The Washington herald., 1914-12-20
.CLEEK OF SCOTLAND YAI

1 lieve in giving man credit when it's
due him, Cleek. no matter where he
halls from. and you're cuckoo at this
game. Sorry / couldn't have pulled 1t
on on my own, for I've a girl who's
wonder at the piano. and them twenty
five thousand would have come in handy
to educate her and bring her out as
| professional: but
'SpIit 1t with you. Twelve thousand
| five hundred ought to do that trick, Mr..
Swithers."
What? What's that?"
Split 1t with you. Half the reward
i, for me and the other half for your little
girl, with my compliments"
Good lord! Do you mean it?''
Really. French Ally got you reduced
and set back over that failure to nab
him over the Stoneworth bonds-this will
| even the score"
We'll. IN be Say. old man, you're
clinker."
Before luncheon was served the quiet,
elderly Jewish gentleman" had managed
| to scrape Mr.. Solomon Rosenstein's
acquaintance, and before the next after
noon they were chummy, spending the
greater part OF their time in little games
of chess and draughts in the smoke
room, games Of Switchboard on the deck
/ and long stToIls and short condolences
| between whiles.
! ,"The quiet elderly Jewish gentleman"
was down on the passenger list as Mr..
| IsidOr Kaliski. Budapest and he had
eonfided to Mr.. Rosenstein that that was
an alias-a discretionary move TO cover
| a more exalted title-and that he was
on his way to America to visit sOn-in-
law who was a political exile and was
concerned in certain secret revolutionary
I
Russia.
These confidential little chats soon es-
| talished the bond Of fellowship. and it
was not long before Mr.. Kalisd had
| invited Mr.. Rosenstein to visit him in
| his stateroOm and Join him in bottle
OF champagne after the smoke room
was closed o nights: and Mr.. Rosen-
stein, not having stinginess included
| among his many gifts, was not slow to
return the favor and ask Mr.. Kaliski
to visit him and do likewise in his.
But they got to no further condolences
than just that: and as Mr.. Rosenstein
was far too shrewd a bird to take too
much to drink and to risk the looseness
of tongue and the slackness Of wits that
wine inspires and as getting him under
the influence of alcohol was not in Cleek's
plan at any time, il never went beyond
that one pint bottle.
captain being eager as anybody to see
this gigantic fraud on the custom house
and blot on the line brought to an end.
il was not diffiCult for Mr. Swthers to
arrange matters so that Rosenstein
might be detained on deck in conversa-
tion with some one or other of the ships
officers while the deputies of Mr.. Swithers
searched his staterOom and effects in the
hope that. as the days passed and they
int
Of American waters and the jurisdiction
Of the United States government. IL might
be possible TO discover the whereabouts
Of the diamonds and to nab the SNUG
gler redhanded. as 1t were. But Mr..
Rosenstein's effects revealed no cIew to
the hiding place OF the jewels.
The five days voyage went merrily
on from a merry beginning to a merry
close. Somewhere in the neighborhoOd
OF Nantucket light the pilot picked up
the ship and took the wheel in the
captains place: and early next morning
the revenue boat hove alongside and the
customs officers came aboard. and the
declaration papers were handed round to
be filled before being sworn to and
signed
As Swithers had prophesied. Mr. Rosen-
stein swore to the possession Of two
dozen pairs OF kid gloves and a silk COS
tune and-to nothing else that was
dutiabIe
Now then here's where CIeek does
his little stunt and puts the kibosh on
Solly." further prOphes!ed Mr.. Swithers,
and stood breathlessly waiting for the
dramatic moment
But it didn't come All that Cleek did
was to keep up the 'Isidor KaIiskir fic-
tion. swear to his own belongings and
effects and 20 Oil about his business like
the rest: more than that-EO on deck
and chUm up with Mr.. SOlly again, and
join in his delight when the vessel. pass
ing with a clean bill swung on down the
bay. past the Statue OF Liberty. past the
fussinG tugs and creeping fcTryboats to
the Cunard pier. where in the waiting
crowd Mrs. SolIy stood waving a hand
ktrchief.
That's nv RaChael-thst's my wife
Mr.. kaliski." said ROsenstein, pointing
her ont 10 Cletk. Her with the pink
silk waist und the diamond earrings.
Amt she styIish-ch?" And afterward,
when the landing was reached and the
gangway put out. and he and his Rachael
were once more in each others arms. he
introduced Mr.. Kaliski:" and to all in
tents and purposes the acquaintance. like
the voyage. had come to an end. Cleek
went his way. which was ur the gang
way and back on board again. and MIR.
and Mrs. Snllv went theirs.
At the top Of the CanEway Cieek ran
fairly into the arms of the amazed and
disappointed Swithers.
Mr. SuIIy had been subjected to a sys-
tematic search. hut nothing was found.
Mrs Solly was also searched. but not a
diamond was Uhearthed.
''ponC us again. said SwitherS. dciort-
Cdly and disCustcdly as he saw them
GO. Yes. and done the great CIeck'
too. Tho great Cleek.' The great Bluffs
moro like it. I sort OF knew he was
no good when I seen him first: and now
him and his promise about Nelly. Get
after him, Round him up Collar him
before he gets awav,"
But although he himself led the chase.
sight or sign Of CIeCk there was none
either aboard the vessel or upon the
pier. He had gone-as he used 10 go in
his old vanishing cracksman days-and
where or when or why no man knew.
and the. detective bureau Of New York
the least OF all.
The days and the weeks passed. The
Mauretania. at her scheduled time.
weighed anchor and sailed hack to Eng
land; but still no Cleek. and still-as he
had fOretold-nO trace Of the smuggled
diamonds Other weeks passed and the
Mauretania came hack TO New York
again: lay in port for the allotted time.
undergoing the regulation painting and
cleaning and loading up with cargo prior
to making her return to Liverpool, and
then, all of a sudden, matters took a
sudden startling turn and something sur
prising happened. That something"