The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-08-25

afternoon has the gueHt-liat OF course.
and II questioned him could hts mem
DRY be depended upon ?"
Absolutely, air. He In my major
domo. and IL really wonderful In that
regard. as well AZ others"
win you call him. pleased"
"He Is here. Rudolf. answer any
thing the gentleman may ask you"
The atiff and towering fellow came
forward 70 the end Of his masters
desk.
Rudolf. take your guest list and
check on tho large. plump women"
He drew out the sheet. ran down
the names. and. as he came 70 the
last, Rand asked:
Nov, how manyT"
Eighteen, sir"
"Iiow man. OF those eighteen are
blond women turning grayg'
Rudolf considered moment.
Three. sir"
How many OF the guests have left
the house7 ANY OF the three7"
Nearly all of the guests are ut
| tending upon the vaudeville program,
including these three ladies', sir"
Rand held up the bracelet
Now. Rudolf, which OF the three
wore this BRACELET"
Rudoifs eyes questioningly sought
| his masters face, which remained
downcast and unchanged,
Madame Julie"
stop. you fool Net another word"
roared the ambassador, with a sud.
den change Of manner, leaping to his
feet and ciapping his hand over the
| startled servants mouth.
Rand van leaning forward, the pu.
plla OF his eyes reduced TO pin points.
and shining brightly.
Then Count Bela-Moulkna, realizing
the undignified and unfortunate ap.
pearanca OF his outburst, drew back
and sank down In his chair, rubbing
his face fiercely with his hands. till
HIS mustache and hair. disarranged.
gave him Wild. arimallstlo look
that could have been achieved In no
other way. Slowly he recovered him.
self. rose, and said colby and with
ell tho dignity no could summon:
Gentlemen, this investigation has
reached a point where you must drop
II. MIR. Rand. your inclslveness Is
more than marvellous, You viii re-
ceiye my check for Ave thousand by
messenger In an hour, regret to be
under the necessity of bidding you
good afternoon"
Rand. with u slight, sardonic smile.
bowed deeply aud responded with
equal hautenr, We we're retiring,
whom tho ambassador clapped his
hands to his temples, then smote his
palms together. and began to laugh,
, Gentlemen. gentlemen, one mo-
| mentl Forgive my abTuptness. have
| made mistake. Pray resume your
seats"
lie had become most gracious in an
lnstant, and FASTENED to say:
"Mr. Rand. | am sorely absent.
, minded. The lady whose name pre-.
vented your hearing In full was here
/ with me elandostinely this afternoon,
{ and wore that bracelet for the first
, time, Only nc the mention Of her did
remember seeing IT, must con.
! feEs TO having had small affair with
/ her. one breath Of which would ruin
! mo. had the papers after she left.
, She cannot be responsible for their
J disappearance. We had u rather dra.
, matte interview, as she wished II to
, be our last, and paid little attention
, to that bracelet. though, as | lock at
, Il, feel sure there was a tiny oval
! locket pendant from Il, which Is al.
most certain 70 have contained my
, picture, Also, an now positive that
, she, toying with the bracelet, dropped
| Il here ON my desk. | found II there
, on tho cablnct thirty feet away"
Rand, at this fact. leaped from HIS
J seat and strobe 10 the cabinet. He
! turned his lens over the top, then on
, the mantel behind It. and caught up
a polished silver topographer's tracer
, With a bread. aat handle, AS he held
1t TO the light. I saw his little smile
Of triumph. As usual. It vanished
, instantly. ard he returned to his seat
II "Your papers were taken within the
last two hours. my dear sir, probably
Rt NHC NAIRN HNNH0A WhA FAAt0 AhS
loeket from the bracelet with this ira
Ger, See the little scratch and the
. trace Of the soft gold" He held It W
carefully between his two index I'm
gers. Also the person we seek seems
, to be blaekmaller as wsll as spy"
pray tell me. Mr.. Rand" said the
. ambassador. "how you made the mar
yelous selection Of the owner of the
. hracelet7'
Very simply. II Is a large brace
! let, yet the end links between each q
| the fence work bars are SO worn BY
| wearing well down on the wrist, with
. consequent strain on the end links
, that its wearer must have been .
large. plump woman. Then. on the In
/ side. under the leaves. was section
! Of a naturally blond hair. with sign
/. OF approaching less OF color. It wa:
, merely process OF elimination"