The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-26


was to separate these two people and
keep them apart forevermore The jewels
had vastly dwindled in Importance. yet ii
seemed possible to serve his employer
doubly by single device.
'Miss Campbell" said he, you go
straight home and see If the jewels are
where this man says they are. If so, in
form your father by telephone that they
have been found In the house and ask
him to call me up here. Don't you talk
to him yourself, except as I've told you.
Ring of. Make him think the wire has
busted I'll do the talking"
She rose and laid q caressing hand on
Lesterel's shoulder. The man was stand.
ing with hanging head and seemed In
that short time to have shriveled and
grown old.
''You viii not" she began.
@L0ck him up7 Bless your heart. no.
Your father won't wish me to. But we
ought to hurry" And 30 saying he picked
W her handkerchief that she had dropped
On the floor and the little shopping bag
wherewith she had disguised her errand,
put them into her hand, opened the door
for her and closed It behind her. with a
Sigh Of relief.
he received a message over Lesterers tel
ephone from Mr.. Campbell
i've just heard from my daughter"
said that gentleman. "that the jewelry
has been found. She says you know all
about it,
Yes" responded Conroy; IT do''
"Wel, I'm going up to the house now.
Meet me over there and tell me the
story
Conroy rose from the telephone and
turned about.
'Tm sorry for you" he said, but I've
got my duty to perform. You get out Of
this town in twenty-four hours and don't
come back Is that right?"
Lesterel with hand before his eyes,
slowly bowed his head.
When Conroy reached the Campbell res
idence he was ushered into the smaller
drawing room, where he found no one but
Q short, plump and cheerful young wo-
man who was Of course q stranger to him.
"Mr. Conroy." said she, II am Miss
Campbell"
''Whatr' gasped Conroy. III beg your
pardon. suppose 1t was your sister
Who
IT haven't any sister,"
"And there's no other Miss Campbell?'
''None in our family" laughed the girl.
"Why, what's the matterT'
ibid you just call your father up by
telephoneT
"Yes," she replied. "Your assistant was
here, and. oh, she's such a clever girl!
Really, Mr.. Conroy, was dreadfully fas-
cinated."
"Yes; she is clever" answered Conroy.
''What did she sayT
"She told me that the Jewels had been
found and that was to telephone papa
and ask him to call you up at a certain
number. That was ALL"
"Well," said Mr.. Conroy, moving toward
the door, "your papa called me up, and
he'll be here soon. l want you to say to
him that there's been a tri1ing mistake,
but that everythings going to be all
right"
"Oh, myi' exclaimed Miss Campbell
the real one this time). Haven't you
really found the jewels?"
"No-o-o," said Conroy. mot exactly. /
was very close to them this morning. AS
close as am to you now. They were in
a little shopping bag that a lady was
carrying, but l let her go along. Now,
don't worry. Tell your mother she shall
have her things pretty soon. Goodby."
He escaped from the house and imme-
diately called up the detective bureau at
police headquarters,
"Chef," said he, I'm going to give you
two descriptions, mans and a woman's.
They're wanted for robbery-wanted by
me. If they get away I'll drop dead. III
drop more than dead VIII you save my
lte?"
And he proceeded to explain to the chief
the real facts of the case, which were
now quite clear to his mind. Lesterel,
after stealing Mrs. Campbelps jewels, had
put them into the hands Of the woman
whom Conroy had met, as herein de-
ecribed She was Lesterers wife and a
cleverer thief than himself. At the mo-
ment when Conroy arrested Lesterel In
the pawn shop Nine. Lesterel was due to
arrive at her husbands rooms with their
plunder. That was why Lesterel en-
deavored to avoid the place, but when
Conroy forced him to go there he evolved
the unique plan Of passing off Nine. Les.
terel as Miss Campbell, knowing that she
was smart enough to carry the scene
through. The success of this comedy the
reader knows. But the wicked prosper
only for a season. NJ. and Nine. Lesterel
were caught before they could escape
from the city, and their spoil was taken
away,