriter understand
very thoroughly.
"Good Have you any knowledge Of
shorthands'
"A workable knowledge. can write
about 100 words minute =.
Admirable, admirablel Your com.
ing to this Office was an inspiration.
You are just the person have beer
looking for. .
'sYou didn't seem to think SO yester.
day, Mr.. Hardwick, said the girl, with
a sly glance at him.
'Well, many things have happened
since yesterday. We are now dealing
with today and with Princess vo1
Steinheimer. .
"She is German princess. Of
course3''
"a German princess, but an Ameri-
can woman. She was Miss Briggs Of
Chicago, a daughter of Briggs, the rail
way millionaire, worth somewhere be-
tween twenty and twenty five millions
dollars, of course. A year or two age
she married Prince Konrad Won Stein
heimer. You may remember having
read about it in the papers?''
"Oh, yes, the usual international
match-the girl after the title. he after
the money
81 suppose SO; but, be that as it may,
she was the only daughter of old Briggs
and had spent good deal of her time
in Europe, and during her stay in Eu-
rope she had accumulated vast stock
of diamonds, some Of them very notable
stones. I don't know what the whole
collection is worth; some say 81, 000,
900, while others say double that
amount. However that may be, Miss
Briggs became the Princess Won Stein.
heimer and brought to Austria with her
81, 200. 600 in gold and diamonds, which
her father gave her as her dowry; but,
of course. being an only child, she will
come in for the rest of the money when
the old man dies.
is he likely to die soonf don't
suppose the prince gave himself away
for mere million 2"
"Oh, you forget the diamondsi AS to
the likelihood of old Briggs death, it
didn't strike me as Imminent when !
had conversation with him yester-
day."
"Yesterdayi Is he here in London.
then3"
eyes; he has come over to disentan-
gle the mystery about the diamonds.
"And what is the mystery2 You take
dreadful long time to tell story, Mr.
Hardwick. .
1.-THE story is important, and 1t must
be told in detail; otherwise you may go
on long journey for nothing Are you
taking down what say in shorthand ?
That is right, and if you are wise you
will not transcribe your notes SO that
any one could read them; they are safer
in that form. The Won Steinheimer
family have two residences, house in
Vienna and an ancient castle in the
Tyrol, situated on the heights above
Meran, most picturesque place, nm
derstand, but very shortly you will
know more about it than ] do, because
The Bugle expects you to go there as its
special correspondent Here the dia-
mond robbery took place something like
two months ago, and the affair is still
cess was to open the season at Meran,
which is fashionable resort, by giving
fancy dress ball in Schloss Steinhei-
mer. to which all the Austrian and for
eign notables were invited.
"It was just before the ball COM
menoed that the diamonds were first
missed. Intact. the princess was about
to put them on-she represented some
gorgeously decorated character from the
Arabian Nights when the discovery
was made that the diamonds were gone
She was naturally very much upset over
her loss and sent at once for the prince,
her husband. insisting that the police
should be notified Immediately and de-
tectives called in, as was perfectly nat
nraL Now. here comes strange fea-
ture of the affair. and this is that the
prince positively forbade any publicity
and refused bis sanction when she de.
manded that the police should be in
formed. and yet the prince knew as well
as anybody the very considerable value
of the stones. 7"
''What reason did he give for his re-
fusali" asked Miss Baxter. looking up
from her notes.
81 am not quite certain about that.
but think he said it was infra dig. for
the Steinheimers to call in the police
Anyhow. it was an excuse which did
not satisfy the princess. but as guests
were arriving and 1t was desirable
there should be no commotion to mar
the occasion the princess temporarily
yielded to the wish of her husband, and
nothing was said about the robbery
The great ball was the talk of Meran
for several days. and no one suspected
the private trouble that was going on
underneath the public event. During
these several days the princess insisted
that the aid Of the police should be in
voked, and the prince was equally siren
Hous that nothing should be said about
the matter. Then. quite Unexpectedly,
the prince veered completely round and
said he would engage the best detectives
a., Er1xor,e Ck~o.s - Il, GOV ~,l.x.. !, . :, :,