The Huttig news., 1912-02-24

door
Rush this down to the Western
Union Office" he said. Take It your
self. and see that II goes al once
II was when his thoughts were tan
gled in the ughtest of knots that
card was brought to him by the twin
brother of the heavy-footed bluecoat
who even then was suppo eddy on his
way to the Western Union office with
he cable to Logan.
Show him in said Britt after a
glance at the name and. as his yiai-
tor entered he swung his feet from
the desk, advancing halfway to the
door, and extended his hand cordially.
How do you do. doctor?" he said.
Il hope | see you cheerful"
A wan smile broke the fixity of the
doctors countenance for an instant,
and he shook his head slightly.
Il don't see how there can be any
cheer for me" he said, "as long as
that poor girl is a prisoner In the
Tombs. When are we going to get her
OUT"
7 know just how you feel about II,
doctor" said Britt alphabetically
but you'll have to leave that in my
hands for the present. Miss Holcomb
must stay where she is awhile lon
ger"
But surely" persisted the physi-
ician. 1T cannot be necessary to leave
her there forever to establish her ir-
nocence. You know she is guiltlees;
| know it; Mrs. Missioner knows 1t,
and 1t would not take much to bring
all her acouaintances to the same
view. Why must we waltz"
Now, let us talk" said Britt. You
and have fenced long enough alopg
his line: let's get down to business
You ktow something about chemistry.
that's certain. Do you know enough
about 1t to tell me whether any prog
ress has been made In recent years
In the manufacture of paste jewels?
Cant say do haven't been much
Interested in that line until this out
rageous attempt to prove Miss Hol-
comb a-thiet"
We'll. it's about time you did" said
Britz meaningly. 81 don't see what
good II is to q girl to have an N. d.
for lover II he can't be OF any more
use 10 her In a case of this sort than
Binks of the Hardware Club. or jerks
of the Retail Grocers' Association.
Now. you know how these false gems
are made. don't you?"
q know pretty WE'LL and Fitch
gave him the formula with which the
minute men of the jewel trade were
familiar for purposes of self.protec-
ton.
We'll. I'm quite free To toll YOU"
continued Britt, that the whole que s
ton of Miss Holcombs stay In the
Tombs depends on our success in find
ing ont who made the Maharanee dia
mend. lsnow who turned out the
other stones-had Logan over there
for several weeks In Paris YOU know.
The detective then sketehed rapidly
for Fitch the detailed information sent
TO him by his assistant across the wa
ter. Put | cannot get a line en- the
Maharanee diamond I've been over
every place in this neck Of woGaS-in
fact I've gone over the whole country
with a fine-tooth comb. I've had every
important city in Europe canvasged,
and the snm-total Of all these Inquiries
is that nobody knows any live man
who could make an imitation Of the
real Maharanee anything like good
enough TO deceive Simple simon.
Now. you just get that scientific think
ing apparatus of yours going. and help
me puzzle out the problem. We know
there was fake Msharanee diamond.
II was ground to pieces under Girls
wold's heel in Mrs. Nissioneifs opera
box It was picked up by man from
the Orient-this Swami-whateyer his
name Is. the sort OF combination priest
and scholar who says he's here TO
spread the propaganda of the Buddhist
faith among the elect of New York
Society. Sands saw the diamond
Miss March saw It; Griswold saw It.
and. of course Mrs. Missioner herself
had 1t In her own hand. There Is no
doubt about its existence. In fact.
here is a piece of 1t now" and he
showed Fitch a fake of the false dia-
mond But you don't know, and
don't know what we have both got To
know. and that is who made It, where
ii was made. by whom was 1t made.
why was 1t made. and for whom was
II made? The sooner We work ont
that end Of the game. my dear young
man, the better ii will be for that lit
lie girl up in Centre Street"
The doctors eyebrows began To
contract There was popularity In
she facial gesture Something was
going on in his scientifically inquiring
mind. The brows drew together until
their separate lines curved into tho
form OF minute Interrogation point;
title knobs of skin gnsried under the
bristles: his eyes focused until they
almost crossed He clasped his hands
behind his head and studied the cell
ing A rather long silence. followed.
Smoke spiraled from the detectives
cigar and eddied upward The de
tectiye,s keen glance WAS leveled at
the doctors intellectually sharpening