The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-22

lHee bui WIZ SOuiu interest man
who solved world.famous mysteries.
isn't II strangel" she said. Then
the training of years recalled her to a
sense Of what she was doing. 'I fear
we've been very unconventional. Mr..
Britz," she said as primly as her
prettiness permitted. But I'VE en-
ioyed our little chat very much"
(Which means must be going"
said Britt promptly, "if I'm not to
spoil your enjoyment Of the mid.Vio-
torlan scene. The orchestra has fin
ished speaking It's little piece"
Yes. there goes the curtain" agreed
Dorothy, rising hastily. 80 glad to
have met you, Mr.. Britz. hone I've
been Of Some assistance about dear
Mrs. Missioners jewels Good-after-
noon"
But, Mr.. Britz," she cried. there
was something you wished to ask me
something that was to help you find
the diamonds?'
Some other time, Miss March.
thank you" said Britt, smiling. "I
won't detain you now. Perhaps we'll
meet at another matinee soon. with
longer intermission between the acts.
Delighted to have made your ac-
quaintance, Miss March. know
you're in hurry to get back to your
scat. Forrest audiences don't like to
be disturbed, you know. Good.after.
noon, Miss March, and-thank you so
mueh!"
He had cause to thank her, he be-
lieved For in her girlish talk. she
had given him the first Missioner
clue of the week-or, rather, she had
extended for him thread Of the
mystery that had occupied much of
his thoughts from the moment when
he received Logan's cable saying the
paste jewels were made from
sketches. For days, he had sought
to learn who among Mrs. Missioner's
intimates was artist enough TO make
such delicate draughts of the dla-
monds as would be required by an ar.
tlflcer for the manufacture OF imita-
tons. With that object, he had ascer-
tanned Dorothy's intention to 60 TO the
matinee In the Forrest and had gone
to the theater to meet her under con-
\ ditions not likely to interfere with
such gentle questioning Of her as he
meant to do. His veiled interrogation
of the society girl had brought forth
the fact that Curtis Grlswold could
sketch-that the clubman was sufIi-
ciently master of his pencil to have
his skill pretty generally known
among his acquaintances. Lorimer
and Daubigny. the other society ar
lists she had mentioned, were not, he
knew. in Mrs. Missioners circle.
1t was fortunate for Lieutenant
Britz. as well as for Elinor Holcomb
and Doctor Fitch, and everybody
whose hopes hinged on the detoctive's s
success in solving the great Missioner
diamopd mystery, that long custom
made him thread the traffic of the
city's throbbing artery automatically
for so deeply did the sleutn ponder
the possibilities of his newest infor-
nation that he had several close es-
capes from taxicabs, private automo-
biles and trolley cars as he crossed
Broadway and bent his steps toward
Fifth avenue. The case had cleared a
little, but his course was not much
palmer than it had been when he
dropped into the theater in quest of
further knowledge.
1T won't do to call Miss March as
a witness" he mused, walking north
in the carriage-crowded avenue, with
that briskness characteristic of him
when his brain was most active. she
cant absolutely prove anything" 1t
was necessary to obtain tangible evil
dence of Grlswold's ability as a
draughtsman. How to do so without
alarming the clubman was the present
problem.
Britz by no means was prepared to
suspect Griswold Of the robbery. He
realized thoroughly that Dorothy's in
formation was all he had to indicate
Griswold any more than Sands, or
two or three others. He did not even
know whether Miss Holcomb could
draw, and 1t was no part of his pur.
pose to distress the imprisoned girl
with questions betraying the smallest
belief in the accusation against her.
No. Brltz always honest with himself,
could not say he suspected Griswold.
His method was the opposite of DON
nelly's and Carson's. Instead of sus-
pecting everybody. as they invariably
did In cases at all mysterious, he
would not attach suspicion to anyone
without satisfactory proof. That was
the secret of his success. He was
more than a detective; he was prose-
outor, judge, jury and counsel to the
defense. It accounted for the fact
that he rarely made a mistaken ar
rest, and that when he caused man
or woman to be placed in the prison.
ers dock, conviction almost always
followed.
"Griswold, Sands All, Blodgett-"
The names presented themselves to
the sleuth's mind In that order as he
hastened along with no particular
place as an objeotive-merely walking
TO stimulate his mental process. It
always frightened Britz TO pass the
panorama of fashion in Fifth avenue.
~ x,oa NTH an a1p,oot fokha,.Ie, fool