The Elbert County tribune., 1911-12-22


All the painting lovelinoss of Mrs. |
Delaroche shivered as the sharp ques-
tson bored its way to her inner con-
sciousness. II was now her turn to be
silent. She looked at the Headquar-
ters man as If he held In his hand her
life. liberty. and whatever chance re.
mained to her of happiness. A CLEAN
of appeal glowed In her beautiful eyes
for a moment. Plainly. II she did not
speak 1t was not for lack of will. Her
words were as frozen us the normal
condition of her thoughts. she put
her hands to her breast and gazed at
the Central Office man as piteously as
woman OF her Junoesque charms
could be expected to do. The ingenue
role was impossible to Mrs. Delaroche;
but had II not beenl so. undoubtedly
she would have assumed 1t In this emer.
gency.
Answer me, madam; this calls for
an immediate explanation. You told
this man these jewels belonged to you.
How does 1t come you have the dia.
monds everybody In New York knows
as the Maharanee necklace of Mrs.
Doris Missioner"
Mrs. Delaroche still struggled family
for speech. Her lids quivered; her eyes
alternately closed and then were fixed
upon the detective, and tremor. be.
ginning at the crown of her adorable
head. moved in waves to her perfect
feet. She sank into chair and let her
head fall upon her arms as they
stretched inertly acre IS little table.
rhere was no smallest streak of pity
In the look Detective Britz bent upon
her. He had dealt with women OF her
type before many times, he told him
SELF. and now that he was SO near the
heart OF the great Missioner mystery.
It was not his purpose to be influenced
IN the slightest degree by the distress
OF Diana. to say nothing OF an Aphro-
dite. Dry sobs choked the woman.
Her eyes strained at ther tendons SO
painfully that tears would have been a
divine relief Whether she was grieved
or frightened was not so apparent as
that she was sorely distressed Min
utes passed before she lifted her face
and once more looked at the detective
The house sleuth and his porter had
retreated yard or more. and the
erstwhile pajama squad. now an as
In varied array of dressing gowns
and bathrobes, looked and listened In
hushed expectancy.
Come, Mrs. Delaroche," said Britt,
sternly. You really must not waste
any more of my time. I have spent an
hour in getting these Jewels away
from you. and don't intend to put in
many more words in getting the facts
from you. You have got to answer
soon or late, and you may as well do
1t at once
II there was to be any third degree
In her case, the detective was deter
mined to apply 1t. then and there.
They were given to me-" said the
woman family.
by whom?"
"By-by friend of mine" she re-
piled.
And his name?" inquired the detec.
tive curtly.
Il do not care to tell his name," said
Mrs. Delaroche. who had recovered
little of her calmness
You must tell ity Britz insisted.
Il cannot" she said.
But | tell you you must!" returned
the detective. Don't you see you have
got to tell 1t to square yourself?"
What do you mean, sIr?" she asked
with pretty show OF Indignation.
Now. don't try any OF those games
on me-" said Britz. In his impatience,
he WAS descending close to the meth
DDS OF Donnelly and Carson. He re.
membered that in a moment and re.
sumed more persuasively:
1T Will save you a great deal OF
trouble for you, Mrs. Delaroche. II You
tell me the truth, and tell 1t at once.
without holding anything back. You
understand. l am detective from Po.
lice Headquarters, and was assigned
weeks ago to find Mrs. Missioner's dia.
monds. have found the diamonds.
and now ! must find the thief"
Mrs. Delaroche shIvered, and started
slowly to her feet. She turned dis.
dainful glance on the group at the door.
then faced Britz once more, and in a
voice little more than whisper. she
said:
Whatever you may think, did not
know the jewels were stolen. I did not
know they ever belonged to Mrs. Mis-
sioner. never heard of Mrs Mission.
er before tonight. except through the
papers. did not know that any of my
acquaintances knew her. / was not
aware she had lost her diamonds.
What you tell me about the theft OF
necklace from Mrs. Missioner is en-
tirely new to me. seldom read the
papers. and when ! do. do not read
accounts of crime"
'All yon say may be true.' Britz per-
sisted, but you may take my word for
1.-THE jewels are Mrs. Missioner's:
they were stolen from her. and you
must tell me the name OF the person