Graham guardian., 1912-01-12

place he wouldn't dream OF doing any
thing underhand, even II he saw that
the other fellow was undoubtedly win.
ming out. He always plays the game. =
Well, maybe he does," said Britx:
but. from what I've observed In my
Journey through life. this lc7e game
Is one that Is played without any
rules. I've known men who would take
million II II were handed to them on
q platter. yet who'd 20 pretty close to
q mix-up with the Grand Jury to cut
out q fellow who was after the same
girl"
you talk as II your experience In
the heart line were all secondhand =
said Fitch. smiling.
Never been In love in my life ana
never expect to be-" said Britx. "But
I have eyes in my head and ears be.
hind them. also know what women
can do to mans common sense even
when they don't know they're doing
It The lady who gets the loot isn't
always party to the crime"
WELL" responded Fitch, II won't
undertake to pit my experience
against yours; butt there's nothing Of
that sort In this case. Sands loves
Mrs. Missioner about as much as .
man can. He was fond Of her before her
marriage. and most OF us thought he'd
win her then. don't know why he
didn't, but l do know that from the
day he learned Of her husbands
death, be had been twice as attentive
to her as before, and even In the days
when she was the star bud Of Auntie
Paran's beauty show, his fondness for
her was pretty noticeable. l remem-
Der particularly one Patriarchs' Ball
when he grabbed every dance on her
card and got her to sit ont most Of
them"
But he knows Griswold is trying
to win her. too" said Britx. ''and IL he
has any reason to think the other fel-
low has good chance he might be
tempted to put him down and out,
even II he had to 60 to such lengths
as taking the Missioner diamonds, and
then throwing suspicion on Girls
wold?"
Britz raised his glass and drank
slowly, meditatively. until the fee
chilled his nose. Then he sat the
tumbler firmly down on the bar. faced
Fitch. and said with an air Of finality:
1T that's the case, Griswold's the
man! He may have had assistance
from Blodgett, but n doubt 1t. He's
too foxy to trust his neck to serv-
ant. AS for ALI, thought he might
have turned the trick. but he didn't,
because II he Lad. he and all the rest
Of that Calcutta bunch would be well
on their way toward their heather
temples by this time. There is now
only Mr.. Curtis Griswold to consfcer."
Fitch looked at him with per
picked air. N @sl3
What causes you to suspect him?'
he asked
I've had my eyes on that young
man for some Time" Britx said.
There were two or three things con-
nected with the arrestAof Miss Hol.
comb that didn't please me a little bit.
| didn't like the satisfaction he show
ed when suspicion was directed to-
ward her."
did he seem pleasedf" inquired
Fitch. u,
More than pleased-he seemed re-
lieved," answered the detective.
Maybe Donnelly and Carson did
some real work, after all. without
knowing 1t. II they hadn't arrested
Miss Holcomb. Griswold mightn't have
shown his hand so easily"
Have you any other evidence?"
asked the doctor. He appeared to be
gratified by the trend Of the detect
ives thoughts.
Several things" said Britz. "One
of our Wall Street men tells me half |
} dozen inquiries about Griswold have |
been sent to the financial agencies |
lately. had that end worked up, and |
found out Griswold had been bump
I'd by bear raid"
"Hurt much?"
Pretty badly. He tried hard to |
sell block OF suburban real estate |
soon after that
These things are only straws. how
ever" said the doctor. "Of course.
well have to have much more sub
'tantial evidence before we can do
anything"
well. for one thing" returned
8ritz, Il expect to know In a few
hours just where the diamonds are.
At any rate. how they were taken out
If the city. II they are not in New
York. I've got a hundred men work
ng the hotels to find out. and II you'll
come down to Headquarters with me
n little while you can see the re-
,ult."
The detective stopped short In his
words as Curtis Griswold entered the
BAR. The clubman went to the cigar
counter, lighted cigarette, and by
he impatient gesture with which he
1t from his lips and threw
t to the floor. he betrayed the fact
hat he had applied the flame to the
,ork tip. His manner was nervous,
lis face slightly drawn, and his hand
as he took another cigarette
rom the case and once more pufied
It It In his staccato fashion. He did
lot see Britz and Fitch, as they were
It the other end Of the bar.
"Get me messenger!" Griswold
aid to the bartender, and as the man
,ulled the crank OF call box. the
lubman took card from his pocket
nd wrote few lines hastily upon 1t.