Graham guardian., 1911-10-20


romances, perhaps. En-. it's great to
be summer girl, Miss Holcomb. II
only you had jewels like Mrs. Mission
er's, you'd shine with the best OF
them. Gee, but that must be beauty,
that necklace. IL the imitation II 90
pretty"
He stirred the contents OF the box
idly. Nothing else remained to be
searched. He had ransacked the inti-
mate sanctity Of the girls room. He
felt baffied and sorely irritated. At
the thought Of failure, he thrust his
fingers into the box with such vio-
lence that everything It held fell to
the floor. Carson stopped to pick up
the scattered jewelry. placing II In
Donnelly's hand to be returned to the
box. After recovering several bits Of
jewelry he laid IN his big colleagues
greedy clutch q small. round object
wrapped in silk tissue.
Hello. what's this!" exclaimed DON
nelly. rolling the fairy parcel between
finger and thumb. "You won't hind
II I peep In tho paper, young ladyf
OF course you won't And this II only
ar say, what the mischief IL III
Oh. glory!"
Even Carson was startled into an
echoing "Oh!" and the three women
almost screamed. For. nesting In the
folds Of the tissue, It's facets twink
ling In the insistent green glow Of the
vacuum lights. flashed a diamond AN
nnmistakable diamond which Mrs..
Missioner and Dorothy and Elipor rec
ognixed as one of the lesser gems
from the Maharanee necklace much
smaller than the Maharanee diamond,
but twice the size Of an ordinary
stone. And It was . diamond even :
novice could tell was genuine!
All the blood left Elinor's face. The
muscles Of her throat ieaped and knot
ted "a II she were strangling. She
swayed for q moment, then took .
long step toward the detective and
stood trembling. covering her face
With quivering hands. Donnelly, hold
Ing the diamond to the light. was
about to speak-in what words. what
manner. one can guess. But the Mis-
cry In the girls attitude struck the
triumphant grin from his face. and
there was momentary compassion IN
the tone In which he said:
WED better go back to the library.
1 guess. Will you 60 with my side
partner. Miss Holcombf"
Carson's advance to the secretary's
side was checked by the violence with
which she whirled toward Mrs. Mis-
sioner, again with outstretched hands.
This time the widow was slower in
meeting the appeal. She was stunned
by the detectives discovery. All the
finer sensibilities Of her womanhood
| were benumbed. Astonishment, large
and compelling. was all she could feel
for the moment Still. she took IN
inors imploring hands In hers and
stood motionless. listening to the
girls passionate sntreaty not to BE-
lieve the evidence OF her eyes, not 70
believe her kindness could be ont
ragged In such q way, not to believe
that Elinor for all the Jewels In the
mines Of the world could be tempted
from the high honor In which she had
been reared. Clasping the younger
woman's locked fingers In her own
soft palm, she slipped her arm about
Eiinor's waist and walked with her
to the lift. Dorothy. crying almost
childishly. controlled her voice once
or twice long enough to beg Elinot
not to give way to such torturins
emotion.
But Elinor Holcomb, shaking. sob
bling, wildly beseeching, was oblivious
to the silent watchfulness Of the cent
raj once men, tina covert glances from
Blodgett's mask-like countenance, the
amazed stare Of the liveried youth In
the elevator. All the way to the room
| in which Sands and Griswold and
Ranscome waited. all the way across
the old English library 10 the rudy
zone before the fireplace, she con
tinued her prayers to Mrs. Missioner
to hold her guiltless. That was the
one thought that shaped her thoughts:
that the woman to whom she owed
the shelter OF her later youth should
not think her capable OF such ignoble
ingratitude. There was no slightest
shade Of appeal to the detectives. nc
regard for the conclusions others In
the room might draw. Bat that Mrs,
Missioner should give credit to the
cold accusation that glittered In the
diamond Donnelly had found--that
plainly was the unbearable thing In
the wretched young woman's present
position.
chief, Mr.. Man." said Donnelly ia
Sands with as direct sneer as hs
thought advisable. This has been
one Of our easiest cases"
His fat hand was extended toward
the millionaire. In the crease Of the
palm, the diamond blazed az II In.
dignant at such q setting. Sands
glared at the stone. Griswold gazed at
lit as If spellbound. Ranscome pol.
ished his glasses with much deliber
alton and. adjusting them with equal
precision. looked at the gem fixedly.
This ones the goods. eh?" the de
tective went on. Ranscome, with
marked fastidiousness, took the jewel
from his hand and examined 1t rs II
his reputation as an expert depended
on his test Reluctantly. he returned
the gem to Donnelly and said. gently.
with a plying glance at Blinor:
GRO BE CoNTINuED)
sion to you alone. and must be regard.
ed as strictly confidential. II you tell
| a soul In the house that have made q