Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30

Professor Augustus b +. y. van DuSen, In
LID, F. R. S., M. D., ETC., etc.; and had it
it would inevitably have gone to the pc
Then there would have been a scandal in high pls
disrupted home, and everlasting unhappness
least four persons. Perhaps it was an linking OF
latter possibility that led Professor Van DIT
steps in the solution of a mystery which SCENE
have only obvious ending.
When he was first approached in the matter,
Thinking Machine was in his small laborat
and partially readj usted at least three of the e
sciences. His enormous head, with its long ye
hair, bobbed up and down over little Worl
chemical apparatus, and the narrow squint ,
peered with disagreeable satisfaction at a blue fl
which spouted from a brazier. Martha, an {
woman who was the scientists household S
entered. She was not tall, yet lowered c
mandingly above the slight figure of
her eminent master Professor Van
Dusen turned to her inpatiently.
We'll? Wen?" he demanded
shortly =
Martha handed him two cards. -
On was the name Charles VIM M
gate Field, and on the other Mrs. Inn
Richard Watson Roswell. Charles NV
Wingate Field was name to Juggle IiY
with in astronomy; The Thinking
Machine knew him well; the name of
the woman was strange to him.
The gentleman said it very
important" Martha explained and
the poor lady crying"
What about" snapped the sci
enlist.
Lord, sir! I didn't ask her. ex-
claimed Martha.
III be there in a moment"
A few minutes later The Thinking
Machine appeared at the door of the
little reception room, which he re-
garded as a sort of useless glory, and
the two persons there rose to meet
him. One a woman apparently
of forty-five years, richly gowned
splendid of figure, and with distinct
1natured beauty. Her eyes showed
she had been weeping; but her
tears were dried, and she caught her
self staring curously at the pad
face the keen blue eyes, and the long
slender hands of the scientist. The
other person was Field.
There was an introduction, and the scie1
motioned them to seats He himself dropped in
large cushioned chair and looked from one to
other with question in his eyes
Il have been telling Mrs. Roswell some of
things you have done, Van Dusen," began F
Now l have brought her to you because here
mystery, problem an abstruse problem, an
isn't the kind of thing one cares to take to
police If you-"
IF Mrs Roswell will tell me about it - interru
the scientist. He seemed to withdraw even far
into the big chair. With head tilted back,
squirting steadily upward, and white fingers pre-
tip to tip, he waited
Briefly" said Mrs. Roswell, ait has to do
the disappearance of single small gem fro
diamond tiara which l had locked in a vaul
vault of which no living person knew the col
nation except myself. Because of family reaso
could not 60 to the police, and"
Please begin at the beginning" requested
Thinking Machine. Remember, l know not
whatever of you your circumstances.
1t was not unnatural that Mrs. Roswell Shout
surprised. Her social reign supreme, her n
was constantly to be seen in the newspapers,
entertainments were gorgeous, her social doing
n ella hOrata scale She oil pce6 atF Field
and he nodded.
My first husband was Sidney Grantham
Englishman," she explained. Seven years ag
left me widow with one child, son Arthur,
twenty-five years old and just out of Harvard.
Grantham died intestate, and his whole fort
together with the family jewels, came to my son
me. The tiara among these jewels. A year
| was married to Mr. Roswell He too is a ma