Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-30
2TO[Wge%eSMUGGLED SAPPHIIGSe

they become that they almost forgot the
existence Of Count de Vontain. IL was Mrs.
Harrington who reverted to the painful
tonic of the sapphires. The chief was pro-
fuse in his protestauons
mo legal censure can attach to you,
ladies'" he concluded.
But the dear count?" inquired the elder
woman.
looking at his watch, us very unpunc-
tual man"
Al that moment a scufiing sound was
heard on the stairway; the door opened and
n man entered i'm the custody of two Gus
toms officers His clothing was disar-
ranged and he showed to disadvantage lie
scowled fiercely at Barnes, but refused TO
notice tho other occupants of the room
Cornelius Clancy. who brought up the rear
OF this strange group saluted his chie''
THE count" gasped Mrs. Harrington at
the prisoner.
"Did you get the gems?' asked Barnes
oogerIv not noticing this salutaion.
eve did" said the little man, with
broad grin.
where were they?
.t1e had EN- sewed up In the lining Of
his cloak"
"where are they?''
Clancy advanced and laid a long narrow
box on the table in front of Barnes. The
chief opened 1t and drew out a magnificent
sapphire necklace. The forty superhly cut
stones scintillated beneath the bright rays
Of the incandescent lights. Mrs. Harring-
ton Elsie and Hasson Involuntary closed
IN around the chief The moment the Older
woman saw the sapphires her gaze re-
verified to the other set hanging about her
neck and her emotions found vent in
piercing scream. Elsie was too much as
tonishel for words and Hasson looked on
in amazement
"Tell me your story" said the chief, ad-
dressing Clancy and ignoring the induiring
glances about him.
1--WE followed your instructions literally
replied the man, land didn't permit him
TO get out of our sight for a second. The
crisis came when he entered the office of
Crompton. the gem broker. posted an Of
ficer in the front and one in the rear of the
place and hten entered in time to see him
rip open his cloak and turn the sapphires
over to Crompton."
"Was there struggle?'
Yes" replied Clancy, modestly; but u
was one sided. Crompton has already
been turned over to the United States dis
trict attorney"
what does this mean?" cried Mrs. Har-
rington, unable to suppress herself any
longer.
at means" said Barnes sternly, that
your social ambition has made you the
credulous victim Of a scoundrel. This man
has been using you and your niece for his
own base purposes. He has forced those
counterfeit gems on you to defect sus-
picun from himself and to enable him to
escape with the real sapphires."
no
She gazed fxedly at the count, but he did
not return her glance. lie seemed bored.
a small white manicured hand, very much
rc-ringed, was raised languidly and drawn
across a narrow forehead. The next mo-
ment the same hand YEARLY stroked a
luXuriant black mustache betraying by the
movement two rows of even, white, glisten-
irg teeth
Counterfeit" gasped the woman for the
second time.
eyes, counterfeit" cried the chief, his
voice rising with Indignation. 1.-The
man himself IL a counterfeit He's no
Frenchman. He has no chateau he's no
count The cables have been working and
j find the title he claims is extinct
Stripped of his Partisan top hat, his Pari-
sian cloak and his Partisan manner, you'll
find him 10 be- I have found him TO be-
after piecng my bits of information to-
gether-plain Bill Snyder, the best dressed,
the best groomed and the most ingenious
professional smugger of the present gem
Grafton"
"What'd you bring me here for?" asked
the erstwhle count, yawning.
ITO humiliate you before these ladies'
II such a things possible-as you've al
ready Inundated them" Numbered the
chief. "As for the rest, the law will give
you all that's coming to YOU"
Five minutes later the prisoner, still lam
guidly strolfing his mustache, was I'm
carriage with the officers on his way to
prison. The appraiser entered at this
juncture and was invited to join Clancy
and the chief in taking the Versailles sap
phires to a place OF safety
Mrs Harrington was in a state of coll
lapse Every vestge of her normally ag-
gressive manner disappeared. She looked
at the chief implorngly.
1--WE will be disgraced!" she cried. 1.-THE
story of how | was duped by this i'm
poster will make us the laughing stock of
society"
The chief walked over and placed his
hand gently on her shoulder. He looked
N the direction of John Hasson who held
MS arms protectingly about Elsie, and his
lace softened.
Are you reconcied to that?' he asked.
pointing to the happy couple.
She nodded her head.
Then" he said stoutly. "Ill never give
he newspapers the real story of the at
empt to smuggle the Versailles sapphires,"
And later on, when the reporters visited
him, he lied like a gentleman.