The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-15

Both Detectives Began an Examination
Of the Door.
Nobody suspected - huhl" - Ha
breathed in dialect. FL
Carson, instantly complaisant, ban,
ished suspicion from his look
Now, you know, there's always
somebody, ma'am-huh!-Mis Mis-
sioner," Donnelly persisted Some.
body suspected in every case. Think
a moment. Have to suspect before
you convict, you know. Never heard
--huh!-of case without suspects
eh?"
The "eh" was meant to be a javelin
hurled straight at the widows inner
consciousness. 1t fell short.
There is no one to be suspected
no one | can suspect" she said.
Feet at right angles, Bscchante
dancing desperately as the fob rose
and fell, the large man from the Cen
trail Ohice moved toward the safe,
Mrs. Missioner shuddered at thought
of the peril to her jewels from his
plate armor soles. Her imploring eye.
sweep brought ready response from
Sands and Griswold. and in a seconds
fraction they were piiing the trays
on chairs and tables. Ranscome, help.
Ing handled the morocco cases with
loving touch.
Donnelly stopped short at sight of
the gems In the trays. An interroGa'
tive snort vibrated somewhere inside
him, but found no oral expression, lio
passed on to the safe. With a MASTER
ful grasp, he swuag the great dooY 10
and fro. r~ . sfa. 8shtI
Wen soon know" he said reassur
ingly, who to-huh!--yes, who to
suspect. Carson!" .r
The echo crossed tho room With
whispering tread. Both detectives be-
gan an examination OF the door, Eyes
close to the daintily tinted steel, they
dragged their combined gaze along It's
front from top to bottom. from s!de
70 side. Then they shifted their eyes
to the thick edge of the door, and
their scrutiny bored its way past bolt
after bolt until II switched to the
inner panel. That done, they exam
ined the rectangle into which the big
door fitted as thoroughly.
The big man Strengthened abruptly.
Bacchante's heels came down and her
hands futtered aloft. The catch in
HIS voice, characteristic Of him when
in the presence of the rich, was brush
ed out of his throat by burst of pro-
fessional zeal He recognized a situa-
tion that enabled him to play inquisi-
tor In home of wealth.
where were the jewels stolen
from?" he asked.
81 don't know" said Mrs. Missioner
"When did you miss them?"
Again the widow recited the Incl
dent OF the opera box.
who was in the party?"
Mrs. Missioner told him. She did
not mention the Oriental in the next
box. It did not occur to her.
isn't there anybody you can think
Of" pursued the big detective, who
could have taken them?"
Nobody who would" answered
Mrs Missioner.
did anybody else have the comhi-
nation of the safer"
One" responded Mrs. Missioner.
She ass~cred defensively, like wit
ness under hostile cross-examination,
volunteering nothing. Donnelly seem
ed not to hear her. He was examin-
| rig the safe again. He passed his
hand over the door and its frame
again, turned the handle that shot the
bolts, noted their strength and
smoothness, turne them back. and
wheeled on Mrs. Missioner abruptly.
"..here's been no forcing here" he
sGit s-gely. TITS an Inside 1oD."
Mrs. Missloner's eyebrows went up.
"Yes'm," the detective went on, IAN
inside Job, Who did you say had the
combination
my secretary-Miss Holcomb,'
"Ohl" said Donnelly. Carson's lips
rounded in mute repetition.
Sands, impatient OF the detectives
awkward questioning, shook himself
lion-like and went to a window, Girls
void swung his foot idly. and smoked
In shorter measure. Ranscome look
ed nervously at the inQuisitor, then
swung his gaze back to the Jewel
trays. Dorothy listened with wide
eyed interest.
what do you know about this Miss
Holcomb1" asked DonnelIy. gquarinf
himself as II for a trial Of strength
L 18th tho widory md furnin~ out his