The Delta independent., 1911-07-28
something that was to help you find

Some other time, Miss March,
thank you," said Britt. smiling. II
won't detain you now. Perhaps we'll
meet at another matinee soon, with a
longer intermission between the acts.
quaintance, Miss March. know
you're in a hurry to get back to your
seat. Forrest audiences don't like to
be disturbed. you know. Good-after-
noon, Miss March, and thank you so
much!"
He had cause to thank her, he be-
lieved For IN her girlish talk, she
had given him the FIST Missioner
clue of the week-of, rather. she had
extended for him thread of the
mystery that had occupied much Of
his thoughts from the moment when
he received Logan's cable saying the
paste jewels were made from
sketches. For days. he had sought
to learn who among Mrs. Missioner's
fntimates was artist enough to make
such delicate draughts of the dia-
monds as would be required by an ar
tiflcer for the manufacture of imita-
tions. With that object, he had ascer-
tanned Dorothy's intention to go to the
matinee in the Forrest and had gone
to the theater to meet her under con-
ditions not likely to interfere with
such gentle questioning of her as he
meant to do. His yelled Interrogation
of the society girl had brought forth
the fact that Curtis Griswold could
sketch-that the clubman was sufti-
GENTLY master of his pencil to have
his skill pretty generally known
among his acquaintances. Lorimer
and Daubigny, the other society ar
lists she had mentioned, were not, he
knew. in Mrs. Missioner's circle.
1t was fortunate for Lieutenant
Britt, as well as for Elinor Holcomb
and Doctor Fitch, and everybody
whose hopes hinged on the detectives
success in solving the great Missioner
diamond mystery, that long custom
made him thread the traffic of the
city's throbbing artery automatically,
for SO deeply did the sleutn ponder
the possibilities of his newest infor-
nation that he had several close es-
capes from taxicabs. private automo-
biles and trolley cars as he crossed
Broadway and bent his steps toward
Fifth avenue. The case had cleared
little, but his course was not much
palmer than it had been when he
dropped into the theater in quest of
further knowledge.
1T won't do to call Miss March as
a Witness" he unused, walking north
in the carriage-crowded avenue, with
that briskness characteristic of him
when his brain was most active. She
can't absolutely prove anything" 1t
was necessary to obtain tangible evil
dence of Griswold's ability as
draughtsman. How to do SO without
alarming the clubman was the present
problem.
Britt by no means was prepared to
suspect Griswold of the robbery. He
realized thoroughly that Dorothy's in
formation was all he had to indicate
Griswold any more than Sands. or
two or three others. He did not even
know whether Miss Holcomb could
draw, and 1t was no part of his pur-
pose to distress the imprisoned girl
with questions betraying the smallest
belief in the accusation against her.
No; Britz always honest with himself,
could not say he suspected Griswold.
His method was the opposite of Don
nelly's and Carson's. Instead of sus-
pecting everybody. as they invariably
did in cases at all mysterious. he
would not attach suspicion to anyone
without satisfactory proof. That was
the secret of his success. He was
more than a detective; he was prose-
id t,,~r ND cA1 tn q
defense. 1t accounted for the fact
that he rarely made a mistaken ar
rest. and that when he caused man
or woman to be placed in the prison
er's dock. a conviction almost always
followed.
"Griswold, Sands. All, Blodgett-"
The names presented themselves to
the sleuth's mind In that order as he
fastened along with no particular
place as an objective walking
to stimulate his mental process. 1t
always frightened Britt to pass the
panorama of fashion in Fifth avenue.
1t was with an almost fatherly feel
ing he glanced at the rich, the debon-
air, the gay sauntering along the side
walks or rolling In automobiles and
carriages up and down the asphalt.
The safety of their wealth, sometimes
of their very lives, depended on the
vigilance, courage and efficiency Of
himself, and of the few men like him
on the police force of New York. So
far as the rank and file of the depart
ment were concerned, those care-free
sons and daughters of opportunity
might be at the mercy of the ablest
birds of prey in the human flock. 1t
was because Britt and his compeers
worked and watched and waited SO
patiently. SO devotedly. so ceaselessly,
that fashion and finance, coquetry and