The Washington herald., 1913-06-08
CHAPTER III.


! The bell sounded again. Jacques
glanced from Poe to the dining-room,
swallowed hard. and suddenly cried out:
"Oh! 1 have hurt my foot! Will Mon
sieur please answer the door," He
dropped to the floor and caught one of
his pointed patent feathers in both hands,
letting out a scream Of agony.
Get up" commanded Poe. stepping
over jerking the frightened fellow to his
feet and pushing him through the but
Iier's pantry. There he shook himself
free OF Jacques and told him to go to
the door.
| Jacques got command of himself and
went. \ minute later he ushered his
master into the dining-room-
Hello" cried Poe. standing with his
back toward the entrance to the kitchen
and shaking Armstrong; hand.
| What's the matter. Jacques" asked
Armstrong. as his man brushed lightly
against his sleeve.
May pass. Monsieur. am late with
re dinner"
Poor jacques laughed Poe. II have
kept him busy looking for your diamond.
| I must apologize for delaying dinner.
fCome, We will help Jacques prepare
it,
Christopher Poe pushed the door open
and passed through TO the kitchen, fol-
lowed by Armstrong. Jacques peering
anxiously ahead over his master
shoulder.
Poe stepped to cabinet and took out
two glasses. "a high-ball before dinner"
.l;.lry vIa har
and standing comfortably against the
kitchen sink. Armstrong gazed at his
friend with an odd twist TO his smile:
as Jacques touched Poe's sleeve reverent-
| ~ and asked, Monsieur. may / come to
the sink and open the oysters"
"In a second, Jacques. Get the whisky
bottle from the dining-room- Come, hur-
ry!" he added as Jacques paused. din
ner is late enough.
While Jacques was gone Poe stepped
to the ice-box and took out a settler
bottle.
Have YOU any clue" asked Arm
strong, anxiously. What's the matter
with Jacques? Have you discovered any
thing?'
There wasn't time for an answer, as
the valet returned with the whisky de-
canter at that moment. Poe had resumed
his position against the sink: he took the
flask and poured a little of the liquor
into each glass. reached for the seltzer
bottle and asked. Have you some
cracked ice, Jacques?'
IT will get some" answered the
servant. his lips tightly compressed and
very white as he rushed to the ice box
and tore open the door,
"Oh. never mind cried Poe. turning
behind him and scooped a little from the
middle of the pan into each glass.
He squirted in the settler and handed
one of the high balls to Armstrong.
Wei, here's hoping, you find the dia-
mond- He paused and glanced toward
Jacques. standing in the middle of the
room. a cake of ice in his hands, his
mouth and eyes fixed open. But come"
cried Poe. We'll drink it in the other
ROOM
He led the way to the dining-room and
they sat down together at the table, sip
ping their drinks. Armstrong asked
again in a low voice If Poe had any
clew.
I've a number Of them" answered
Poe, leaning close over the table and
stirring his high ball briskly. so many
things might have happened. OF course.
Ninon had nothing to do with 1t, but
there are many ways in which the dia-
mond might have been lost without any
one ever finding II"
How? What ways?''
"Well. for one" Poe shrugged his
shoulders. "Ninon might have had a
glass of water standing on q table near
by. Are you sure there wasn't one?''
why, no: how absurd! What could a
glass of water have to do with dis
appearing diamond?'
"A great deal" Poe paused as JAG
ques sided into the dining-room TO lay
the cloth. As Poe looked at him the
valet started abruptly for the kitchen
door as though he had forgotten some ,
thing jacques called Poe, and the
servant returned. did you ever hear
that If a diamond were dropped into a
glass of water 1t could not be seen? You
have heard. I presume. that they some |
times test diamonds In chat manner to
see IL they are of first water as they |
say good diamond cannot be seen
In a glass of water. it Is invisible be-
cause the water blocks the rays of light |
that would otherwise make the stone |
sparkle. You have heard of that, ! pre- |
sumo, Jacques?" |
Armstrong was leaning across the table, |
his high ball finished. trying to catch the |
drift of Poe's meaning.
"Oh, doubtless, sir, / must have heard |
of it," answered Jacques through dry |
lips.
Its a simple fact" Poe went on. |
Nov, with ice. the same way. This |
Is transparent, too. IL I were to throw |
a diamond into heap Of cracked ice |
you'd never notice it. II 1t were about the |
same size as the pieces of ice. Poe stopped |
and drew Armstrong; glass across the |
table to him. the ice in it had almost |
melted. all but one small piece in the |
bottom. For instance" he continued, |
IF this bit of ice remaining in this high |
ball were a real diamond you wouldn't |
notice any difference"
All eyes were glued on the glass as Poe |
lifted 1t and poured into Armstrong; sau-
GER the few drops Of liquid that still re-