The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-11-22

dIamono 1 nave DeIore me. rnererure
! humbly suggest that you have been
deceived by this Partisan agent a. to-
its. origin
Professor Endicott climbed TO his
feet with grunt OF otion,
and leant over the table. thrusting out
his podgy fist to receive the jewel. He
remained standing. with his body
swayed forward. 80 that the electric
lights above the silver center piece
might shine the brighter upon what he
held. Presently he dropped his hands
to his sides and stood staring about
him like plowman lost in Piccadilly.
"This Is not the stone examined
five minutes ago. he suffered.
Nonsense said old Julius, with q
shadow OF fear In his eyes. Nonsense.
'Endicott; look again.
"'Can 1t be that two such famous
experts have made mistaken sneered
Sir Andrew. Can 1t be that q humble
amateur like myself is right and that
they are wrong? AS / told you, gen.
tlemen. the Hyderapore diamond
'Hyderapore diamond be d-d!'
squealed the fat man. This thing Is a
fake, a clumsy imitation. Taubery.
you have been robbed!'
I'VE were all on our feet In an in
slant amid q clamor OF tongues. But
there was one man amongst us that
kept his head; one man who realized
that his honor was in peril; that i'm
mediate action was necessary. His
name-if / am not too egotistical-is
Theophilus Gunton.
Fortunately have voice OF some
power, and a manner that, when my
feelings are strongly moved, is per-
haps not unimpressive. l commanded
and obtained silence. I begged them
to resume their seats; they obeyed.
"'Julius Taubery,' said, has your
diamond disappeared?'
HE answered that 1t had, looking at
the imitation stone, which they had re-
turned to him, in a silly, scared way.
"'Julius Taubery,' continued, we,
your guests. lie under stigma. an i'm
putation. We cannot leave the house
under such circumstances. Some one
must have brought the imitation stone
with him for purpose that 1t is need
less to define. The real jewel must
be in his pocket at this moment. Let
us, therefore, be searched
"They all sat silent as mice under
my eye. save the professor, who grunt-
ed as If In dissent.
"'Do / understand that you object
to my plan, sir?' I asked him. DO
you refuse to be searched? And II 80,
may I ask why?'
"He gave me an angry look, but he
had not the courage to contest the
point.
"'Then, l may take 1t that we are
all agreed. Taubery, you have a IL
brary upon this floor. AS passed the
door before lunch noticed that there
was an excellent fire there. Professor
Endicott and myself will retire to that
room. will search the professor; the
the rest Of the guests will come, one
by one, into the room, where we will
search them in turn. Let us have no
delay. Professor Endicott, am very
much at your service
II went through that party, gentle
men, as our Transatlantic cousins
would express it, with a tine-tooth
comb. And / feel it my duty to say
that not one OF them raised the small.
est objection to. the severity OF my
methods. They were like lambs. gen.
tlemen, they were, by thunder! I, But
/ obtained no result. The Taubery dia-
mond had disappeared.
"Poor old julius was quite broken
down about 1t. He placed the whole
matter in my hands. On my way to
Scotland Yard I remembered what an
old friend of mine had told me about
you. If you are ever in a hole, Gun
ton,' he said. get Arlington Peace
he is the man. You were OF duty. I
inquired your address; am here. And
now, what are you going to do?"
Can you remember who 1t was
that introduced the subject OF precious
stones at your luncheon party?" asked
Inspector Peace.
"Pon my life I don't know" said
the colonel, polishing his. eye-gIass
with a red silk pocket handkerchief.
1T was one OF the fellows at the other
end of the table, but can't say which
of them"
yet, 1t ia presumable that the guest
who came with an imitation diamond
in his pocket is the man who started
a discussion which, resulted in Mr..
Taubery producing his latest treas
ure."
80 1t is, by Jovei" cried the col
onel; II never thought OF 1t. Clever
work. inspector. eh?'
Exactly" said Peace, blandly.
And now, as regards the place in
which the robbery was committed"
II locked the door," answered the
colonel. smacking his trousers pocket.
please let me have the key. Thank
you. And now az to the windows.
Were they closed and fastened!"
II saw to It myself"
after the search In the library, did
any of the guests return to the dining
room?"
II am no fool, inspector. I left old
julius there to see to that. No one
went back. When I had finished
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