The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-06-02
CHAPTER ~.
DiAMONp CIT DIAMOND.

Mr.. Barnes, after discovering the
cameo button, Immediately left the
apartment With little loss Of time he
reached the Fifth Avenue hotel He
found Wilson sitting in the lobby and
learned from him that Mr.. Mitchell had
not yet como down stairs He made his
subordinate happy by complimenting
him upon his work and generating him
from blame because of his having lost
his man for few hours tho day before
With the button in his pocket Mr.
Barnes found it easy to be good natured
If the truth were known, ho was chuc-
king to himself
Tho thought which proved such fund
Of merrimcnt was the idea that his man
up stairs had proved himself just as hu'
man as ordinary criminals, since he had
left behind him the very tclltalo mark
which he had boosted would not be
found after no had committed his crime.
Externally, however, thero was no sign
to show that Mr. Barnes was in amy way
excited, He calmly asked at the desk for
Mr. Mitchell, and sent up his card just
as any ordinary visitor might have done,
In few minutes the hallhoy returned
with the curt message, Come up
Mr. Barnes was shown up one flight
Of stairs into a suit Of tworoomS aud Il
bath overlooking Twenty third street
The room which hepasscd into from the
hall was fitted mp like a bachelors par,
lor Comfortable stuffed chairs and two
sofas. folding reading chair, an up
right piano in mahogany caso with
handsome piano lamp beside it, a carved
lamp, cigar case In bronze, photo al
hums, handsome pictures on the walls
in gold frames, elegant vases on the
mantel, an onyx clock, full sized figure
Of Moor carved in wood serving as a
card reCclyer--in fact, everything about
the place was significant Of wealth,
luxury and refinement Could this he
the den Of a murderer; II seemed not un
less there might be somo powerful hid
den motive, which would make a man
who was evidently gentleman st0Op 70
such crime, According to Mr. Barnes
experience such motive must involve
awuman. AS yet there was no woman in
this case save the corpse which ho had
just left All this flashed through the
detectives mind as hc noted his sur
roundmgs in few swift glanccs Then
I, I,.,,.1 a.
say;
Como in, Mr. Barnes We must not
stand upon ceremony with ono another -
Mr. Barnes, in answer to the invita-
tion, crossed into tho adjoining roamau
noticed ut once that the sleeping apart
mont was as luxurious as the parl0r
Mr.. Mitchell was standing in front Of Il
mirror shaving himself, being rohcd in
silk morning wrapper
Pardon this intrusion, began Mr.
Barnes "But you told me might call
at any time, and -
No excuses necessary except from
me, But muSt finish shaving, you
know A man can't talk with athor on
ono side Of his face. y
Certainly not Don't hurry ! can
wait.
Thank youi Take seat You will
find that armchair by the bed comforta
bile This is an odd hour to ho making.
ones toilet; but the fact is, ! was out
late last night "
eat the club, suppose " said Mr.
Barnes, wishing to see if Mr. Mitchell
would lie to him I'm this he was disap
pointed, for the reply was
"No; went to the Casino. Lillian
Russell, you know, has returned. ! had
promised a friend TO go, so we Went "
"A gentleman
Are you not getting inquisitiya:
No; not a gentleman, but lady. In
fact, that is her picture on that easel
Mr. Barnes looked aud saw an oil
painting representing margclously
beautiful bead--a brunette Of strong
emotions and great Will power if her
portrait wero truthful. Here was a sig
nifcant fact Mr. Mitchell said that he
had been to tho Casino with this WON
an. Wilson claimed that they had gone
TO the house where the murdered Wnr-
an lay. II would seem that Mr. Mitch
els friend must live there, aad thu
he had gained acccss the night before
Did he know that tho other also lived
there and did he 60 into her apartment
after leaving his companion; As this
passed through Mr. Barnes mind his
eyes wandered across the bed llc saw n
waistcoat, upou which he observed two
buttons similar TO the ono which he had
secrctcd in his pocket Stealthily he
reached his hand toward tho bed, but
his fingers had scarcely touched the
waistcoat when Mr. Mitchell said with.
cut turning from his shaving
"Thore is no money in that waistcoat
Mr. Barnes"
What do You mean 10 insimaiet
said Mr. Barnes angrily. withdrawing
his hand-quickly Mr. Mitchell paused n
a.