The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-13
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 understand Mir. Lester?'' Grady asked, looking at me. And nodded.
 I saw Pigot's eyes flame and his face flush with anger, for Grady's tone was almost insulting looked at hsra with interest He was typfcally French smooth shaved, with face scanned with little wrinkles and very wEite, eyes shadowed by enormously bushy flashes and close cropped hair as white as his face. He was about sixty years Of age. guessed and there was about him the air of man who had passed through hundred remarkable expe riences without once losing his aplonnb. Certainly he was not going to lose 1t now.
 fThe story which l have to relate, z he began in his careful English. clip ping his words little now and then, sshas to do with the theft of the ia nous Mfchae1ovitch diamonds. You may perhaps remember the case-''
 lremembered it, certainly, for the robbery had been conceived and car ried out with such brfliancy and dar- ing that its details had at once arrest ed my atfention-to say nothing of the fact that the diamonds, which formed the celebrated collection belonging to the Grand Duke Michael of Russia, so5ourning in Paris because unappre- cfated in his native land and also be cause of the supreme attraction of the French capital to one of his tempera- ment-were valued at som ething like 100000 francs.
 ssThat theft,'' continued M Pigof. twas accomplished in manner at once so bold and so unique that we were certain it could be the work of bat single man. d rascal named Cro- clard, who calls himself also The In vfiacib1es-a rascal who has given US very great trouble, but whom we have never been able to convict. Tn this case we had against him no direct evil dence; we subjected him to an inter rogation and found that he had taken care to provide perfect alfbi; so we were coMDelIed to release him. We kept Crochard under constant surveiI- lance. We searched his rooms not once, but many times.
 s'He knew thoroughly what we were doing. for what we were searching. He knew also that nowhere in Europe would he dare to attempt to sell a sin gle one of those jewels. We suspected that he wold attempt to bring them to this country, and we warned your de partment Of customs. For we knew that here he could sell all but the very largest not only almost without dan ger, but at price far greater than he could obtain for them in Europe We closed every avenue to him, as we thought-and then, all at once. he dis appeared
 For two weeks we heard nothing then came the story of this man Drou- ct. killed by a stab on the hand At once we recognized the work of Cro- chard, for he alone of living men pos- sesses tho secret of the poison of the Medic1. It is fearful secret, which, in his whole life he had used but once, and that upon a man who had betray- ed him.1
 M. Pigot paused and passed his hand across his forehead
 aWe were at a loss to understand Crochards connection with Drouet 7 M- Pigot continued "Drouet, while q mere hanger-on of the cafes of the boulevards, was not a criminal Then came the death of that creature. Mo rel, in an effort to gain possession Of this cabinet, and we began to under stand We made inquiries concerning the cabinet. We learned it's history, and the secret of it's construction, and we arrived at a certain conclusion. It was to ascertain if that conclusion is correct that came to America
 What is the conclusfonT' queried Grady, who had listened to all this with manifest fmpatience in strong contrast to my own absorbed interest
 t'Our theory" replied NJ. Pigot, with out the slightest acceleration of speech. '1s that the Michaelovitch diamonds are concealed in this cabinet. Every thing points to it, and we shall soon see''
 As he spoke he drew from his pock- ct a steel gauntlet, marvelous1 like the one Godfrey had used, and slip ps<A tt over his right hand.
 When one attempts to fathonl the secrets of the invincib1e oIe,,' he said with q smile. tone must go arnored. Already three men have paid with their lives the penalty of their rash ness"
 ..Three menp' repeated Grady, won dering1y.
 Three" and Pigot checked them of upon his fingers. First the man who was really q blacknailer named Drouet; second. NJ. yantine. the con noisseur, and third, the creature MoreI. Of these the only one that really mat ters is N. vantine. His death was most unfcrtunate, and nm sure that Crochard regrets it exceedingly z
 ssonn naannant- monsieur I said.