Graham guardian., 1912-02-16

reasonably sure of a getaway as
easily after a murder as after rob
berry"
"You must have been reading about
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
Britz." said Manning with another
harsh laugh. "This sounds altogeth-
er too much like the Arabian Nights
to be the goods"
We'll. there weren't as many a.
forty OF the thieves. and the All in
this case wasn't an honest man. I'm
giving 1t to you straight. Chief /
haven't worked day and night on this
proposition for nothing. You'll nnd 1t
Just as I'm telling 1t to you, and II
you'll suspend judgment until get
through, I'll deliver the goods all
right"
II think" remarked Fitch to Man
ming. I'VE shall find that Lieutenant
Britz comes pretty near knowing
what he is talking about. I've seen
him work on this case, and know
something Of the facts he has dis
covered. II you have ever studied
the ways Of Orientals you'll be sur
prised at nothing they do. They look
at life from altogether different
angle. Life il about the cheapest
thing In life to them"
Very good" said Manning. I'm
willing to be convinced. but It seems
hard to believe that q woman worth
hundred millions could live for
months with death hanging over her
head in her own household, and yet
know nothing about It. What's the
use Of being multi-millionaire II
you're no safer than In an eighteen
dollar fats For my part, don't take
much stock in your Hindoos."
you'll take lot OF stock in them
before the morning 10 over, Chief, II
you stay with u.s." Britx retorted. I'm
going to show you not only the Hin
docs In the act Of attempting to get
away, but I'll turn up the goods In
their possession. They have the dia-
mond now. but I'll have both them
and the diamond In q very few
hours!"
II believe you," Fitch chimed in.
You see. Chief" he explained to
Manning. "this lieutenant Of yours
has made the capture OF the Hindoos
more or less Of a personal matter"
A choppy laugh from the detective
interrupted the physician.
YES" he agreed, II don't mind tell
ing you that I'm almost as eager to
get those fellows as am to recover
the widows jewels. They got just q
little bit too say with me for their
own good" He flushed slightly as
he recalled how utterly he had been
at the mercy of the Hindoos when he
lay like holiday turkey on the floor
Of that bare room In the unoccupied
| uptown apartment.
'The Hindoos." said Britx, went
through the apartments Of Sands and
Griswold with what Sam Weller
would call a. double-million-magnify.
Ing microscope. They didn't leave a
postage stamp unsearched. They
looked into every hole and corner.
ransacked every drawer. and turned
every place inside out. caught 'em
at 1.-TWO Of them, anywey-in
Sands room. and they're now in the
West Thirtieth Street Station. They
must have gone through Griswold's
apartment first. for It was there, /
guess. they found this note from Mil.
licent to Curtis dear and 1t was
this note that gave me q line on how
brother Griswold stood with the lady
Of the Hotel Renaissance. knew
Griswold was In the habit Of visiting
that hotel. but I didn't know whom
he went there to see. felt pretty
certain when ! got the note that it
came from somebody in the Renais-
sance. and got Rawson to send the
bunch out on the hunt 90 that /
could make certain I'd made no mis-
take.
"One Of the men reported there
was a Nine. Delaroche at the Renais-
sance. That looked good enough to
me. went there that same night,
with the doctor on the sidewalk, as
the lookout. l did a little burglary
stunt that would have landed the
| jewels II the Hindoos had not got
there ahead Of me. In some way or
other, those fellows learned about
the acquaintance between Griswold
and the Delaroche lady about the
same time did, or perhaps little
earlier. One of them got into her
apartment by the fire escape route
and sneaked the jewels from under
her pillow. What's more, he content
ed himself with the diamonds them
selves. and didn't even take the casket
they were In. The jewel case was
still under her pillow when I got
there, and 1t wasn't until after the
lady, under the impression the gems
were In the case. gave herself away
more or less, that found the little
box was empty. When looked out
on the fire escape, saw the handker-
chief the dark-skinned craftsman had
dropped in his hurry. That sent us
hot-footed to the Swami's house."
When Britz had sketched the his
tory of the Missioner case, Manning
| and Fitch looked at him admiringly.
Both his hearers were thoughtful for
minute or two. Then the Chief,
though he realized Britz had solved
the mystery, could not refrain from
lpicking flaws.
"You have not explained fully" he
said, how Griswold contrived to
smuggle the small diamond into Miss
Holcomb's room"
"Nor how the old curiosity dealer
had over dozen proposals Of mar