The Yale expositor., 1911-10-05
CHAPTER XIIl.-(Continued.)


Britz frowned slightly as he read
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?"
Britz tapped a bell and looked up as
a Headquarters patrolman opened the
door.
Rush this down to the Western.
Union Office" he said. Take 1t your
self, and see that 1t goes at once"
1t was when his thoughts were tan
gled In the tightest 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
the cable to Logan.
SHOW him In" said Britz after
glance at the name; and, as his vlsi-
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 fixity of the
doctors countenance for an instant,
and he shook his head slightly.
IL don't see how there can be any
cheer for me-" he said. "as long as
that poor girl is prisoner in the
Tombs. When are we going to get her
out?"
81 know just how you feel about IT,,
doctor" said Britt alphabetically,
but you'll have to leave that in my
hands for the present. Miss Holcomb
must stay where she Is awhile lon
ger"
But surely" persisted the physi-
ician, lit cannot be necessary to leave
her there forever to establish her in
nocence. You know she Is guiltless;
know 1t; Mrs. Missioner knows it.
and it would not take much to bring
all her acquaintances to the same
view. Why must we waltz"
Nov, let us talk" said Britz. you
and 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 I 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
Britz meaningly. II don't see what
good 1t is to a girl to have an M. ID.
for lover If he can't be of any more
Binks Of the Hardware Club, or jerks
of the Retail Grocers Association.
Now, you know how these false gems
are made, don't your"
II know pretty WE'LL" and Fitch
gave him the formula with which the
minute men of the jewel trade were
familiar fer purposes of self-protec.
tion.
We'll, I'm quite free to tell you"
continued Britt, that the whole ques-
ton of Miss Holcomb's stay in the
Tombs depends on our success in find
ing out who made the Maharanee dia-
mond. l know who turned out the
other stones-had Logan over there
for several weeks in Paris, you know"
The detective then sketched rapidly
for Fitch the detailed information sent
TO him by his assistant across the wa.
ter. But / cannot get 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 a fine-tooth comb. I've had every
important city in Europe canvassed,
and the sum-total of all these inquiries
Is 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.
ing apparatus of yours going. and help
me puzzle out the problem. We know
there was a fake Maharanee diamond.
1t was ground to pieces under Girls
wold's heel in Mrs. Missioner's opera
box. II was picked up by man from
the Orient-this Swami-whatever his
name Is, 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 !;
Miss March saw L.; Griswold saw 1t,
and, of course, Mrs. Missioner herself
bad Il In her own hand. There Ia no