The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-13

She Went Straight to the Room In
Which She Kept Her Jewels.
cloak slipping from her white shoul-
ders, and paused in front of the safe.
you don't expect to find your dia-
mond there?" inquired Griswold amaz-
edly.
perhaps all the other stones are
PASTE" she answered. am going to
see how many have been stolen
she dropped to her knees before
the steel door of the bank-like vault
built into the wall, and turned the
nickel knob to right and left. The
door. painted to harmonic with the
Flemish oak of the wainscot, was
ornamented with only the Widows
crest. Silence held the others as her
gloved fingers whirled the little knob.
| Not until a click announced that the
bolts were thrown did Sands speak.
you are sure all the other stones
are here?" he asked, picking up Mrs.
Missioner's lorgnon bag, into which
she had slipped the recovered gems
on leaving her opera box.
"Yes," the widow replied "but, Brux-
ton. the Maharanee, the beautiful Ma
haranee diamonds II you could know
how prize It"
Sands. absently counting the lesser
Jewels, did not see the massive safe
door swing open. His disciplined mind
was working slowly, steadily. Doro-
thy her small face cameo clear in the
intense light OF the mercury. watched
the shining gems as the millionaires
strong fingers flicked them delicately
from the silken bag to the table
Plainly she, too, as cropping for a
clew. Griswold alone, therefore, saw
the widows gloved hand tremble as,
swiftly, she turned a smaller knob
controlling the combination Of the
compartment in which she kept her
jewels. His eyes stlll upon her, he
felt for a cigarette.
The match fell from his fingers as
the inner door opened to his search
ing glance. Lances OF many-colored
light slashed the comparative gloom
of the compartment as Mrs. Missioner
brought forth tray after tray from the
Jewel vault. The steel box in the cen
ter of the safe was an Aladdin's cave
in miniature. II held stones Of every
sort in settings Of every fashion
ranging from the product Of twentieth
century jewellers back to the loveC
works of Byzantine artlficers. Little
Miss March gasped again as the wild
ow spread the trays on the Persial
rug.
The Widows guests saw what feV
persons other than Mrs. Missioner ha'
seen-all the Missioner jewels at once
The gems were the collection OF
lifetime. Missioner, in the interval
Of amasslng millions, had devote
himself to gathering them from II
esrth's four corners. It had bee
his only hobby, and he had pursue
IL with the enthusiasm of man I
whom an extra numeral or two on
check meant little. 49,
you have an inventory, of course
asked Sands. Even his sturdy ind
viduality paid passing tribute to tn
; magnificence of the collection. H
left the stones of the necklace on tn
table and strolled over to stare at tn
rubies and emeralds, the sapphire
and tourmalines and amethysts, abov
all at the unriYaled group OF diamond
l. graded from a firehy's sparkle to tn
gloryburst of radium. Little Mis-
March, true daughter OF Eve, san
on the broad rug beside the shinin
trays and gazed at them In an ecstas
OF alteration.
Mrs. Missioner drew from a she
? in the jewel box catalogue of he
, treasures Item by item she rea
. from II, the others checking tray b
: tray until the last stone was accoun
: ed for. the last save the wonderfl
= Maharanee diamond
"The big stone gone" mused Sand
Then, Doris" and there was convi
tion in his tones, as he gathered I
the jewels scattered on the tabl
these others are false, too"
"oh. do you think SOP asked Dor
thy, her fingers interlacing In !
pressed hysteria.
Sure of IT," said Sands. holdil
one Of the suspected gems TO Il
light. I'm not an expert, but
haven't the slightest doubt"
Let me see them" Griswold int
posed. He scrutinized three or 70
for more than a minute. They To-
genuine enough to me-" He offer
them to Miss March. whose hnge
did not unlock to take them.
I'VE can be certain very quickly
said Mrs. Missioner. She was stu'
ing Griswolds whitening fingers
steady enough, but deadly white.
was a peculiarlty OF the man that
turned pale only In his hands. Il "
send for a jeweler."
my dear At this hourY" came
Dorothy's child treble.
Mrs. Missioner smiled In a way II
said there were jewellers OF no SIN
Importance in commercial circles W
,upottId ha Glad "a anaWQr a aummu