The Delta independent., 1911-08-18
Z Britt Of 0
HI eadquarter rs
By
MARGIN Barber
=
IL L U S T r ATIONS BY
RAY WALTERS


Britt, OF Headquarters, did not
waste any time in gloating over the
result of his interview with the Brah-
min. In the first place, he did not con
slider that he had scored anything
like a signal victory. He knew enough
OF the subtleties of the Orient to be
aware that such grains of truth as
had come to him in the Swami's an
,swers had been merged into volum-
nous fabric o; mendacity-well call
1t diplomacy-and that to winnow out
the few facts Vouchsafed to him was
a task for the clustered seclusion of
his own room, supplemented by the
silent help OF many books of refer
ence. But he was ready to take it for
granted that the Brahmin had spoken
truly in regard to the difficulty of i'm
itating diamonds of great size. There
was no question the Maharanee had
been copied; how closely he could not
say, as he had unfortunately never
had glimpse of the false stone. The
questions that gimleted their way into
his brain Were: Where was the copy
ing done; how was it done; and, OF
course, correiatively, by whom was it
done?
1t was a busy quarter of an hour
observation-disclosures Britt passed in
his Mulberry Street office. Awaiting
him was a cablegram from Logan,
saying briefly he was trailing all the
workmen who had taken part in the
manufacture of the paste Missioner
necklace, and that none of them had
left Paris
IL -1f
the message then with a heavy foun-
tain pen that fairly raced over the pa
per, and, addressing his far-away as
sistant by his cable word, he wrote:
Logan. Paris. Was Maharanee
made there, too?"
Britt tapped a bell and looked up as
a Headquarters patrolman opened the
Il door.
Rush this down to the Western
Union Off CO. he said. Take it your
self, and see that it goes at once"
1t was when his thoughts were tan
lgled in the ughtest Of knots that
'card was brought to him by the twin
brother of the heavy-footed bluecoat
who even then was supposedly on his
way to the Western Union office with
itne CaDle 10 Logan.
SHOW him in" said Britt 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
81 hope see you cheerful"
A wan smile broke the fxity of the
doctors countenance for an instant,
and he shock his head slightly
81 don't see how there can be any
cheer for me-" he said, "as long as
that poor girl is a prisoner in the
Tombs. When are we going to get her
out?"
Il know just how you feel about II.
DOCTOR" said Britt sympathetically.
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-
ician, st cannot be necessary to leave
her there forever to establish her in
nocence. You know she is guiltless;
j know 1t; Mrs. Missioner knows 1t,
aud 1t would not take much to bring
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,
that's certain. Do you know enough
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
rageous attempt to prove Miss Hol-
comb a--thief."
We'll. it's about time you did" said
Britt meaningly. II don't see what
good It is to girl to have an M. D.
for a lover II he can't be OF any more
use to her in a case Of this sort than
Binks of the Hardware Club. or jerks
of the Retail Grocers' Association.
Now, you know how these false gems
are made. don't your"
81 know pretty WELL" and Fitch
gave him the formula with which the
minute men of the jewel trade we're
familiar for purposes OF self-protec-
ton.
well, I'm quite free to tell you."
continued Britt. that the whole Ques-
ton OF Miss Holcomb's stay In tho
Tombs depends on our success in And
ing out who made the Maharanee dia-
mond. I know who turned out the
other stones-had Logan over there
for several weeks In Paris you know"
The detective then sketched rapidly
Tor Fitch the detailed information sent
TO him by his assistant across the wa
ter. "But cannot get limo on the
Maharanee diamond. I've been over