Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-29
Copyright, 1907, BY
c. N. and A. NJ. WILLIAMSON.
All Rights Reserved.

who would have murdered ana robbed me
In the train If IL hadn't been for you being
there. won't have chance. but when get
to Paris II will be the worst, and no hope
for the jews. followed as | am, II | hadn't
already thot of "A plan TO save them through
you. an honest gentleman. far above temp
tashun. know who you are. for I've often
seen your photo in the papers So. what
did was this-to try a ventrlloquist trick
which has often bin OF use I'm my caregr
just as folks were on the boats gangway
Thro making that disturbance, and a little
skill have got by doing amatoor conturiug
10 amuse my wife and family, | was able
to slip the case of my employers jews
into your breast pocket without your know
I ing. And | had TO take away what you
had In. not that | wanted to rob one who
had done good by me. but because II | 4
LETT II the double thickness would have sur
prsed you and you would probably have
pulled out my case to what II WIS.
Then my fat would have bin in the fire.
With certn persons looking on. and you tn
danger as we'll as me. which wouldn't he
fare. I've got your case In my pocket as |
write. but | won't open il. because IL may
have your swcetarts letters In. You can
get your property again by bringing me my
masters, which is fare exchange. | cant
call on you, for don't know where you GO
ing and darcnt hang round 10 see on ac-
count Of the danger | run and needing u
meet a pal of mine. who will help me. l
must get to him at One, II | am spared to
do 50. for which reason | wrote out this
explanashun The best | can do Is 10 slip
ii in your pocket. which | shall try when ina
the railway stashun at Paris. You see how
| trust you rs n gentleman TO bring me the
JEWS. Come as soon as you can, ana st
your own case instead. calling at 2ls Rue
File Savage Avenue Morot. back room.
top floor. left OF passage. Expressing my
gratitood In advance. l am.
Yours trusttully.
y. NJ Jewelers. messenger
"P.S.-For heavens sake don't fale. and
ask the concierge for name OF Gestre.'
II 1t had not been for my rage at not
finding this Illuminating little document
earlier. I should have felt like shouting
with JOY. As Ii was, my delight
tempered with enough OF regret to make it
easier to restrain myself
But for the fear that du Laurier might b.
still with Maxine. 1 should have rushed
back to her house for a moment, just long
enough to give her the good news. But in
the circumstances l dared not do It, lest
she should curse instead of bless me: and
besides. as there was still chance of
disapp ointment, 1t might be better in any
case not to raise her hopes until there was
no danger of dashing them again.
The best thing was to get the treaty
back, without second of delay. AS for
the detective who was perhaps waiting for
me at the hotel he would have to walt
longer, CT even go away disgusted-nothing
made much difference now. Maybe, when
once had the treaty in my hands, l might
send q messenger with q few cautious
words to Maxine. No matter how late the
hour she was certain not to be asleep
The cab had seen crawling through the
street mad disappeared long ago, and 10
other was In sight, so l walked quickly on.
hoping to And one presently. 1t was now
80 late. however, that in IS quiet part OF
Paris 10 carriages of any sort were plying
for hire: Finally made up my mind that
/ should have to go all the way on foot:
but I knew the direction of the Avenue
Morot, though Ia never heard Of Rue de la
File Savage. and as 1t vas not more than
two miles to walk, l could reach the house
l wanted to find in half an hour
A few minutes more or less ought not to
matter much, since -. NJ" was sure to b3
awaiting me with impatience; therefore tho
feet likely to be produced on the man when
/ could not hand him over the diamonds
in exchange for the treaty.
OF course l didn't believe that y. M
was jewelers. messenger, though possibly
| might have been less incredulous II Max
inc had not told me the true history of the
diamonds and what had happened In Ito
land. AS IT was. | had very little doubt
that the rat of man I had Glanced to
protect in the railway carriage was no
other than the extraordinarily expert thief
who had relieved du Laurer of tho
duchess necklace.
Following out a theory which / worked
up as ! walked, | thought II probable that
the celow had been helped by confederates
whom he had contr"ed TO dodge. evadfng
them and sneakng off to London in the
hope OF cheating them out of their share
of the spoil Followed by them. dreadlng
their vengeance. l fancied him fitting from
one hiding place to another. not daring to
separate himself from the jewels; a last
determining to escape from England, where
the scent had become too hot: reservng a
frst-class carriage in the train 10 Dover
and travelling with the kit of a golfer:
struck with panic at the last moment on
seeing the very men he fed to avoid close
on his heels, and opening the door of his
reserved carriage with a railway key.
All this was merely deduction, for so far
as ] had seer. u. Ms" travelling COM
pancns hadn't even accosted him. Stiil.
tho theory accounted for much that had
beer puzzling ard made It plausible that
man should be- desperate enough TO trus:
his treasure 10 a stranger known only
through photos in the newspapers'D
rather than risk losing it to those he had
betrayed.
resolved to use all my powers of diplo-
tanning the treaty before he learned that
he was not to receive the diamonds in its
place. and 1 had no more than vaguely
mapped out a plan OF proceeding before |
arrived in the Avenue Morot Thence /
soon found my way into the Rue de la File
Savage mean street, to which the queer
name seemed not inappropriate The house
l had to visit was an ugly big box Of
building, with rooms advertised to let, as l
could see by the light OF O street lamp
across the way, which cleaned bleakiy on
the lines OF shut windows behind narrow
iron balconies
(To be Continued Next Sunday)