The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-05-23
By A. M. Perkerson.

The puffy, overfat visitor clasped
and unclasped his soft hands.
these jewels, Mr.. Holstadt-"
suggested the professor.
Their value is fabulous. Re-
Gently two were lost. The others
were sent to me by order of the
czarina for these two to be matched
and replaced"
The jeweler suddenly gripped his
hands together until his fat fingers
mashed. into one another, and
leaned forward. t.
Someone Is trying to make me
steal 'em. Steal 'em from myself"
There, there, my dear sir" said
the professor soothingly. The quiet
tones seemed to steady the man.
"The jewels reached me three
weeks ago." he explained hoarsely.
The night after they came felt,
as I slept, some mysterious influ-
ence urging me to take them. 1t
has been the same every night
since. Something is slowly forcing
me to go to my shop, open my safe
and take out the jewels"
He leaned nearer.
my clothes are not in the same
place in the morning that l leave
them at night. l have found fresh
mud on my shoes. My God, I be-
lieve that while I sleep l am really
being forced out Of my bed and to
the very door of my shop. Its
driving me mad"
He stopped, with his fingers shut
ting and unshutting.
ITO Guifford, my nephew" he ex-
planned, 81 have confided the whole
thing. He insists it's an hallucina-
ton" w.
"Guifford," repeated the profess
sor. Hasn't he written psycholog-
ical pamphlets?
"He's a dabbler in psychology"
The professor sat staring at the
ceiling.
81 wish to watch tonight in your
bedroom. It's on the first floor?
Leave your window unlocked and
tell no one."
Mr.. HOlstadt, worn out with pac-
ing back and forth, was pulling off
his dressing gown when a hand
touched his shoulder. He wheeled
with a sharp exclamation and found
the professor at his side. The lat
ter, giving few directions In a
low tone, moved to small closet
and the jeweler slipped into bed.
The professor had noted that 1t
was 2 o'clock when he heard the
door of the bedroom open. A young
man with a dark, intent face stood
by the bed. He waved his hands IN
peculiar fashion. The jeweter
raised himself and got heavily j9pt
of the bed. He dressed and the two
went out. The professor followed.
The chase led to the jewelers. shop.
The professor saw the jeweler
stop and shake his head in violent
resistance. The young man made
some strange passes with his hands.
Suddenly the fat figure of the jew
eler seemed to sag. A moment later
the professor heard the jingle-of
keys and the door opened.
When he slipped into the shop
the jeweler was kneeling before q
big safe, twisting the knob this Way
and that. The younger man stood
triumphantly over him. Finally the
door swung open, Mr.. Holstadt
thrust in his hand and pulled 1t out
with a string of enormous diamonds
dangling from his fingers.
The young man, his eyes never
leaving the others face, was reach
ing out for them, when the profess
sor pushed over a vase. 1t fell with
crash. The young man leaped
backward. Suddenly, as though re-
leased from a spell, the jeweler
raised his head. He saw the dia-
monds between his fingers, then
looked at the. young man before
him.
"Guifford!" ne cried.
The professor turned toward the
door. At the threshold he looked
back. The young man had thrown