Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-05-04

The excitement or the escape over.
Mr. Harrison and remained on terms
Of armed neutrality. And Max still
hunted for Anne's pearls. using them.
the men declared, as a good excuse to
avoid tinkering with the furnace or
repairing the dumb-waiter. which took
the queerest notions, and stopped once
halfway up from the kitchen. for an
hour, with the dinner on it. Anyhow.
Max was searching the house syste-
matically, armed with a copy Of Poes
'Purloined Letter" and Gabcriau's
Monsieur Lecoq." He went through
the seats of the chairs with hatpins,
tore up the beds, and lifted rugs, until
the house was in state OF confusion
And the next day, the fourth, be
found something-not much, but it
was curious. He had been in the
studio, poking around behind the dusty
pictures, with Jimmy expostulating
every time he moved anything and
tie rest standing around watching
him
Max was strutting
I'VE get it by eliminations," he
said. Importantly. The pearls be-
ing nowhere else in the house, they
must be here in the studio. Three
parts of the studio having yielded
nothing, they must be in the fourth
Ladies and gentlemen, let me have
your attention for one moment l tap
this canvas with my wand-there is
/ nothing up my sleeve. Then | pre-
pare to move the canvas-so. And l
put my hand in the pocket of this dis
reputable velvet coat, so. Behold"
Then he gave a low exclamation and
looked at something he held in his
hand. Every one stepped forward,
| and on his palm was the small diamond
clasp from Anne's collar!
Jimmy was apologize He tried to
smile. but no one else did
We'll, I'll be iabbergasted!" he
said, Il say, you people, you don't
| think for minute that I put that
thing there? Why, I haven't worn
that coat for a month. lists a
trick of yours, Max"
But Max shook his head; he looked
stupef1ed, and stood gazing from the
clasp to the pocket of the old painting
coat Betty dropped on a folding
stool, that promptly collapsed with
her and created welcome diversion,
while Anne pounced on. the clasp
! greedily. with a little cry.
I'VE will find it all now" she said,
| excitedly. Did you look in the other
/ pockets, MAXI"
Then, for the first time, l was con-
scious of an air of constraint among
the men. Dallas was whistling softly,
and Mr.. HARRISON, having rescued
Betty, was standing silent and aloof.
watching the scene with non-commit-
tai eyes. 1t was Max who spoke first,
after a hurried inventory of the other
pockets.
Nothing else" he said, constrained
ly. I'll move the rest of the can
vases"
But Jim interfered, to every ones
surprise.
q wouldn't if I were you, Max
| There's nothing back there. l had
EN- out yesterday" He was quite
| pale.
NONSENSE" Max said gruffy IF
it's practical joke, Jim, why don't
you Tess up? Anne has worried
enough"
The pearls are not there, l tell
you," Jim began. Although the studio
was cold, there were little fine beads
| of moisture on his face. Il must ask
you not to move those pictures" And
! then Aunt Selma came to the rescue;
| she stalked over and stood with her
| back against the stack of canvasses.
LAS far as l understand this she
acclaimed, You gentlemen are trying
to intimate that James knows some
thing of that young woman's jewelry,
because you found part of it in his
pocket. Certainly you will not move
the pictures. How do you know that
the young gentleman who said he
found it there didn't have it up his
sleeve?"
She looked around triumphantly.
and Max glowered. Dallas soothed
her, however.
Exactly So" he said. How do we
know that Max didn't have the clasp
up his sleeve? My dear lady, neither
my wife nor l care anything for the
pearls, as compared with the priceless
pearl of peace. l suggest tea on the
roof; those in favor? My arm, Miss
! Caruthers."
1t was all well enough for Jim to
say later that he didn't dare to have
the canvases moved, for he had stuck
| behind them all sorts of chorus girl
! photographs and life-class crayons
| that were not for Aunt Selina's eye,
besides four empty siphons, two full
ones, and three bottles of whisky. Not
/ a soul believed him; there was a new
! element of suspicion and discord in
| the house.
/ CTO BE CONTINUED