Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-02-16
CHAPTER XIV.
Al Wards Island.

s1t's rather a remarkable coinci-
dence. I'll admit" said Britt to Fitch,
a. they stood on the deck Of the little
ferry boat that bore them toward the
Island; but it's possible your little
aid friend had something to do with
ne making of the imitation Mahara-
nee diamond. You realize thoroughly,
I'm sure, the Importance Of that link
a our chain Of evidence. 1t may be
dlBcult to fasten the responsibility
Tor manufacturing all the other fraud
ulent diamonds Of the necklace. upon
the guilty person, because diamonds
q hat size can be initiated in any
one Of several large cities; but the
man who made the fake Maharanee Is
6 past master of his craft; man so
skiIlful that even the most expert
rtincers Of Europe and America do
not pretend they can equal him"
what makes you think the curio
dealer had anything to do with it,"
asked Fitch. How could It be done?
thought the Maharanee was made
aulTs recently?
7 don't know how long It's been"
ne detective replied. "It may have
been only few months, and the dia-
nond, It is possible. may have been
copied any time within the past year.
That big ofiice building has been less
than q year In construction, and it's
AL ~~lfhf~ A. hor,H. - fook tho4
The curio dealer received, the commits
sion for the work twelve months ago,
Or possibly more"
s0h." said the physician, there Is
one flaw in your theory. He was not
fakir. All the information CLEANED
about him convinced me he was not
engaged In the manufacture of bogus
leEels His grand purpose in life was
% make real diamonds"
Precisely" said Britt. 1T is that
fact much more than anything else.
that leads me to think he may be In
he employ Of the persons we are
trailing. Doesn't It occur to you that
he false Maharanee. in order to de-
ceive Mrs. Missioner and all her
friends for so long a time, must have
been such beautiful piece of work
That II could not have been intended
IS an imitation? In. other words,
Qdnt the man who made the imita-
uon Maharanee believe he was manu-
facturing a genuine diamond?"
The little boat grated its nose
against the Island pier. and the two
nyesugators sprang ashore. AS soon
q they entered the asylum grounds.
their positions we're reversed. Fitch
became the mentor, Britt the willing
publ. for In that abode of darkened
reason were medical men whose hour
y association with that phase Of ex-
Silence made them welcome gladly
Visitors from the outer world-espe-
uaiy members OF their own profess
non- Fitch, as he ran up the steps Of
ne visitors entrance, was received
fpyally In the Office by three or four
naysieians and surgeons who had
moTn him In his Bellevue days There
vas no jealousy Of his SUCCESS among
nem. He had shot ahead OF several
9 them. and It was pretty well un-
cerstood among the Island doctors
nat Lawrence Fitch was rapidly forg.
hg to the fore as a fashionable
lnysician. What was more important
Y their eyes was the fact that he had
Famed real distinction in his profes-
son Several minor but helpful dis
soveries Of his had been recorded
Eatiiyingly In the Lancet" and more
man once his name had been mention
q with catering recognition at meet
'nss q the County Medical Society.
fltch WAS now in his element. He
tsasped warmly the hands held out
= ann. clapped two or three of bis
s'oser cronies on the back, and pre-
sen'ed Britt to the little group with
rev words OF introduction that won
aspect for the man from Mulberry
uot patient here. Larry?" they
%ked him jokingly.
No" said Fitch. mot exactly a pa
-sn1 but it's possible you have a
se here I'm a little bit interested
He recited the history of the
40 dealer, with an urgent request
s s.t everything in connection with the
~ man be revealed to him. Britt, ac-
81. .ss'0ned as he was to CLEAN his facts
1aoneiy was unmistakably sur
~ oy the readiness with which