The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-14

nait term- Jolly GOOD Tor rae, III only the
pater and mater hadn't started on their
cruise. As it Is. shall have to put up with
being I'm this dull hole for the present. BY
the way. I say, has auntie missed the
necklace YETI"
Missed the necklace." 1 cried. ut has
been stolen and l. But what do you know
about 1t. We have had a detective here for
the last week trying to discover the thief"
He burst into a roar of laughter.
Great Scott! You don't say so! What
stunning jokel How Somers will laugh!
Well, I'm awfully glad. Served her out
better than / hoped
do you know where it is, Them" 1 ex-
claimed. my voice trembling with excite
ment.
Yes. hid it TO pay her out for not let
ting us go to the races. But, 1 say, what
makes you look like that?'
''She thinks have stolen IT." could not
restrain a sob as 1 said the words, and
Max, suddenly realizing the mischief he
had done, seized my arm and pulled me
along towards the house, saying:
III soon set that rightI'
He went at once to the blue drawing
room, and. going to large cabinet filled
with rare old china, took OFF the lid Of a
pot pourri Jar. and plunged his hand among
the dead rose leaves. But he rummaged
in vain, and even his ruddy face grew a
shade paler as. after emptying the contents
of the jar upon the table, no sign of the
necklace was to be found.
"Gone! BY all the powers!" he cried.
Are you sure you put it there? Oh,
think, Max, think" cried in agony.
a cried
caught it away just as she was shaking
hands with the vicar. / tipped Somers
wink. and he lifted the lid CT the jar, and
1 dropped it in and gave it a push in among
the stuff in the jar. You weren't looking.
fortunately, or you would have spoilt our
little game. Then. you know. she just
turned the key and asked you to take the
cabinet away"
But where can 1t be now?'
"Ah! That's what we've got to find out!
Has the tee searched this room?"
Thoroughly
Anybody by when he was doing it?''
asked Max, carelessly.
"No-at least, believe not"
Tell me all you can about the way things
have been DONE"
1 told him all that had taken place-the
missing of the necklace, the finding Of the
| box, even to the detectives proposals to
myself, for, boy he was, 1 had often
noticed shrewdness in Max that made
me hope he might really be of use in clear
| ing UP the mystery.
who's that stroling about out there?"
| he cried, all of sudden. why, if it ism {
old Tibbits, the constable. What's he here
| for?"
II suppose he has been sent for to watch
over me-" / said, bitterly. "Mr. Duck
worth is away at Tadcaster. and Lady
| Alicia has gone out to luncheon at Lady
| MYSTERIOUS"
Good! Tibbits is friend of mine. Nows
our chance
| And Max was off in a moment, and was
soon talking as hard as he could to the
policeman. Tibbits appeared at first to be
resisting some suggestion Of the boys, but
the upshot of 1t was that Max and he came
| into the house and went upstairs. Ten
minutes had not passed before the two
! reappeared, Max, with beamng face, hold
ing out the necklace in triumph.
Max. Where did you find it?''
Just where 1 expected" he said. I'm the
tees own bag. l guessed from what yor
said that he had found the necklace him
self. You see, he had the coast quite clear
I'm only thankful he was fool enough te
leave it behind to-day, instead of taking
1t with him. We searched first in his peck
ets and the thing that struck us as odd al
| once was that we found his shaving-sticl
loose in his jacket pocket Odd place thai
for shaving-stick,' said I, where's the
box? Couldn't find it anywhere about thu
room, SO we took the liberty of opening th'
gentleman's portmanteau. Down In one cor
ner, hidden away in a rolled-up sock, wa.
the shaving-stick case, and In the box wal
the necklace
You are a clever boy, Max said.
Eyes, my talents are quite thrown ava!
in the fifth FORM" he said, calmly. 'Thinl
I'd better join the force, hadn't I, lib
bits?"
You would, indeed, be a Tournament t
it, SIR" said Tibbits. in tones of deep re
spect.
Max took care that the vicar should b.
at the house when Lady Alicia returned
Duckworth appeared at the same moment
and Max went out into the hall to meet hi
| aunt.
'I'll tell you how / came to be here after
ward" he said in answer to her exclama
ton of surprise. 81 want you to come Int
the blue-room. And you," he said. turning
to Duckworth who was standing near
Miss Marshall and you, sir Ito the vicar
will you come, too?"
He gave his aunt his arm, and seate
her on the couch near the china cabinet.
Here's your necklace" he said. drop
ping it into Lady Alicia's lap. And befOr
she could utter syllable, he went on: "a
hid it that day you wouldn't let us go {
the races But when I looked for it jus
now it was gone"
"Of course" and Lady Alicia curled he
lip, glanced at me, and then at Duckwortt
Duckworth was trying to affect indiffer
| cnce but 1 noted the uneasy opening an
clasping of his hands as he listened 70
Maxs next words.
IT found it-where do you think?-i
your spy's portmanteau!'
: Impossible, MAXWELL" said Lady Alicia
flushing angrily.
Perfectly true! Set thief to catch