The Washington times., 1913-11-06

the proprietor of the shop. He
seemed cautious at first about commit
ting himself. but at the first sight oi
the jewels he became loquacious.
"Ah. sacre! Yes, but 1 remembaire
zese VARY well. We made zem all fol
ze lady, Mme.-Nme. Rensley!"
Robin dropped his face in his hands
with a groan.
Not all at ze same time, you COM
prehend. "the little Frenchman went
on volubly, not noticing, but one by
one re larger pieces-ze necklace, ze
stomacher, re tiara, re coronet, and re
bug sunburst. After Eat she brung
two or three Of ze smaller pieces to-
gezaire. Zay aire not bon marchs,
my jewels-not cheap he added
proudly; but, Of course, worth far,
far less zan re superb diamants OF
madame"
when did Nine. Rensley first come
to your" asked Yorke.
I'm ze autumn, last year. Let US SEQ,
re books will show"
He turned to some heavy ledgers on
his desk. and ran over few pages OF
one with praticed eye.
'Ah. whe haze eet! On ze seventeenth
Of last October-zat was ze necklace"
And when did you complete them
When did madame bring you the last of
them?"
'On ze fourth of April replied the
Frenchman, again consulting his books.
"Eet was zese Eat madame bring to me
last of all-zese old-fashioned things,
indicating the heirlooms. And zis!'
He held a blazing solitaire up as he
spoke, and Robin made a smothered, in
articulate noise in his throat.
1t was Victorias engagement ring.
And madame" persisted Yorke. anx-
ious to get the scene over as soon as
possible-'you saw madame yourself?"
"Oh, always the Frenchman pro-
tested Madame always came to me
herself. quite privately, here in zis
ROOM
You would know madame. then, If
you saw her again."
.NatureIlement," affirmed NJ. Char
pentier.
rs this-madame? Yorke asked, sud-
denly producing the little photograph
"Of a certainty the Frenchman
cried triumphantly. Would ] not know
madame anywhere? Eet ees, indeed.
Nine Rensley. Attend! One of my
clerks, he will recognize her also. An
toine!"
mo, no. Your Identification is quito
sufficient" interposed Yorke. We
won trouble you any further, M.
Charpentier.'
The guards and Thornton. the expert.
We're busily engaged in restoring the
jeweIry to the cases, and the little
Frenchman eyed them wistfully. ROBIN
sat, crushed and inert.
''Zey are beautiful, ees eet not so!
he asked linSeringly. ''Neyaire have 1
made zem more wonderful, more nat
urelr'
"They are indeed beautiful! assented
Yorke, cordially but hastily. mo one
but an expert could tell them from the
purest of diamonds. Au revoir. M.
Charpentier, and many thanks for our
little conversation"
Not at all, messieurs! Good day,
and the little Frenchman
bowed them out suavely.
Now where?' asked Robin listlessly,
when they were once more in the taxi.
He spoke with casual indifference. as
though incapable of further indepen-
dent speech or action. His eyes were
fearless, but bright and hard, and his
mouth worked.
Evidently the man was on the verge
of collapse. and Yorke feared to try
him too far; yet there was one more
ordeal through which he must go that
one more interview to take
place. in which his presence would be
vitally necessary.
ITO the Universal Bank" returned
Yorke in a matter-of-fact tone. But
first suppose we drop Mr.. Thornton at
his office and then take these jewels
back to the safe-deposit vault?'
The guards here are perfectly reli-
able; we've known them for years.