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

girl ever handled or looked into the book whe1
combination is wrtten?"
Not that | know Of or ever heard of.
Or any OF your servants!
Does it happen that you have the tiara
your"
Mrs Roswell produced it from her hand bag
was a glittering, glistening thing, triumph Q
jewelers. art intricate and marvelously del1ca
conception, vet wonderfully heavy with the
weight of pure gold. single splendid diamo
four or five carats blazed at its apex, and radl
from this were strings of smaller stones. One
missing from its setting. The prongs, which
held it were straight from the force used to pr,
the stone. The Thinking Machine studied the
geous ornament in silence.
1t is possible for you to clear up this matter
out my active interference, he said at last.
do not want it to be known outside your own
family therefore you must watch for this
thief yourself, in person. Take no one INTO
your confidence least of all your son and
stepdaughter. Given the same circumstances,
the A-B-C rules of 1ogic-and logic is lnev1-
table-ndicate that another may disappear
Mrs. Roswell was frankly startled, and
Field leaned forward with eager interest:
"If you see how this second stone dlsap-
pears,'' continued The Thinking Machine
musingly, without needing in the slightest
the effect of his words on the Others, you
will know what became of the first, and will
be able to recover both
"If another attempt is to be made" eX-
claimed Mrs. Roswell apprehensively, would
it not be better to send the jewels to a safe
deposit? Would | not be in danger myself
1T is perfectly possible that even if the
jewels were removed the vault would be
opened Just the same" said The Thinking
Machine quietly, systematically while his visl-
tors stared. Leave the jewels where they
are. You may be assured that you are in no
personal danger whatever. If you learn what
YOU seek, YOU need not communicate with me
again. If you do not, will personally in
vestigate the matter. On no condition what
ever interrupt or attempt to prevent anything
that may happen"
Field rose; the interview seemed to be at
an end. He had one last question Have
you any theory of what actually happened?"
he asked How was the jewel taken? How
was the vault opened?"
IF l told you, you wouldn't believe it"
said The Thinking Machine curtly. Good
day,
1t was the third day following that Mrs
Roswell hurriedly summoned The Thinking
Machine to her home. When he arrived she
deeply agitated.
Another of the small stones has been
stolen from the tiara, she told him hurriedly
The circumstances were identical with those
of the first theft, even to the screaming of the
cockatoo. | watched as you suggested; have
been watching each night; but last night was
so weary that l fell asleep. The cockatoo
awoke me. Why would Jeanette"
Let me see the apartment, suggested the
scientist.
Thus he was ushered into the room which
was the center of the mystery. Again he ex-
amined the tiara, and then studied the door of
the vault. Afterward he casually picked up
and verified the record of the combination, 1c
and unlocked the vault twice, after which h,
amined the fastenings of the door and the WING
This done, he went over and peered inquisit
at the cockatoo on its perch.
The bird was giant of its species, pure W
with a yellow crest that dropped in exagge
melancholy. The cockatoo resented the in
Thence and had not The Thinking Machine m
quickly would have torn off his eye glasses.
A door from another opened, and a
Jeanette entered She was tall, slender, ant
quisitely proPortoned, with a great cloud of r
gold hair Her face was white with the dead
of illness, and infinite WEAKNESS was in her
She was startled at sight of a stranger.