Graham guardian., 1912-02-23
CHAPTER xxIv.-continusd.

"Oh. that was only precaution on
their part. They took the chance !
might have recovered the Maharanee,
b suppose. Maybe they expected to
hnd in my possession something that
would give them clue to the where
abouts of the stone. Then. once they
got me. they thought they might a.
well keep me out Of the running until
they got what they wanted. It was
mo part Of their plan to let me And
the jewels and turn them over to
Mrs. Missioner"
You had . close call there. lieu-
tenant" observed the physician.
CLOSE enough" said Britz calmly.
tsBut It's AL In the days work."
Al Brits finished there was timid
tap ON the. door. In response to Man
hing's curt "Come in!" Donnelly and
Carson crossed the threshold. and
aid their best TO stand ct ease In
front Of the lieutenant's desk.
'You sent. huh, for us. Chief?"
! Eyes," said Manning. Lieutenant
Britx wants you to attend to q little
matter for him."
"Yes, Donnelly." said Britz coolly:
III ysu have nothing better to do just
now. suppose you run up to Curtis
lOriswold's apartment. and tell him
the Chief wants to talk to him."
Suppose he won't come" said Don
nelly. who evidently did not yet sus-
Ipect 1t was desired that the clubman
be taken into custody.
Bring him. them" said Britz. "You
haven't forgotten how to show q gem
tlsnan down TO Headquarters. have
your
Donnelly WINGED under the lieuten-
ants scorn. and Carson turned gray. x
"And you. Mr.. Carson" said Brits.
renewing his instructions. "be good
enough to take Z trip to the Hotel
Renaissance. and ask Mrs. Delaroche
10 come down ID see us for little
while"
! Carson. In the crisis. felt he could
mot be too precise.
Suppose she declinesf" he asked.
Bring her!" said Brttz.
7 Fitch laughed aloud at the con-.
sternation tn the faces Of the two de.
tectives. II was manifest both Don
nelly and Carson were so far from
the facts In the mystery that not only
had neither Of them dreamed of ma
king q prisoner Of Griswold. that
suave society man who had volun-
lteered 80 much assistance to them In
their efforts to weave q web Of cir
,cumstantial evidence against Elinor
lHolcomb. but that they were abso-
Ilutely ignorant of the existence Of
such person as Millicent Delaroche.
They shufEied their feet with increas-
ing nervousness as they felt the eyes
Of their chief upon them. Donnelly
shot glance Of ill-repressd hatred at
lBritx as the lieutenant. at ease In his
revolving chair. faced the crestfallen
detectives with . satirical smile.
Once or twice Donnelly essayed to
speak. but each time he caught the
'frosen expression on the faces Of the
Chief and Brits. and the words died
IN his throat. Nothing remained save
for the two brilliant crime-hunters to
carry out the lieutenant's orders. Az
they turned to so their discontinue
was augmented by the real detec-
tive's mock solicitude.
you'll fnd II an easy Job. boys.
Just ask the two Of them to come
down here quietly. and II they don't
want to come. make 'em. Show them
your shields. you know. and all that
sort Of thing"
When they had gone. Britx In
dulged his amusement to the extent
Of laugh; Fitch Joined him, and
Manning. after brief attempt to
keep his face straight. also laughed
heartily,
CHAPTER XIV.