The Elbert County tribune., 1912-01-12
CHAPTER xxIv--(con.Inued.)

The men Gordon has run down."
said the lieutenant, were the hardest
10 catch. l call them the second
batch of thieves because they are the
fellows who stole Mrs. Missioner's
Jewels long after the stones were
stolen from her."
And who may they be?" Manning
persisted.
They are the dark men-the Hin
doos whose connection with the case
complicated 1t much more than was
comfortable. and who gave further
proof of their inconsiderate disposi-
tons by making the doctor here and
me SO uncomfortable Just before we
came back to Headquarters"
You mean they are the men who
robbed Mrs. Missioner of her jewels ?"
mo. the men who stole Mrs. Mis-
sioner's Jewels after she was robbed
Of them"
They robbed the thieves. them"
Not thieves-thief," said Britz
There was only one artist in the
nrst Job"
whats his name." the Chief ques-
toned again.
His name!" returned the detec-
i've nonchalantly. "Oh, l haven't
said 1t was a 'he.'"
Even Fitch. though he had worked
intimately with the sleuth in the lat
ter part Of the hunt for the Jewels
was astonished. Manning concealed
his surprise. He said:
We'll, l suppose you've got the
goods on him-or herr"
IT have and 1 haven't" the detec-
tive answered while only one per-
son stole the diamonds, there's been
q whole troop of potential thieves
after the stones. They've been work
Ing at cross-purposes. with the natural
result that they played unconsciously
into the hands of the one all Of them
trusted"
Fitch and Manning eyed each other
uuizzically. Britz had worked hard
on the case and had succeeded when
success seemed impossible. II he
wished to indulge in slightly enig-
matical preamble. surely 1t was not
asking too much to humor him.
Britz gnawed a black cigar. unlight-
ID. and whirled about two or three
times before he took up the thread Of
his recital again.
'Tt's a long story" he resumed. TT
took q lot Of piecing to put 1t to-
gethsr. but it's as plain now as a pic
ture puzzle when all the cut-outs ft
In the first place, driswold planned
couple of years. I fancy. He didn't
content himself with mere planning
He did lot OF work while he was
waiting for his opportunity. He
knew tho value Of the Missioner neck
lace. of course. especially the value
Of the big Maharanee diamond that
was its central stone. As nearly as
can make out his scheme. he hoped to
steal the collarette and dispose of II
months before It should be missed by
Mrs. Missioner. The only way to do
that, of course, was to substitute an
imitation for the genuine article
Naturally. too. the imitation had to be
made without Mrs. Missioner's knowl-
edge, and the man he meant to have
make It had to have either the orig
inal as a copy or very accurate
drawing. It was beyond all possibil-
fly that Griswold could get the neck
lace into his possession long enough
to have q bogus collarette made. Mrs
Missioner. In spite OF her many mil
lions, and like all other women of
wealth. guarded her jewels closely
She may intrust her government
bonds and other negotiable securities
to attorneys or banks. but she keeps
her jewels under her own eyes. None
OF us knows just how much she
thought of Griswold; but the chances
are that. even II she had been en-
gagged to him. she wouldn't have Jet
him have possession OF the Maharanee
necklace for any length of time. My
experience is that these rich New