The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-18
SOME VANISHED DIAMONDS.
DETECTIVES STORY Of THE yALUE
or SNAIL THINGS.

DtnNN ~ INV 'fotNA w 's' f"''
Wa. Innocent-Se Betrayal of one OF
the PIotters go An Ingenious Device
your market seems to be pretty we'll GlutteI
Nith lie isure to-day. Colonel" said Abe Cronk-
tie. the former detective. IA he seated himself
hear the m Imprisoned banker in the prison hos
bitsl; 80 IN do what I can 10 relieve the stag
nation a bit; and, having told a story against
myself out Of modesty. will now spin oae with
successful ending out OF self-respect.
II, was In the heart OF the summer AMI bust
ness was slack AT the private agency whsre l
Wns EN- ployed. some OF the mon being laid OF
Nhile we who were lucky enough 10 be- kept
Along on living wages used ~ our lime Just as
you and me are doing now. by ewappIIe yarns.
We sat around the big rear room, which had
been given over b. "a In common. smoking and
ebinnIng. aud when. once in n while, the man
ayers door would open and he would stick his
head out and yell shut up! we didn't
mind / a BIT, but went right on. being GER
tain that IL was the lack Of any other
orders to issue that male him so
cranky. Our house was the Oldest agency
In this country. personally conducted by two
partners until they became old and gray in the
kervice, when they brought over this Mr.. Red
cline to take charge. their London correspond
ents having given him u big send-ona as acracR-
a-jack. and no mistake.
"So, w.len the managers door opened. one
bot ate rnoon In mii-July. Colonel Just a.
was in the midst OF an aIysntGrG' ! nxlnrIna
Elimination TO stop, ny ,yawp., ON the contrary;
howeyer, Mr. R"drIlre ,sa!1; hTonkite' VII
into his box. 1t was easy 10 see from the way
the boys winkei and motionrd with their
thumbs to The stairs. that they thought wa
~ for an extended f~urlongh without pay; ,nnd
{he least myself EXPECTED A. obevrd his
summons. was tina, he would light mo upaood.
The manag"t : r99n,s w%fi IG''I h GN' pr,yn,;;
office at one end and then a Succession OF niue
hutches connected with the main, entrance 10y
private hallway in which he could stow way;
neither see nor be seen ly"rvthing, in this
private office was, Characteristic OF Mr, l'el-
since H. waved me 10 a rhalr ~ o corner; U9l-
peselike, certainly. with ro,lng.t3r, desks
double-locked file, rlGeorh1les iuIl oi papers;
oven a typewriter on which he rnttlrl on
his notes aud CORRESPONDENCE, teing toe
~secretive 10 keep an amhnuensls; out
one and all hav'nE a 6n1'IlnG, ''"n,.a1h
bccompli-h definite ends. say
observed. Colonel. Tor that was ms nental habit
Nhen, ]waitine. which | Gou.,l nor sh.ke on II
noticed that Mr.. Reiclire was, short and
brusque with the Young lady. 70 whom he was
Ewcet.facri, gentle girl. with big trusting
eyes and a dependent way, looked not on
territly worried Tut pnalterao'y dctermimei;
i IOllNtli -OUl'NHluA IN' '''s 'N't' ~ '''
OF anything to DO. and with no i1en that II
might be- lmportaht; anI yet. ~ YOU VIII see
tina, zane LITTLE hrs lea me- %nt Of the woods
Finally Mi. liedcli1e motioned 10 me-, anu !
stepped over to his icsk, n,ronk.tc', i" heg1n,
In his quick. decide way, l want TO introduce
YOU TO Mss Alice Leighton. have becndoing
a little business for Miss leighton, and ! nud
her. II she will pardon me for saving SO, a very
possible TO convince that the suspicious which
brought her 70 me are groundles1, als9luteIy
gronntless Hence, as you sfem =" nave :
II was the wish OF my superiors that you
should be retained here, you might lust az well
follow out her wishes IN this matter until she
is satisfied. can't stop to make any, explain
alton and IT'S better that you should hear me
story from her own ips, since ! might prejudice
your judg nent. while her cnthn7ihsm und
possible, SO. do you tax" her 10 &c, room u.
