The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-03-22
CHAPTER xxlV.-(Continued.)

1.-THE men Gordon has run down.
said the lieutenant. were the hardest
to catch I call them the second
batch Of thieves because they are the
fellows who stole Mrs. Missioners
Jewels long after the stones were
stolen from her"
And who may they be-" Manning
persisted.
"They are the dark men-the Hin,
docs whose connection with the case
complicated it much more than was
comfortable, and who gave further
proof of their inconsiderate disposi-
tons 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"
mo, the men who stole Mrs. Mis-
sioner's jewels after she was robbed
ofsthem.'
"They robbed the thieves. them"
"Not thieves-thief," said Britt.
"There was only one artist in the
first job" :;
whats his name?" the Chief ques.
toned again.
Ellis name?" returned the detec.
1--WE nonchalantly. ooh, l 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
his surprise. He said: !.
"Well, suppose you've got the
goods on him-or her."
81 have and l haven't" the detec
tive answered. "While only one per
son stole the diamonds, there's beer
a whole troop Of potential thieve:
after the stones. They've been work
ing at cross-purposes. with the nature
result that they played unconsciousJ
into the hands of the one all OF then
trusted" !:
Fitch and Manning eyed each othe1
quizzically. Britt had worked hare
on the case and had succeeded wher
success seemed impossible. If b
wished to indulge in a slightly enig
NAUTICAL preamble, surely 1t was no
asking too much to humor him. i
Britt gnawed a black cigar, unlight
ed and whirled about two or three
times before he took up the thread Q
his recital again.
cts a long story" he resumed. !
took a lot of piecing to put 1t tt
xether, but it's as plain now as pif
ture puzzle when all the cut.outs til
In the first place, Griswold planne
to get the jewels long time ago
couple of years, fancy. He didn'
content himself with mere planning
He did lot Of work while he wa
waiting for his opportunity. H
knew the value Of the Missioner neck
lace. of course, especially the valu
OF the big Maharanee diamond tha
was its central stone. AS nearly as
can make out his scheme, he hoped t
steal the collarette and dispose OF
months before it should be missed b
Mrs. Missioner. The only way to d
that. of course, was to substitute q
Imitation for the genuine article
Naturally. too, the imitation had to b
made without Mrs. Missioner's know
edge, and the man he meant to hav
make it had to have either the orif
inal as a copy or a very accurat
drawing. 1t was beyond all possibi
ity that Griswold could get the necl
lace into his possession long enoug
to have bogus collarette made. Mr.:
Missioner, in spite Of her many mi
lions. and like all other women Z
wealth. guarded her jewels closel9
She may intrust her governmef
bonds and other negotiable securitie
to attorneys or banks. but she keeI
her Jewels under her own eyes. Non
II us knows just how much 81
thought Of Griswold; but the cnanct
are that, even II she had been e.
gagged to him, she wouldn't have u
him have possession Of the Maharane
necklace for any length Of time NJ
exper,eaas Il that these rich Ne