The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-10-17
The Face on The Curtain
By Q. CURTZ HAHN.

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How did l manage to solve the
mystery Of the great diamond robbery
at Senator Morgan's reception? as
sure you 1t was all an accident and l
received far more praise than was due
me-"
The speaker was Randolph Lyman,
the great detective, who had, seeming
ly with the greatest ease, and certainly
with great speed, run down the robber
and secured the diamonds within a
week after they had been stolen from
Senator Morgan's house out on West
Farnam street, Omaha.
"Yes." he repeated, 1T was all
chance, or luck"
"Alighting from the train at the
Union depot, went up to the viaduct,
and, hailing a cab, directed the driver
to take me to the Her Grand. After
supper-and 1t was dark by that time
Il started out for a stroll around the
city. At Sixteenth turned down
Farnam and passed by the Paxton
Hotel. Accidentally my eyes glanced
upward to the barroom window which
faced on Farnam. The. curtain was
down. The glance was only momen-
tary. But in that moment q shadow
appeared on the barroom curtain, the
shadow Of face in profile, peculiar
face with projecting eyebrows, prom
lnent nose and very retreating chin.
And what was more. 1t appeared very
familiar to me, although l could not
place It. The man was evidently
standing close to the window and the
strong brilliant arc light cast his
shadow upon the curtain clear cut as
! Silhouette.
The first thing I saw in the pa
oers next morning was an account Of
Mrs. Morgan's reception. and in the
afternoon, when the evening papers
anne out, there. with double column
scare heads was an account Of the
heft Of her diamonds.
"As soon as I read the account my |
mind, for some unaccountable reason,
lew back to the evening before and to
hat shadow upon the curtain Of the
'axton bar. And as it did SO, in fash
recalled whose face it was-Jim Kel-
rs, the most expert diamond thief in
be whole country. No amount OF dis
uise could hide that face.
There was my clew and it did not
IKE me long to decide who had COM
lifted the robbery. Jim Kelley was
oted for just this kind Of work, and
9 was in Omaha, or, at least, was
onvinced in my own mind that he
as. I was SO certain now Of the face
pom the curtain that instead of con-
nuing my journey to Colorado took
le first train back to Chicago. after
lvestigating the guest book at the
axton Hotel.
AS 1t happened, the only man regis
red whom the clerk did not know
a. Norman Whiting, San Francisco,
Id he had departed that very morning
r st. Louis. Or, at least so he in
rmed the clerk his destination would
}. Anyway. he was gone. After trav-
ing q hundred or more miles south
ard he doubled on his tracks and
ade straight for Chicago.
1T was a foolish move. but the most
pert thief will give himself away
me time or other.
Once In Chicago, set the police force
| the lookout for Jim, and within
70 days they had found him, easy
ing and self-contained as ever.
Nov, I had not q particle Of evil
nee that would hold in court against
N. 50 a game of blum was the only
ins to play. was safe in such a
ove, for Jim's life was too shady for
u to make trouble over q false ar
1t, II my diagnosis of the case was
.ong. So I secured q warrant and
mt to the place where the police had
'atsd him. ! did not waste any words