Graham guardian., 1912-02-16
CHATTER xxlv.--tcontInued.)

The men Gordon has run down"
said the lieutenant. "were the hardest
% catch. I call them the second
batch of thieves because they are the
Fellows who stole Mrs. Missioner's
Jewels long after the stones were
STOLEN from her."
And who may they be!" Manning
pcrsisted.
''Thsy are tho 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-
lions by making the doctor here and
me 90 uncomfortable just before We
came back to Headquarters"
You mean they are the men who
robbed Mrs. Missioner Of her jewels -
"No. the men who stole Mrs. Mis-
sioner's jewels after she was robbed
OF them"
They robbed the thieves. then!"
"Not thieves--thief," said Britz.
There was only one artist In the
nrst Job"
whats his name?" the Chief ques-
tioned again.
Ellis name!" returned the dstec-
tive nonchalantiy. ~Oh. haven't
said II was 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 herr"
"I have and haven't" the detec-
tive answered. "While only one per-
son stole the diamonds. there's been
whole troop Of potential thieves
after the stones. They've been work
ing at cross-purposes. with the natural
result that they played unconsciously
into the hands OF the one all Of them
trusted"
Fitch and Manning eyed each other
Quizzically. Britz had worked hard
on the case and had succeeded when
success seemed impossible. II he
wished to indulge in slightly enig-
matical preamble. surely 1t was not
asking too much to humor him.
Britz gnawed a black cigar. unlight-
ed. and whirled about two or three
times before he took up the thread Of
his recital again.
TITS long story" he resumed. "It
took lot of piecing to put It to-
gether, but it's as plain now az pic,
ture puzzle when all the cut.outs flt
In the first place, driswold planned
to get the jewels = long time ago--a
couple of years. fancy. He didn't
content himself with mere planning
He did lot of work while he was
waiting for his opportunity. He
knew the value Of the Missioner neck.
lace. Of course. especially the value
of the big Maharanee diamond that
was its central stone. As nearly as
can make out his scheme, be hoped to
steal the collarette and dispose of It
months before It should be missed by
Mrs. Missioner. The only way to do
that, OF course, was to substitute an
imitation for the genuine article.
Naturally. too, the imitation had to be
made without Mrs. Missioner's knowl-
edge, and the man he meant to have
make II had to have either the orig.
inal as q copy or q very accurate
drawing. 1t was beyond all POSSIBLE
ity that Griswold could get the neck
lace into his possession long enough
TO have bogus coilarette made. Mrs.
Missioner. in spite Of her many mill
lions, and like all other women Of
wealth, guarded her Jewels closely.
She may intrust her government
bonds and other negotiable securities
to attorneys or banks, but she keeps
her jewels under her own eyes. None
of us knows Just how much she
thought Of Griswold; but the chances
are that. even II she had been en-
raged to him. she wouldn't have let
him have possession Of the Maharanee
necklace for any length of time. My
experience ID that these rich New