The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-12-16
CHAPTER xxIv.-{continued.)

sThe men Gordon has run down.
said the lieutenant, "were the hardest
to catch / call them the second
batch OF thieves because they are the
fellows who stole Mrs. M1ssloners
Sawels long after the stones were
stolen from her"
And who may they be?" Manning
persisted.
"They ara the dark men-the Hin
docs whose connection with the case
complicated 1t much more than was
comfortable, and who gave further
proof of their inconsiderate DISPOSE
lions by making the doctor here and
me so uncomfortable just before we
came back to Headquarters.
You mean they are the men who
robbed Mrs. Missioner of her jeWels!,
tNo. the men who stole Mrs. Mis-
sioner,s Jewels after she was robbed
DE them
"They robbed the thieves. then :"
mot thieyes-thief," said Britt
sThere was only one artist in the
FIRST job"
.'What's his name?" the Chief ques-
eloned again.
Ills name?" returned the detec-
sive nonchalantly. "Oh. ! haven't
said It was a he"
Even Fitch, though he had worked
intimately with the sleuth in the lat
ter part OF the hunt for the Jewels,
was astonished. Manning concealed
bis surprise. He said:
'Well, suppose you've got the
goods on him--or her."
II have and haven't" the detec
tive answered. while only one per
son stole the diamonds, there's beer
whole troop Of potential thieve:
after the stones They've been work
ing at cross-purposes, with the natura
result that they played unconscious.
into the hands Of the one all OF then
trusted"
Fitch and Manning eyed each othe
auizzically. Britt had worked har'
IN the case and had succeeded whel
success seemed impossible. II b
wished to indulge In slightly enie
,nat,cal preamble, surely it was no
skiing too much to humor him.
Britt gnawed black cigar, unlight
"a, and whirled about two or thre
ames before he took up the thread c
sis recital again.
TITS long story" he resumed. q
cock lot of piecing to put 1t t
gether, but it's as plain now as pi'
sure puzzle when all the cut-outs fl
In the first place, Griswold planne
60 get the Jewels long time ago
couple of years, fancy. He didn
content himself with mere plannini
He did lot Of work while he wa
waiting for his opportunity. +
knew the value Of the Missioner nee
lace. Of course, especially the Walt
of the big: Maharanee diamond tn;
was It's central stone. AS nearly as
can make out his scheme, he hoped
steal the collarette and dispose Of
months before 1t should be missed
Mrs. Missioner. The only way to {
that. OF course. was. to substitute {
Imitation for the genuine articl
Naturally, too. the imitation had to
made without Mrs. Missioner's know
edge, and the man he meant to ha'
make it had to have either the orr
inal as a copy or q very accura
drawing. 1t was beyond all possib
sty that Griswold could get the nee
lace into his possession long enous
to have bogus collarette made. MI
Missioner, in spite of her many m
lions, and like all other women
wealth, guarded her Jewels close
II she may intrust her governme
bonds and other negotiable securiti
y TO attorneys or banks, but she kee
her Jewels under her own eyes. No
OF us knows just how much $
thought Of Greswold;; but the chanc
are that. even IL she had been
gagged to him, she wouldn't have
him have possession Of the Maharan
necklace for any length Of time.
,axsSrtaaea La that these rich N