The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-10-21
CHAPTER XIV.
At Wards Island.

.st.s rather a remarkable co1nci
Aence. I'll admit" said Brltz TO FITCH
as they stood on the deck OF the NIUE
FERRY boat that bore them toward the
island: "but it's possible your llttie
old friend had something to do VIII
khe making of the imitation Manara-
nee diamond You realize Thoroughly,
I'm sure. the Importance OF that INK
Nm our chain of evidence. 1t may pe
difficult to fasten the responsibility
for manufacturing all the other lrauo-
ulent diamonds Of the necklace upon
the guilty person, because DIAMONDS
of that size can be initiated IN any
one of several large cities; out tue
man who made the fake Maharanee Is
q past master Of his craft; man so
skillful that even the most expert
artifcers of Europe and America 90
not pretend they can equal HIM.
"What makes you think the curio
dealer had anything to do with II!
asked Fitch. "How could 1t be done!
thought the Maharanee was made
quite recently?'
'T don't know how long it's been"
the detective replied ut may have
been only a few months, and the dia-
nond, 1T Is possible. may have been
copied any time within the past year.
That big office building has been less
than a year In construction, and It's
well within the bounds Of fact that
the curio dealer received the commits
sion for the work twelve months ago,
or possibly more"
oh" said the physician, there is
one flaw in your theory. He was not
b fakir. All the information l cleaned
about him convinced me he was not
engaged in the manufacture OF bogus
Jewels. His grand purpose in life was
60 make real diamonds"
Precisely" said Britt. 1T Is that
fact, much more than anything else,
chat leads me to think he may be in
the employ of the persons we are
trailing. Doesn't 1t occur to you that
The false Maharanee, in order to de-
ceive Mrs. Missioner and all her
friends for so long time, must have
been such beautiful piece of work
that 1t could not have been intended
as an imitation? In other words
didn't the man who made the imita
lion Maharanee believe he was manu-
featuring a genuine diamond?"
The little boat grated It's nose
against the Island pier, and the two
investigators sprang ashore. AS soor
as they entered the asylum grounds
their positions were reversed. Fitcf
became the mentor. Britt the willing
pupil, for In that abode of darkenet
reason were medical men whose hour
lstence made them welcome gladl.
visitors from the outer world-espe
SALLY members of their own profes
sion Fitch as he ran up the steps o
The visitors entrance, was receiEe'
<oyally in the Office by three or fou
physicians and I surgeons who ha
known him In his Bellevue days. Their
was no jealousy of his success anon
Them He had shot ahead of severa
of them, and 1t was pretty we'll ur
derstood among the Island doctor
that Lawrence Fitch was rapidly fore
ing to the fore as fashionabl
physician What was more importan
In their eyes was the fact that he ha
gained real distinction in his profe:
sion. Several minor but helpful di:
coveries OF his had been recorde
gratffyingly In the Lancet" and NOR
than once his name had been mention
ed with fiattering recognition at NEE
tngs OF the County Medical Society.
Fitch was now In his element. Fl
grasped warmly the hands held OF
to him, clapped two or three of b
closer cronies on the back, and pr
scented Britt to the little group wit
a few words of Introduction that wo
respect for the man from Mulberr
Street.
SCOT a patient here. Larry" the
asked him jokingly.
"No." said Fitch, mot exactly p
hent; but it's possible YOU hive
case here I'm a little bit htereste
In, He recited the history Of tx
curio dealer. with an urgent reque'
that everything In connection with tt
old man be revealed to him. Britt, a
customed as he was to CLEAN bis fac
toilsomely, was unmistakatAy sn
prised by the readiness with whic
zach OF Fitch,s friends promised al