The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-15
CHAPTER III.
A Searching Examination.

ing over the telephone. he turned TO
the widow with an air Of flnnlity
81 have taken It on myself" he told
her, ito inform the Detective Bureau.
This is no time for Sherlocking.
There'll be couple OF detectives
here in half an hour"
Mrs. Missioner looked at him ad-
miringly. But her eyes turned to
Griswold with light It would have
taken a woman to read. q woman
more experienced than little Dorothy
March.
Ranscome, ignoring the counterfeits,
stood in absorbed study of the jewel
trays Kaleidoscope contents. That
peculiar pallor returned to Griswold's
hands. With fingers that bent and
straightened ceaselessly, he drum
med his fist.
THE robbery is the more incom-
prehensible," said Mrs. Missioner
thoughtfully, because Of the extraor-
dinary precautions have taken
against burglars. cannot understand
how the thief got to the necklace"
"Your safe seems strong enough" !"
Ranscome ventured. Stepping around
the trays, he passed his hand over
the outer door and looked at the
twenty-four steel bolts curiously.
1T should be strong" returned Mrs.
Missioner. ut was built on the lines
Of the great safe in the Gramercy Ma
tional. It differs only in size and In
the absence of a time lock-"
Ranscome, staring at the safe, shook
his head. Sands walked over to him
and, thrusting both hands In his poclS-
cts. stood gazing At the bolts. Girls
void, smoking quietly in the ingle-
nook, mustered a show of interest in
the safe from time to time, but al
ways his glance returned to the gilt
tering trays.
81 wish you'd put those away,
Doris" said Griswcld suddenly. with
all this mystery in the air, don't like
to see them lying around"
Surely they're safe among us" she
answered. graciously including Rams
come with an extra smile. She drew
off her gloves decisively and, rising
as II from folds of conjecture, rang
for Blodgett 81 think" she said,
then stopped with her hand on Doro-
thy's shoulder
Inquiry reached toward her from
four pairs of eyes
II think" she went on, Miss March
wants some tea. and-I think we all
need something to drink"
1t was when Blodgett, tray-laden,
was tinkling his way to the library
that the detectives arrived. The
hostess ana her guests, the footman
having been hidden TO show the po-
licemen in, heard heavy breathing
outside the door, where Donnelly and
Carson, of the Central Office, were
gripped In a panicky pause. Next
moment. a large man with a small
head, and another so aggressively av'
erage as to be a nondescript, came In.
Donnelly, the big man, turned out his
toes as he walked. A charm the size
and shape of a double eagle, bearing
Bacchante whose pose would have
been indecorous II II had not been
impossible, swung from his equatorial
waist line. One could tell at a glance
he used perfume One could tell
nothing in many glances about Car
son. There was nothing to tell,
We've come up here, Mrs. Mis-
sioner," said Dornelly. addressing
Miss March, TO find your diamonds.
"Oh, thank you'll" murmured the
widow, sweeping toward him. II an
Mrs. Missioner. Won't you be seat
ed?"
"Why,-huh!-no, Miss Missioner
Mrs. Missioner--no, thanks!" answer
ed the sleuth, with all the airy eas'
of highly embarrassed man. "We1
just-huh!-walk around little
thanks-iust walk around" Carson
neutral echo OF his colleagues words
did walk around. Donnelly, as II
having announced the action, he ha'
done his share, stood still.
Dorothy and Grtswold exchanged
glances. Sands stared stolidly at tn
sleuths. Mrs. Missioner, with a pei
missiye inclination OF her head, begal
chatting with Ranscome. Even rs h
spoke with hen, the veteran exper
could not drag his eyes from tn
| jewels.
Now, then, Mis- Missioner" sai
Donnelly briskly. "Who-huh!--d
You suspeet?" There seemed TO b
a sort OF astigmatism in his breath
ing Carson faced the group with al
expression that said bluntly he sus