Graham guardian., 1911-12-08
CHAPTER xlII.-(contInusd)

Britz frowned slightly as he read
the message. then with 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
Headquarters patrolman opened the
door.
Rush this down to the Western
Union Office" he said. Take II your
self, and see that 1t goes at once"
It was when his thoughts were tan
gled In the tightest Of knots that a
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 ONCE with
the cable to Logan.
"Show him In" said Britz after a
glance at the name; and. as his visi-
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.
Il hope see you cheerful"
A wan smile broke the fixity OF the
doctors countenance for an instant.
and he shook his head slightly.
II 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?"
II know Just how you feel about II.
DOCTOR" said Britz sympathetically.
"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-
tS1an. 1T cannot be necessary to leave
her there forever to establish her In.
nocence. You know she is guiltless:
l know It; Mrs. Missioner knows 1t.
and 1t 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 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. Il don't see what
good II Is to a girl to have an M. d,
for lover IL he can't be OF any more
use to her In case OF this sort than
Binks Of the Hardware Club. or jerks
Of the Retail Grocers' Association.
Now. you know how these false gems
are made. don't your"
Il know pretty WELL" and Fitch
gave him the formula with which the
minute men OF the jewel trade were
familiar for purposes Of self-protec.
tion.
We'll. I'm quite free to tell you"
continued Britz, that the whole ques-
ton OF Miss Holcomb's stay In the
Tombs depends on our success In find.
ing out who made the Maharapee dia.
mond. 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 fine-tooth comb. I've had every
important city in Europe canvassed.
and the sum-total Of all these INQUIRIES
ts 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 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 It; Griswold saw It,
and, Of course. Mrs. Missioner herself
had 1t In her own hand. There Is no