Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-10-27
CHAPTER xiII.-(contInued.)

Britt frowned slightly as he read
the message, then with a heavy foun.
tain pen that fairly raced v the pa.
per, and, addressing his far-away as.
sistant by his cable word, he wrote:
Logan, Paris, Was Maharanee
made there, too?'
Britz tapped a bell and looked up as
a Headquarters patrolman opened the
door.
Rush this down to the Western
Union NICE" he said. Take 1t your
self. and see that 1t Q at once"
1t was when his thoughts were tan
,gled in the highest of knots that a
card wal brought to him by the twin
brother Of the heavy-footed bluecoat
who even then was supposedly or his
way to the Western Union Office with
the cable to Logan.
Show him in" said Britz after a
glance at the name; and. as his visi-
tor entered, he swung his feet from
the desk. advancing halfway to the
door, and extended his hand cordially.
How do you do. doctor?" he said.
Il hope l see you cheerful"
Will 6Iu1lc UlOhO Il0 1AlSy " LILO
doctors countenance for an instant.
and he shook his head slightly.
II don't see how there can be any
cheer for me-" he said. "as long as
that poor girl IL a prisoner In the
Tombs. When are we going to get her
hout?"
II know just how you feel about It,
!, DOCTOR" said Britz alphabetically.
but you'll have to leave that in my
hands for the present Miss Holcomb
must stay where she Is awhile Ion
ger."
But surely" persisted the physi-
acian, 1T cannot be necessary to leave
her there forever to establish her in
nocence. You know she IL guiltless;
know It; Mrs. Missioner knows 1t,
and 1t would not take much to bring
al her acquaintances to the same
view. Why must we waltz"
Now. let us talk" said Britt. you
and l have fenced long enough along
this line; let's get down to business.
You know something about chemistry,
about 1t to tell me whether any prog
ress has been made in recent years
In the manufacture Of paste jewels?"
Cant say l do! haven't been much
interested In that line until this out
lrageous attempt to prove Miss Hol-
comb a-thief."
Well, it's about time you did," said
Britx m~einingly. II don't see what
good It II to q girl to have an M. D..
for . lover II he can't be OF any o
use to her In . case of this sort than
Binks Of the Hardware Club. or jerks
ii the Retail Grocers' Association.
Nov. you know how these false gems
are made. don't your"
Il know pretty WE'LL" and Fitch
IGave him the formula with which the
minute mon Of the Jewel trade were
familiar for purposes Of ~self-protec.
ton.
We'll. I'm quite free to tell you."
continued Britx. that the whole ques.
lt1on Of Miss Holcomb's stay in the
'Tombs depends on our succes In find
dns out who made the Maharanee dia-
imond. I know who turned out the
other stones-had Logan over there
for several weeks In Paris. you know"
Tho d~etective then sketched rapidly
for Fitch the detailed information sent
TO him by his assistant across the wa
ter. But l cannot get a line on the
Maharanee diamond. I've been over
every place in this neck OF woods-in
fact, I've gone over the whole country
with nne-tooth comb. I've had every
important city In Europe canvassed,
and the sum-total Of all these inquiries
10 that nobody knows any live man
who could make an imitation of the
real Maharanee anything like good
enough to deceive Simple Simon.
Now. you just get that scientific think
ling a~pparatuSssof yours going, and help
me puzzle out the problem. We know
there was Z fake Maharanee diamond.
III was ground to pieces under Girls
wold's heel In Mrs. Missioner's opera
box. It was picked up by q man from
tie Orfent-this Swami-whatever his
name II. the sort Of combination priest
and scholar Who says he's here to
spread the propaganda Of the Buddhist
faith among the elect Of New York
society. Sands saw the diamond;
bliss March NV 1t; Griswold saw 1t,
and, Of course. Mrs. Missioner herself
Aad Il II her own hand There Is no