Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-03-22


tion bored its way to her inner con-
seriousness. 1t was now her turn to be
silent. She looked at the Headquar-
tiers man as II he held In his hand her |
life, liberty, and whatever chance re-
NAMED to her of happiness A CLEAN |
of appeal glowed in her beautiful eyes |
for moment. Plainly, IL she did not |
speak Il was not for lack of will. Her |
words were as frozen as the normal |
condition of her thoughts. She put |
her hands to her breast and gazed at |
the Central Office man as piteously as
a woman of her Junoesque charms
could be expected to do. The ingenue
role was impossible to Mrs. Delaroche;
but had It not been so, undoubtedly
she would have assumed 1t in this emer-
gency.
Answer me, madam: this calls for
an Immediate explanation. You told
this man these jewels belonged to you.
How does 1t come you have the dia-
monds everybody In New York knows
as the Maharanee necklace OF Mgs.
Doris Missioner"
Mrs. Delaroche still struggled fatally
for speech. Her lids quivered; herSyes
alternately closed and then were fixed
upon the detective, and a tremor, be-
ginning at the crown of her adorable
head, moved in waves to her perfect
feet. She sank into chair and let her
head fall upon her arms as they
stretched inertly across little table.
There was no smallest streak Of pity
In the look Detective Britt bent upon
her. He had dealt with women of her
type before many times. he told him.
self, and now that he was so near the
heart OF the great Missioner mystery,
1t was not his purpose to be Influenced
in the slightest degree by the distress
OF Diana, to say nothing of an Aphro-
dite. Dry sobs choked the woman.
Her eyes strained at Their tendons so
painfully that tears would have been
divine relief. Whether she was grieved
or frightened was not so apparent as
that she was sorely distressed. Min
utes passed before she lifted her face
and once more looked at the detective.
The house sleuth and his porter had
retreated a yard or more, and the
erstwhile pajama squad. now an as
founded force of Cossacks and Bedouins
In varied array Of dressing gowns
and bathrobes, looked and listened. in
hushed expectancy.
Come, Mrs. Delaroche," said Britt.
sternly. You really must not waste
any more of my time. have spent an
hour in getting these jewels away
from you, and l don't intend to put in
many more words in getting the facts
from you. You have got to answer
soon or late, and you may as well do
it at once"
II there was to be any third degree
in her case. the detective was deter
mined to apply it then and there.
They were given to me-" said the
woman family.
by whom?''
"By-by a friend of mine" she re-
piled.
And his manner" inquired the detec.
tive CURLY.
Il do not care to tell his name" said
Mrs. Delaroche, who had recovered a
little OF her calmness.
You must tell it," Britt insisted.
Il cannot" she said.
But tell you you must!" returned
the detective. Don't you see you have
got to tell 1t to square yourself?"
what do you mean. sir?" she asked
with pretty show Of indignation.
''Now, don't try any of those games
on me-" said Britt. In his impotence
he was descending close to the meth
DDS of Donnelly and Carson. He re
membered that in a moment and re
sumed more persuasively:
1T will save you a great deal oil
trouble for you, Mrs. Delaroche, II you
tell me the truth, and tell 1t at once
without holding anything back. You
understand, am detective from Pc
lice Headquarters, and | was assigned
weeks ago to find Mrs. Missioner's dia
mopds. have found the diamonds
and now must find the thief"
Mrs. Delaroche shivered, and started
slowly to her feet. She turned dis
dainful glance on the group at the door
then faced Britt once more. and in Z
voice little more than a whisper. she
said:
Whatever you may think. did mo-
know the jewels were stolen. did mo-
know they ever belonged to Mrs. Mis-
sioner. never heard Of Mrs. Mission
er before tonight, except through thu
papers. did not know that any of m,
acouaintances knew her. was no
aware she had lost her diamonds
What you tell me about the theft of ,
necklace from Mrs. Missioner Is en-
tirely new to me. seldom read thu
papers, and when do. do not reat
accounts Of crime"
"All you say may be true" Britt per
sisted. but you may take my word TO
1.-THE Jewels are Mrs. Missioner's
they were stolen from her. and yo'
must tell me the name Of the persol
who gave them to you"
The beautiful woman's distress q
this time was 50 sincere that tn
HEADQUARTERS man involuntarily deal
more gently with her. He urged he
to be seated again, and then for tn
: first time apparently remembered hi
hands still were gripped by the band
of steel the house detective had snaT
ped upon them.
Madam. must insist once NOR