The sun., 1905-10-22
Nv.

There is no doubt that Alice had come
such trinket," Miss Susan Romaine was
saying to the rather elderly. somewhat
stolid looking man she had welcomed to
her home in the convenient guise OF Cousin
Peter. lately returned from foreign parts:
Il caught glimpse Of 1t once. and she said
1t was an Egyptian charm. But you know
how young folks are-it had some senti-
mental meaning, and she kept 1t close
"Just as Knox cherished the one she had
given him in RETURN added Cousin Peter.
80 much then. is assured, and there is this
besides. Yesterday, while Stead was play
ing tennis, examined his pocket case. and
10! tucked away in the lining 1 found five
different colored gems, matching the two
got on the shelf in size and cut, and, like
them. having little broken chains
Hush" whispered the spinster, turning
white, "here they come"
A pretty pair Alice and Stead made, the
casual observer might have said; yet the
impression Of their coming was melan-
choly rather than radiant to the detective
The girl was dressed in mourning, and,
though the smile on her lips showed that
she had tried to forget one who had written
himself unworthy. the shadows around her
eyes told that she had tried in vain.
Stead too, was too absorbed, too intent,
to be happy. There was resistance on his
face, dogged, not buoyant as II he secretly
realized that though he struggled as
struggle he would, fate. justice, Provi-
dence, what you will, in the end would be
too much for him.
Cronkite wasted no time in bringing
matters to crisis.
tell my good cousin, your aunt, Just now
about a pretty charm I saw in Egypt. 1t
was composed OF different oolored gems
hung from a central ring, and had some
sentimental meaning, Of course; but I am
the worst story teller in tho world-I forget
actually how many stones there we're and
what was their significance. She suggested
you might help me out"
4You know, you showed me some such
thing once, Alice" said Miss Susan per-
suasively. ut can make no difference now
and Cousin Peter is 40 interested--
Alice bit her lip. and her color came and
went. Then, impulsively, she drew a gilt
tering trinket from her bosom,
as this what you mean?" abe asked.
Exactly" Cronkite answered, examin-
ing the gems one after another as closely
as one who seeks to read some cabalistic
text. Such pretty combination, and
I'm sure the idea Is prettier yet Won't
you explain?"
aI think. If may be excused. will 60 to
nv ROOM" faltercd Stead. there are some
letters"
Cronkite moved quietly toward the door
but the innate coquetry Of the girl came
to his aid,
"oh. if you don't want to hear" she
pouted. II thought you might. Poor
George gave it to me.
And Stead remained.
"You see," Alice went on. telling the
Jewels in their order, there are seven
stones, diamond, an emerald an amethyst
a ruby, another emerald, a sapphire and
a topaz"
And they mean?" cried Stead, jealously.
"Can't you tell? Why, how stupid OF
YOU. The initials form an acrostio, oi
course. D, E, A, R, E, s, T. Dearest.
"Mr. Knox knew this meaning, and he
knew that you did?" asked Cronkite.
"Why else would we have interchangec
them, sir? But
Cant you see that the subject is painful
to the young lady?" interrupted Stead
"Oh, it is painful to the young lady, is it?
Cronkite repeated. well, since it can
we'll be painful tosyou. perhaps you will
be so kind as to tell me what the five re
naming Jewels would mean after the ruby
and an emerald had been eliminated from
them"
"Oh, some nonsense, suppose" Steat
retorted. Come, Miss Alice, let US
In a spring the detective had snatchet
the pocket case from Steads coat, holding
1t on high, while he held back the younl
man with his other hand.
What did your dying friend Knox mean,
he demanded, when with his last effor
he cast aside those two stones9'
Il know nothing about Georges death
was not there"
Cronkite whipped the Ave jewels from
their hiding place in the lining, and sen
them glittering on the table.
What did he mean by Keeping thes
five in his dying grasp?" he continued
terribly.
Il don't know
Spell them, then. All, you don't dare
Sapphire, S; topaz, T; emerald, E; amethyst
A; diamond, d. You villain! you robbed
the dead in vain! They spell Stead"
"They spell murderer cried Miss Susan
Ghastly and adrip, Stead stepped back
He made rapid motion to his mouth.
"The antidote was known to only tw,
men" he gasped. -one 10 dead, and th'
other, oh, my God, is dyins!'.'