The Washington times., 1913-11-03

/ hagard face in bewildered, fashior
for a moment, then they steadied.
"A check?" he murmured. I dom
| remember"-Then he sprang up ex
citedly. Yes. by Jove. do. That aft
ernoon, when she and the girls were
going up to dress for dinner she called
me inside for a moment and asked me
II l would cash check for her whef
l went back to. town IN a few days, just
for over night
Did she give you the check?"
No. 1 never once thought about it
| afterward."
Were Mrs. Van Rensselaer's per
Lair?"
Yes. / think so. Nearly all Of them .
viii you send at once and see IL q
book called The Temple of Desire Is
Certainly, If you will wait a fen
moments"
Robin rang the bell.
They sat In silence until the servant
had been dispatched for the book. Then
Yorke remarked quietly:
You may not know that the check
had just been made out by Mrs. Good
all. and was a bridge debt for an
amount somewhat exceeding $4O0."
Robin started in amusement
what could Victoria want with such
q sum, up there In the Adinornadcks?"
he exclaimed, "and what would her
urgent need be for it, when Dysart gave
her everything she wanted?'
Yorke ignored the query. He was
electrified by a sudden inspiration.
s''Mr. Van Rensselaer,, did your sister
in-law take her jewels to the Adiron-
dacks with herr
mo. only few simple pieces-heir-
looms for the most part. The rest were
left in the safe-deposit vault here in
town."
when the maid returns with the
book, will you ask her to bring the
jewels Mrs. Van Rensselaer, took to the
mountains with her?'
Robin assented, the surprise in his
voice rejecting the astonishment de-
picted on his face.
When the book came Yorke himself
gave an involuntary start Of surprise
and chagrin.
It was the same that he had remem-
bered lying open, and face up, on the
desk In the room where Victoria van
Rensselaer, lay dead. He was therefore
not unduly disappointed when hasty
disclose any check between its pages.
That problem could go until. later
time The one which crystalized his
energy now was this matter OF the Jew.
els. and the inspiration, the flash OF
light upon the darkness in which he mad
uceH DliItuIy 6IOPihb loA tlo S'NS
clues; the one which all through the
Investigation he had instictiys3H felt to
be eluding him; the clue which would
ultimately lead him to the solution of
this grim and terrible tragedy.
The maid arrived at last with the cas-
ket, and placing it on the table with
drew.
Robin opened it1 and displayed gilt
ering little heap-a few simple rings:
and some cumbersome bracelets, and
brooches and chains, heavily chased
gold for the most part. set with huge.
sauarely cut diamonds and rubies. and
emeralds. their facets clustering in the
ray Of the afternoon sun which fell
athwart the library table.
You see," said Robin. "a1 these old
things have been in the family Tor gen
erations.'
"The gold chasing is beautiful" Yorke
remarked in q peculiar. strained voice
"And the jewels are really superb,
some Of them. in spite OF the olo-rash-
ioned cutting and settings.
York took each article up. one by
one. and examined them minutely. FIJI
naIiy he replaced them gently in the
little casket and to the shame Of his
detective instinct, be 1t known that he
averted his face as ne said slowly:
"You must prepare yourself Tor Sc
we're shock, Mr.. Rensselaer,. The gold
and the settings are undoubtedly the
heirlooms you suppose them to be. but
not one Of the jewels is genuine. They