The Delta independent., 1911-06-23


oh" said Donnelly. Carson's lips
rounded in mute repetition.
Sands, impatient of the detectives
awkward questioning. shook himself
lion-like and went TO a window. Girls
void swung his foot idly. and smoked
In shorter measure Ransc0me look
ed ne-vously ST the inQuisitor. theh
swung his gaze back to the jewel
trays. Dorothy listened with wide
eyed interest
What 60 you know about this Miss
Ho.comb?" asked Donnelly, squarins
himself as if for trial of strength
with the widow and turning out his
toes farther than ever.
Il have known her many years,
said Mrs. Missioner quietly, adding
with warmth, She is young woman
of high character"
"Oh, she is, is she?" returned the
sleuth. And how, may ask, ma am,
do you know that"
Il say, | have known her many
years." said Mrs. Missioner.
Donnelly held whispered consulta-
ton with his mate. Then he asked If
he might question the servants.
Certainly. if you think it neces-
sary," assented the widow. But
should warn you that l cannot bring
myself to suspect any of them.
Everybody seems to be above sus-
picion," snapped Donnelly. It's al
ways the way. until we begin to get
on the trail. and then everybody he
comes suspicious | think I'll question
the servants, ma'am. Shall l have
EN- in here?"
Mrs. Missioner bowed and sent
B!odgett to summon his comrades.
"One at a time please" said Don
nelly. The first to enter was the
housekeeper, a staid woman in a
black gown with narrow white ruch-
ing about her withered neck She
knew nothing of the jewels save that
madam always locked them in the
safe herself, unless Miss Holcomb
was there to do it for her.
The answers of the other servants
were equally straightforward. The
butler, underbutler, chef, second foot
man, pantry-toy, parlor-maid, cham
ber-maids. and kitchen maid, and the
majestic Blodgett himself were inter
rogated persistently, infinitely, dog
gedly. even bullyingly, and in the end
the net result of what they had to tell
was zero. That is to say. as far as
Mrs. Missioner and her friends and
the diamond expert were concerned.
Oonnelly thought otherwise. Carson's
mind was a receptive blank.
Are these all the servants?" asked
the large detective.
"Ali at present" answered Mrs.
Missioner. my own maid is away on
leave. Oh. yes. there's ALI"
is Allie the name of your maid?"
mo, Ali is a man-an Indian"
And what's his job?" This ag
gressively.
He is a courier"
Donnelly was puzzled.
when travel he looks after the
transportation ald baggage" Mrs.
Missioner explained.
The detective stroked his Jaw and
whispered with Carson again.
This advance agent of yours-this
Ali-where is he?"
"BIodgett," called the widow, send
All here"
The presence faded into the per-
spective of the passage and in a few
minutes materialized on the TIRES
hold-alone.
cali is not in the house, madam"
the footman reported.
ASK Miss Holcomb II she sent
him anywhere"
What tribe does this Indian belong
tor" Donnelly inquired Importantly.
"Choctaw? Cherokee? Sioux? Maybe
he's an Apache?"
Mrs. Missioner smiled. 1t was not
an unpleasant smile. but It Jared an
unconscious HUH" out of the de-
tective. All the others save the seri-
Gus Ranscome smiled too, and Girls
wold laughed aloud.
He isn't that kind OF an INDIAN
Sands enlightened the sleuth Hes
a native of Tndia-a Hindoo."
"Of course" rumbled the Central
Office man, Indignantly 81 know that.
What l want to know is what kind Of
"a Hindoo?"
81 should say he was a Sepoy." re-
licious CLEAN in his eyes.
"Sepoy-huh?" Donnelly turned to
Carson. What do you know about
that?" he asked. Carson knew moth
ing whatever about that. 1t would
have been disloyal to know more than
his colleague
There was a man in Mulberry Street
Bruxton was to find much more eff
Client than the present visitors from
headquarters. AS the widow did not
know that, she was a good deal bored,
and some of her first distress at the
loss Of her Jewels, particularly the
Maharanee diamond. returned. She
was almost Respondent when the de-
tectives, after an exhaustive search
of the servants quarters. returned.