The Prescott daily news., 1915-04-20

was q handful of diamonds which right fully belonged to Zudora Keene.
 There was passenger who went by the name of Bruce. He was a snug, Suaye individual, but was far deeper, far more cunning. than he appeared outwardly. He was in his stateroom. The door was locked. The bed was pulled from the wall The man him. self was between the bed and the ships side. saving a hole in the vain Scoting. From time to time he paused to listen for sounds in the adjacent staterooms. but he was quite satisfied that the occupants were all on deck in their chairs. When the job was com. pleted he lifted out the square piece of board and laid it aside Then he drew bamboo cane toward him. He swiftly unscrewed the top and dumped something into the palm of his hand Minute flashes of red and blue flame dnrted up into his eyes. These flashes came from diamonds of the purest white He chuckled inaudibly. Next he poured the gems into q little chamois bag and thrust the bag into the hole in the wall. With xtrnordinary delft ness he replaced the square of vain. scoting, and only the closest scrutiny would have told any one what had taken place.
 After that Mir Bruce went up to the smoke room and indulged in a stiff whisky and soda. Then he played bridge until the second bugle call for dinner and in that period of time more than made his expenses for the trip. MT. Bruce enjoyed his dinner, enjoyed his wine, the coffee and partiga. The secret agents could hear what they pleased, and they could search him and all his belongings. and he would sub init with the utmost complacency Only fools were caught these days by the agents of the United States GUS toms. He had made some twenty voy- ages, and what had they ever found npon him that was contraband? Moth ing, absolutely nothing Tomorrow they would dock and that night he would be able to coniide another sue cess to his confederates It all de pended upon nerve and foresight But there was one man with whom he had yet to reckon.
 His name was Thomas Hunt, and Ine of his specialties was putting his stout hand upon the shoulders of male factors and asking them politely which they preferred, steel cuffs or docilltyl The day before Bruce landed Hunt re ....f . auH. formed that their old enemy was go. ing to attempt to run the blockade again, with diamonds as usual And one of the remarkable phases of these exploits of Bruce's was the fact that he invariably sold gems in Holland as starter, but brought the bulk of them into the United States
 The officials knew that he had con federates. some above him in power and some below. Chief among those of the first order were Mme Du Val and Captain Radcliffe. man without Il country, Radcliffe was patiently in love with Mme Du Val, but she could not put from. her thoughts the man Baird. The fact that he had gone over dAlPHlUI habilitate himself did not lessen tN woman'S admiration As the pseudo HaSSam she had had some power over him, but as a reporter on one of the big newspapers he had passed beyond the reach of her arm.
 Somewhere she had seen a painting by the late Alma-Tadema, and she had under the inspiration fixed up what she called a Greek salon She really possessed excellent taste. In the cen tel there was a fountain surrounded by plants, The water tinked merrily at all times, but sometimes the stream suddenly fell aslant, which indicated that some one was behind the secret panel.
 On the night before the arrival of Bruce with his ill gotten gems madame was in the salon, playing idly with all Angora kitten. It is a fact that these tiger women always have kit tens about. Suddenly she noted the slant of the jet of water. She sum. moned an attendant and nodded mean. ingly toward the wall The footman went over swiftly touched n knob. and the secret panel went up, reveal. ing small elevator. Out of this step. ped Captain Radcliffe, something of dandy in appearance. but at heart shady rogue. He crossed the room swiftly, making no effort to conceal his sentiments But she adroitly evad- ed him.
 "Take care, captain. No sentiment,