The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-26

IL ulplOUdCg- anu ludL TO Wl0UOW out
the few facts vouchsafed to him was
a task for the cloistered seclusion Of
his own room, supplemented by the
silent help Of many books of refer
ence. But he was ready to take it for
granted that the Brahmin had spoken
truly in regard to the difficulty of inn
i,ating diamonds of great size. There
was no question the Maharanee had
been copied: how closely he could not
say, as he had unfortunately never
had glimpse of the false stone. The
questions that gimleted their way into
his brain we're: Where was the copy.
ing done; how was it done; and, Of
course, correlatively by whom was it
done?
It was a busy quarter OF an hour
Detectiye-Lieutenant Britz passed in
his Mulberry Street office Awaiting
him was a cablegram from Logan,
saying briefly he was trailing all the
workmen who had taken part in the
manufacture Of the paste Missioner
necklace. and that none of them had
left Paris
Britt frowned slightly as he read
the message. then with heavy foun.
tain pen that fairly raced over the pa.
per, and addressing his far.away as
sistant by his cable word, he wrote:
Logan. Paris. Was Maharanee
made there, toO?"
Britt tapped bell and looked up as
n Headquarters patrolman opened the
door.
Rush this down to the Western
Union Office" lie said Take It your.
self, and see that it goes at once"
II was when his thoughts were tan.
sled in the tightest of knots that a
card was brought to him by the twin
brother of tho heavyfooted bluecoat
who even ther was supposedly on his
way to the Western Union Office with
The cable to Logan.
show him in" said Britt after a
glance at the name; and, as his visi-
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.
II hope | see you cheerful"
a wan smile broke the fxity of the
doctors countenance for an instant,
pnd 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 got her
out?"
Il know iIst how you feel about II.
doctor" said Britz sympathetically,
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 in
nocence You know she is guiltless;
know it; Mrs. Missioner knows st,
and It would not take much to bring
all her acquaintances to the same
view. Why must We waltz"
Now, let us talk" said Britt. You
and have fenced long enough along
this line; let's get down to business.
You know something about chemistry.
that's certain. DO you know enough
about It to tell me whether any prog
reSs has been made I'm 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--thief."
well, it's about time you did," said
Britz meaningly. 81 don't see what
good II is 20 girl to have an NJ. ID.
for a lover If he can't be OF any more
use TO 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?"
81 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-
tion.
We'll, I'm quite free TO tell you"
continued Britt, that the whole ques-
ton of Miss Holcombs stay In the
Tombs depends on our success in find
ing out who made the Maharanee dia-
mond / know who turned out the
other stones-had Logan over there
for several weeks In Paris, you know"
The detective then sketched rapidly
for Fitch the detailed information sent
TO him by his assistant across the wa
ter. But | cannot get line on the
Maharanee diamond. I've been over
every place in this neck OF woods-in
fact. I've gone over the whole country
with a finetooth comb. I've had every
important city In Europe canvassed,
and the sum.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 a fake Maharanee diamond.
II was ground to pieces under Girls
wold's heel in Mrs. Missioner's opera
box. II was picked up by man from
the Orient-this whatever his
name is, the sort of combination priest
and scholar who says he's here to