There, and after sh" has fully nnburdened her
soul. why. act as your discretion suggests. No
one can suffer. at all events. from your work
ing IN the case. unless. perhaps, your friends
In the other room may miss your gen'ai
Nov, miss said I. when we two were alone.
you just start In and tell me the. situation a.
full as you can. Take plenty OF time; LORI;
lest you think because l don't interrupt, you
with questions that tn" manager lueered my
interest by his slurs. let me inform you 'lst
that I'll take my turn AT talk ing when you get
through, and secondly, that IN BE-, more worked
hp over your cass. whatever II be, than ever
Il WAS Wnen n new mana NJ ItH DlS, WIN u Iclu-
tation to make, and which I'm not coinGt9 De
1uyed out NJ now. you may rest assured. Just
try to believe that look ~ falherlv IA | feel;
knd do you feel as daughterly IA you look. and
tprina, ,ox ,o,o,,,.
own cha ming property. Bur this is the sub
stance OF what II were. She was an orphan. a
clsrgyman's daughter highly rducated nnd as
Royerness in the fam ily Of a millionaire by the
name Of Marchmont. at which prlck"d NJ my
ears. for. OF course, we krp, tahs on ~ crlGh-
final matters Of any importance. Old March
mont. it seemed, had, had Il private secretary, 2
young fellow named Proctor. who also lived
Being thrown much together during their
leisure. and pride working both ways TO shut
them of from the Others, above nnd bel W, zen
Trouble. The millionaire. Ike all old men twice
married, was silly fond q fhis young wife :andon
her last birthday. about three months before. 70
show his burning affection, presented her WIN
szone OF diamonds. easily worth. when broken
up and shipped over TO Amsterdam, S5O,OWO.
and the Lord. He alone only knows what the
pxorious old cu's gave up Tor \ at retail
Quite an amount Of available stun. you'll be
thinking. to have lytng around the mouse. but
neither Marchmont nor his wife thought IL
necessary 10 keep the diamonds in a safety
deposit: for. at the same time. he bought ana
set up In his library q chillei-5teel SAFE. "a new
tdee that the newsLap"rs nal recrntly oerh
cracking up, ns 2 regular hInrglar-trhler ana
nobody besides them two knew the combina-
tion except Proctor, tha private secretary,
Now, about a week after the birthday. Mrs.
Marchmont went 10 the sate to get the zone 10
sport at some social function, when. 10 aud De,
hold YOU, on orcnlng III" compartmsnt when
had been specially prepared Tor u. there was
nothing ins,de lut emptiness. 1hc dlamohus
were gone. What followed +, you ask. Why.
Che wife youiln { accuse her husband, and the
husband wouldn't accuse his vile, 40 nitnrAll
they agreed in accusing the young secretary
with the result that ne was tried ana cor,
Sicted and railrOaded into prison. at specljt
tip,ital guapl OF ppu rgp thpTp were Sll-I'
ciOus circum stances the lad had been eNtravS
giant, and was hard pressed and all mat tl'
II isn't necessary for me TO go INTO ther
There always are suspicious circumstances
Colonel: why. II m angel came anu. was
pjnched as q fugitive from Justice. thered Dc
enough suspicious circumstances. sprlnRlhs
Gp on all sides and breeding INTO a tangle, TO
warrant any committing magistrate In hold
Ing him. u..
leighton, distracted by the late ui her lover
and conf lent Ia his Innocence. hhd oronght 10
our Office. such was the case that. our. man
eoer himself had gated AMI found MOTH
tIca had gone Hstray, ltcertalnly seemed 10 10
areasonablp, an inevitable conclusion for all
abe hal to tell; her suspicious were Directed
against no one ia ia tlcul1r. -h" hal no newy
discovered evidence, she had nothing a. all but
faith: and If ,aith without works IL d"i T..
Colonel. ~ the food Book says. iaith without
evidence L. dealer.
I'M warrant YOU can cail the turn. Colonel.
on the fr-t questions ] asked Vi - l." Ghion.
You think they werr about her mi~trr--, l"-.
that's right Of course ] went INTO whether the
lady had any lee Iug~ tender or o~lhrl"l~" Tor
this young fellow IN her h0u-"hud II. rs there
have been In Instances. Sine" Mr.. IDtlplHr set
.1 I.r.,.t FIlar. ~ mol b.