Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-08-24
CHAPTER XIV.
Erjt, Shayys Wis Hand.

If detectives. the lieutenant fastened
q Mia own roam. wbcrc Fitch was
awaiting ti,:,. He cxcused himself to
the physician ard entered telephone
booth ut tho .ar crd Of his Office in
which he was accustomed to conduct
his moro rrirato wire conTorSations.
Through tho glas0 Of tho silence parti-
ticr. Fitch saw the detectives eyes
snarlSle az he listened to what the
man Mt the other end of the wire was
saving. While Hrit2 still was talking,
Manning came In. glanced inquiringly
et the doctor. and settled himself In
biz chair as II for a further and
more r-otractcd interview with his
able lieutenant.
"Pow does II look to you, doctor,
now" said the Chief Of Fitch, cycling
him closely meanwhile.
at looked for awhile as if we had
run into a hornets nest" Fitch an
swercd.
Pretty exciting experience You had
uptown. eh?" The Chief laughed.
"Wen. Just a little" said the doctor
"One doesn't expect to encounter
cobra in a well-rcguated brown
stone front"
"Think the hunt is Getting any
closer"
Brit seems to think so. His opin
Ion carries weight with mo"
NO doubt, in your mind he will
catch the thief, thon?" asked tho
Chief.
.-rI - en-: .t,o rropJiIn1
nan quietly. 81 am convinced he will
run them down soon or late, If they're
anywhere on the face Of the earth"
"Thank you. doctor" Britt inter
ruptcd. coming out Of the booth.
"Y0ur confidence is not misDlacod.
The thieves are as good as caught
now"
Manning looked up with an air OF
surprise.
Eyes" continued Drit2 addressing
his chief. 1--WE just been talking to
Gordon. Had him out all day on q
special trail. Turns out 70 be the right
lead We know where the second
batch of thieves can be found after
the next hour or So
"Where are they" asked Manning
eagerly
"I'n take you to them, Chief" Britt
replied. "If you don't mind, I'll ask
you to wait little while until I can
do so. Meanwhile let's gather up the
loose ends
DO you mean you have solved the
Missioner mvstery'" Fitch incurred.
trembling slightly rs he reflected
what the answer might mean to the
woman Of bis heart.
"There isn't any mystery now"
Britz responded choerily. There
hasn't been any in my mind for sew
eral hours
lets lave IT." exclaimed tho Chief
impatiently.
Just for an instant Britt stifcned
under his oxccllc0tly controlled ex-
terror. He believed in discipline. He
was known favo7ably to his superiors
from the commissioner Down for the
obedience and respect he always
showed them. But there urked be.
meath his departmental sense Of duty
the independence Ot q man who felt
he could always stand on his own two
feet. and that be could work alone, X
need be, TO accomplish the most diff
cult task. His impulse of revolt last
ed scarce seconds space, however,
and with q military salute that per-
haps was meant to remind him Of
Manning's rank. he slid into his re.
volving chair and looked intcntIy at
first one and then tho other Of the
men, who waited tensely for his
words.
Tho men Gordon has run down"
said the l'eutenant were the hardest
to catch call them the second
batch Of thieves because they are the
fellows who stole Mrs.. Missioner's
Jewels long after tho stones we're
stolen from her "
And who ma hey Ae?" Manning
persisted.
They are tho dirk monte Hin
docs whose Corucc.tcr with Tho case
complicated i mucl mare than was
comfortable apd VIC gave further
proof Of tteir IA c,ns.dsyate dinposi
tons Nv r,ar g., t,a ao>'or here anr
me "a Uncomfortable t1E before ~
came IA X 70 NHSG %HerV6rs
'TI"-cu n..en thtI va the !uen WIT
yosees Mrs. Missioeer Ct hss jewc!S?
'9ws ths men VITO e's!s Mrs. Mis-
s.,s,s1s JEW l,s, arc, sAo Vac rosbc
- .hssS
"Ttry rotbsd tk~ ta4cye7. ths;l!''
'ryca thi>ves--}hlA&- ss!d Br't'
~re~ys wus only os9 arr1t In tn
'arxt fob"
~wasst. hi. nsu-" tho Chief que'
tfnned again.
Tia nGrs r.turcd the dctef
tfv~ namstr9 ,''r "OS haven
SAN 10 WA 'h.."
Nvca Fitch thoLGs hs had wcrSe
su1m nssa,y wttE tho elsetA IN tia la
ter pr! ~ One = rn' fcr The Jewels
was iao-u;saad Manning oorcos'c
h;1 sa,s'ls~. ~ e~!i,
Veil aupplt4 YJr'va got tn
EooJc on aim-or hors"
* have ana I haven't" the detef
tive snsv0rsd. "-Thiio cHIy oas pe'
son s.ols the diamonds there's bsel
q whole troo2 of potential thieve
eftsr the stones They're been IVORY
Ing ut oroas.purr osee. VIA TIC natura
result that they p,ayoi unconac.cus.
into the hands OF tho oa9 al OF tier
truG.eS"