Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-17

perhaps I may be able 10 surprise you In
an hour or two; but that don't promise
BY the by he added suddenly, Il suppose
night p =.
Certainly" Mr. Claridge answered. smil-
ing. Else how could the bolt have been
broken? AS a matter of fact, believe the
Cutler, do You remember when the trap
door was last openedg'
Mr.. Cutler shook his head. Certainly
not for six MONTHS he said.
"Ah. very well: it's not very important,
Hewitt replied
As they reached the front shop fiery
faced old gentleman bounced in at the
street door, stumbling over an umbrella
that stood in dark corner and kicking II
three yards away.
What the deuce do you mean" he roaI-
ed at Mr.. Claridge, "by sending these po-
lice people smelling about my rooms ana
asking questions of my servants? what
do you mean sir, by treating me as TIMER !.
Can't gentleman come into TINS place %
look at an article without being suspected
of stealing IL. when 1t disappears through
your wretched careiessness? III ASK my
solicitor, sir. IL there isn't a remedy tor TINS
sort of thing. And IL I catch another OF
your spy fellows on my staircase. or crawl
ing about my roof. I'li-TI shoot MIN! ~.
Really, Mr.. Woollett-- began Mr. ia IA
ridge, somewhat abashed, put the ansiS oio
man would hear nothing IN, 20
Don't talk to me. sir, you snail lain W
INV solicitor. And am l to understand. nay
lord''-turning to Lord StanWay- Ina
these things are peine ooiie with
proval?" ct.pwav
"Whatever is being done" LORD Stah"ay
answered. sis being done by the ponce Oh
their own responsibility. and entifgy ~.
out prompting, believe, py MI, an,, SORT
certainly without a suggestion OF any sol,
from myself. l think that the peIsoil I..l
opinion of Mr. Claridge-certainly my owl.
us that anything like Suspicion oL t youi
position in this wretched mater - sru the
Ious And If you Will only coiiS-oi
matter calmly o,,rsalf
"Consider it calmly? Imagine your sea
considering such a thing calmly, LoT S,
Stairway. l won't CONSIDER II eainily -
I'LL won't have it. And If md ano,hea
man on my roof, III pitch him on Anu
Mr.. Woollett bounced into the street asai.i'
..Mr. Woollett is annoyed" Hewitt oo-
served. with smile; i snm a1rheq
Mr.. Clartdge said nothing, but lookeu
rather glum. for Mr.. Woollett was a most
excellent customer.
Lord Stanwood and Hewitt waikeu s.o"iy
down the street, Hewitt staring at the pave
ment in profound thought Once or twice
Lord Stairway glanced at his face, out re-
Trained from disturbing him. Fresehty'
however, he observed: ~ GU seem, az va a.
Mr.. Hewitt, to have noticed something tnat
has set Won thinking Does it look like
clue?"
Hewitt came out of his cogitation at once.
"a clue?'' he said; the case prlsties win
clues The extraordinary thing to me Is
that Plummer, usually smart man.
doesn't seem to have seen one of them he
must be out of sorts, I'm afraid But the
case is decidedly most remarkable one one.
Remarkable in what particular way
"In regard to motive. Now 1t would
SEEM as Plummer was saying to me just
now on the roof, that there were only Two
possible motives for such a robbery fitiier
the man who took all this trouble and FISK
to break into Claridge's place must have
desired to sell the cameo at good price.
or he must have desired to keep 1t Tor MN.
self being lover of such things. But
neither of these has been the actual mo-
tive
perhaps he thinks he can extort good
sum from by way of ransom!
mo, it isn't that. Nor Is 1T jealousy, nor
spite, nor anything of that kind. / know
the motive 1 think-but 1 wish we could
get hold of Hahn. l will shut myself up
alone and turn it over in my mind for half
an hour presently.
'Meauwhile. what 1 want to know is,
apart from all your professional subtleties-
which confess l can't understand-can you
get back the cameo?"
That" said Hewitt. stopping at the cor
ner of the street. II am rather afraid l
cannot-nor anybody else. But l am pretty
sure / know the thief"
''Then surely that will lead you to the
cameo?"
TT may. of course; but. then. it is just
want to have 1t back, after ALL"
Lord Stairway stared in amaZement.
mot want to have it back he exclaim-
ed why, of course I shall want to have
it back. | don't understand you in the
least; you talk in conundrums. Who Is the
thief you speak OFF,
'I think. Lord Stairway" Hewitt said.
that perhaps l had better not say until
I have quite finished my inquiries, in case
of mistakes. The. case is quite an extra
ordinary one, and of quite a different char
acter from what one would al first natu-
rally imagine, and 1 must be very careful
to guard against the possibility of error.
/ have very little fear OF mistake, how
ever and l hope / may wait on you in
few hours at Piccadilly with news. / have
only to the policemen"
Certainly come whenever you please.
But why see the policemen? They have
already most positively stated that they
saw nothing whatever suspicious in the
house near 1t. !"
'I shall not ask them anything at all
about the house." Hewitt responded. Il
shall just have a little chat with them
about the weather." And with a smiling
bow he turned away. while Lord Stairway
stood and gazed after him. with an ex-
preston that implied suspicion that his
special detective was making fool of him.
back in Mr.. Claridge's shop. "Mr Clar-
idge." he said. II think I must ask you
one or two questions in private. May see
you in your own room?"
They went there at once, and Hewitt,
pulling a chair before the window, sat
down with his back to the light. The
dealer shut the door. and sat opposite him.
with the light full in his face.
Mr.. Calridge." Hewitt proceedly slowly,