Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-08-24


very gems he was preparing to steal
from the woman he hoped to marry.
] don't know exactly what's at the bot
tom of the interest those Hindoos
have In the great Maharanee dia-
mond; but l do know they're willing
to go pretty close to the electric chair
to get it. 7 understand It was not
really bought from the vito Of an In
dian prince, as Missioner told his
wife 1t was. My best information is
that It came from a Hindoo temple.
You know those savages set great
store by their idols. At any rate.
from half-dozen to dozen Indians
of various degrees came here from
Calcutta some time ago and camped
on the trail of the Mabaranee dia-
mond. They played a waiting game
ana, apparently they were on the point
OF making grand effort to get the
stone when the head Of this organiza-
ton happened to be in the box next to
Mrs. Missioner at the Motropolitan
Opera House on the night when the
necklace turned out to be fake. He
then learned that the original dia-
monds were not in the widows keep
ing any longer
"Griswold also was in the Mission
err box that night, as you know, and
nc must nave noticed the Oriental
who butted in during the search for
the diamonds"
Britt paused little, and then re.
sumed
These Hindoos worked about as
fast as | did. They must have made
up their minds pretty early In the
game that Miss IIolcomb knew moth
ing about the necklace. and. Of course,
nobody would be foolish enough to
suspect little Miss March Our dark
friends from the East concentrated
their attention on Griswod and
Sands. For a long time, Ali had been
IN Mrs. Mls>ioncrs employ He
wasn't, however, Mrs. Missioners en-
ploye In the true sense Of the word.
He was there as one OF the subor-
dinates of this Swami chap along
with the other Oriental fellows, one
of whom calls himself Prince kanan-
da. In fact, All was on the job from
the day he became a member of Mrs.
Missioner's household. lie was sent
there for the precise purpose of pip
ing off the place, and either getting
the big diamond himself, or tipping
the Swami and all the rest of them
when it would be safe for them to
make a try. 1t stands to reason Mrs.
Missioner watched her jewels pretty
closely, and that her safe was a jim
dandy, since that necklace in all
those long months could not be lifted
by the Hindoo servant He would
have been perfectly willing to throt-
tie her in order to get it had he felt
reasonably sure of getaway as
easily after a murder as after rob-
berry"
You must have been reading about
Ali Daba and the Forty Thieves
Britt said Manning with another
harsh laugh This sounds altogeth
er too much like the Arabian Nights
to be the goods"
We'll. there weren't as many as
forty Of the thieves, and the Ali II
this case wasn't an honest man. I'm
giving it to YOU straight. Chief.
haven't worked day and night on thi:
proposition for nothing. You'll find Il
just as I'm telling it to you. and i
you'll suspend Judgment until ge
through. I'll deliver the goods al
right"
Il think remarked Fitch to Man
N
r Britt comes pretty near knowing
what he is talki!,' atcut I've seer
, him work On th. case and know
something of tn facts he has dis
covered. Ii YOU have ever studied
the ways Of Oricntais you1 be sur
prised at nothino they do. They looi
at life from altogether a differen
angle. Life is about the cheapes
thing in life to them"
, Very good" said Manning I'm
willing to be convinced, but il seem
. hard to believe that Il woman wort
% hundred millions could live 70
months with de2'h hanging over he
head in her own household, and ye
- know nothing about IT, What's tn
p use OF being multi-milionaire
you're no safer than in an eighteen
dollar fiat? For my part, don't TAX
=. much stock in your Hindoos"
You'll take q lot of stock In then
!. before the morning is over, Chief.
you stay with US" Drit1 retorted. Tn
going 10 show you not only the Hir
q docs in the act OF attempting to sc
away, but I'll turn ND the goods 4