Arizona republican., 1912-03-07
The Vaurigard Diamond BY HORACE HAZELTINE. Copyright, 1910, by the Pearson
 Publishing Co.)
BY HORACE HAZELTINE.

She moved several Inches closer to him. bent her lustrous dark eyes ap- pealingly upon him, and, with lowered voice inquired:
 Have you seen x Y Z's advertise ment in that paper?'
 If doubt remained. the question dissipated it. And who Is X ' Z?' he evaded.
 That's what l want to know" she told him. I've been assigned to find out She opened the capacious hand bag she carried and, taking from IL small newspaper clipping, passed 1t to him. "I imagine that in some way he is connected with this.
 The young man examined the clip ping with interest. It was cable des- patch from London. And 1t told Of a bootmaker there who had executed an odd commission for a mysterious GUS toner. He had removed the heel from a small white satin slipper; had hol- lowed it out, and then replaced II. An agent of the United States Customs Service had learned this, and asso- ciated it with an effort of which he was cognizant 10 smuggle some exception ally valuable diamonds through the Port of New York.
 When he looked at the young woman again. he was smiling broadly. But why ask me-" was his query. m neither a smuggler nor customs or | ficer."
 Very true" she replied, giving him | back smile for smile; but the toe or
 white satin slipper is, even at this
 moment, protruding from your coat | pocket"
 Instinetively, as it were, Van Braun | hand clutched the pocket in question.
 and his manner. for the moment al least. appeared to reflect a sudden em-
 barrassment
 | "I fancied" his companion contln-
 ued. that you might have been the fortunate finder"
 He turned to her with fresh frank | ness. Il was the finder: but whether | fortunate or not l have yet to learn.
 And you are waiting, now, for the | gentleman of the initials?'
 "On the contrary" he said, '1 am
 waiting for the lady of the telephone
 "a certain Miss Cinderella who was
 to prove her claim to the slipper, and
 incidentally. be my guest at luncheon.
 The look he gave her was significant
 but she ignored 1t. .I hope am not detaining you" she suggested.
 No" he returned enigmaticaily "On the contrary, you have merely ex pedited matters I shall wait for the lady no longer" He looked at hl' watch. Tt is three minutes after th' hour of appointment and l am stick Ter for punctuality. AS he was speaking his gaze was at tracted. A lady was lowing to hln from across the corridor: young lady whose delicate, creamy complexion was enhanced by the jetty black brln
 of the large picture hat which framed
 the pure oval of her face. , Instantly. Van Braun was on hi , feet, pleasure beaming in every linea ment. Pardon me just one moment. He flung the request back to Miss WI Hams as he strode away. Fancy meeting you here!" he ad l dressed the other, taking her hand "I thought@ That was forever lost in the fog ! of London?" she interrupted sayly M "Oh. dear. no. I arrived two days ago , for the Minturn wedding. Sallle l
 marrying a connection of mine, vol /. know: the Due de Vaurigard. The l tell me you have been away? ] Yes" he answered.; flor nearly tw oil told Enr the mast Sl months I've been ranching in Wyon ing I know absolutely nothing of ! he paused. If the look he bent upo $ her held reproach, it was also rife wit a tender sentimentality-"of what va once our world" he added. e "I am stopping with the Vestrys 3 she told him. Come and see me $ will tell you all can. Why not tn { afternoon. for tea? I ask you now ! } lip. since you evidently didn't get m 5 written word
 } Surprise was in his eyes. "Yo ] wrote me, Edith?"
 { "Yes; to your club"
 { T haven't been there" he said, "b' I shall go. now, for the sake or seeii your writing once again.
 $ And you'll come! sne presseu' { little anxiously.
 { Most gladly"
 { When she had gone, he stood, for { moment, gazing admirably after nc , How silly he had been to quarrel WI 3 her. What world of regret 1t h ! cost him, in the last two years! ! As he was about to turn, he foul ! the young newspaper woman agaln ! his elbow.
 q inquired at the office for X ! she announced.
 For the moment he had forgott XYZ. He had forgotten Miss W Hams. And yet the incident or | slipper. regarded from an altogett
 different angle, was vividly before hl He knew. now, what had been s' gested by its tiny, delicate beauty; W
 the warmth of its soft lining n "~ thrilled him. Unreasoningly It had = minded him of her, of Edith La F'
 @o;no uho ha believed had passed