The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1905-03-30

&esssss NJ s$E
The FILIGREE BALL
Il great relief to believe so. what was
the reason. then, that my mind refused
so emphatically to grasp this possibl.
ity anu settle upon him as the murder
er of Mrs Jeffrey | cannot tell. |
hated the man. and likewise deeply
distrustcd him. But could not, even
after this revelation of his duplicity,
connect him in my thoughts with alb.
solute crime without "A shock to my III
tuitions. Happily my scruplcs were
not shared by my colleagues. They Ind
listed him. Here | felt my shoulder
touched. and newspaper was thrust
into my hand by the man who had Just
addressed me.
Look down the lost and found col.
umn," said he. 1.-THE third advertise.
ment you will see there came from the
district attorneys office. The next one
was inserted by Mr.. Moore himself"
followed his pointing finger ana
read two descriptions of the nllgree
ball. The disproportlon in the rewards
offered was apparent. That promised
by Uncle David was calculated TO
rouse any mans cupidity and should
have resulted In the Duuble's imme-
date return.
"IIe got ahead of the police that
time" l laughed. when did these
advertisements appear"
During the days you were absent
from Washington"
"And how sure are you that he did
not get this jewel back2"
"Oh, we are sure. His continued
anxiety and still active interest prove
this, even IL our surveillance had been
less perfect"
And the police have been equally
unsuccessful?"
Equally"
"After every effort?"
"Every."
"Who was the man who collected
and carried out those things from the
southwest chamber"
He smiled.
you see him." said he.
at was you?"
Myself"
"And you are sure this small ball
was among them?"
mo. | only know that have seen
II somewhere, but that 1t wasn't among
the articles delivered to Mr.. jeffrey"
GLOW did you carry them?"
"In hand bag which locked my.
self"
Before leaving the southwest cham
ber?"
"Yes."
'"Then it Is still In that room?"
"Find it," was his laconic reply.
That night went back to the Moore
house and sought first on the open
for the missing trinket. But failed TO
find II and was about to acknowledge
myself defeated when my eye fell on
the long brocaded curtains which had
drawn across the several windows to
hide every CLEAN of light from the
street They were almost free from
folds, but shook them well, especially
the one nearest the table, and naturally
with no effect.
"Folly," l muttered, yet did not quite
desist. For the great tassels still hung
at the sides and Well, you may call
it an impossible find or say that IL the
bauble was there 1t should have been
discovered \ in the first search for It,
will not say no. l can only tell you
| what happened. When I took one Of
those tassels in my hand l thought, rs
1t twirled under my touch, that saw
something CLEAN in It's faded old
threads that did not belong there
Startled, and yet not thoroughly realiz.
Ing that had come upon the object Of
my search, picked at this thing and
found 1t to be morsel Of gold chain
that had become entangled In 1t. When
1 had pulled 1t out it showed a small
golden ball at one end, 6ligrced over
and astonshingly heavy for its size
and apparent delicacy.
The talisman of this old family was
found. l had but to discover what it
held concealed to understand what had
baffled Mr.. Moore and made the mys.
terry he had endeavored to penetrate
so insolvable. And what did l find
inside? Something so different from
what expected, something so trivial
and seemingly harmless, that It was
not until recalled the final words Of
Uncle David's memorandum that |
realized its full import and the posi-
bilities 1t suggested. In itself 1t was
nothing but a minute magnifying
glass; but when used in connection
with-what? All, that was just wha
Uncle David failed to say possibly to
know. No; guessing would not answer
| must trust to the inspiration of the
moment, which suggested with almost
irresistible conviction:
The picture! Thai inane and seemingly
lUOrthleSS drGWing Orcr the fireplace in
The Col0ners Orn whose presence IN so
rich room has ahOayS been mySteyvi