Graham guardian., 1915-09-17

reC"il"Ct the topic they were dis
CuSSing when entered the room and
discovered that the diamonds were
missing.
"Now. what am / to do? The case is
u singular one, and | do not care to
call the police into the matter al
though the To- ia greater one than
| can afford TO withstand. The gift
to my wife was rather an important
matter financially" He smiled ruefuIIy.
Mr. Rogers put up his notebook and
donned his hat.
"Where is Pun Shah now. Mr. Glib
SON." he asked.
Down Mt ShOrpClifTe, | presume. He
was there at noon when motorPd up
to town"
Can yOu take me to ShoreclfTe Mt
onCeT'
"Certalnly: my car Is at the door.
Rogers dictated n brief message for
his partner and left the office, with Mr..
Gibson In five minutes they were
spinning toward the Thirty.fourth
| street ferry to Long Island City.
ShOrecliiTe was handsome estate
on the north shore of the sound. aud
Mr.. Gibson and the young lawyer
reached the gates within an hour after
leaving Rogers office.
A grave eyed Hindu in snowy tur-
ban admitted them to the house. and
|. Rogers was conscious Of a peculiar
sensation along his spinal column as
| he met the mans piercing glance.
He felt in that moment that Pun
| Shah knew the reason for his coming
as well AS many other things that lie
would not divulGe.
| He followed his host into the library
and listened mtently while Mr.. Gibson
| pointed out the table where the jewels
had lain during bis absence at the
| telephone. The table was between
| two French windows that opened upon
| the front vcranda.
Were the windows open last even.
ing?" asked Rogers.
They were both closed 1t was
on the hearth"
Rogers was silent for long time.
His eyes wandered from one spot to
another. Once they gIimpSed the
corner of Pun Shah'S SNOWY turlan
outside the door. and again he was
sure that the mans Ietty eyes were
! regarding him from a heavily beaded
curtain that separated the library
from a smaller adjoining study.
well. Mr.. Rogers, | am wondering
/ II you exOneratc all my friends. NV
theory does not permit Of suspicion
pointing to one of them" remarked
! Mr.. Gibson at last.
My theory. Mr.. Gibson. Is that all
your six guests were accessory to the
! deed"
"What? My dear sir
"Wait II moment. sir did say that
they were accessories to the deed. but
it was quite uncOnSciouSly so on their
part Have you several strong men
on the place. men whom You can
trust?'
YVES There is Baker. the gardener,
with his assistants. besides my chauf'
feur and the second man. four alto
gethrr. Why. may | HSk?
"PleHSe summon them to this room,
and after that" continued Rogers in a
low tone. "have the man. Pun Shah,
Scnr in"
Mr. Gibson smiled grinlly. so that's
It, is it? couldn't see how the rascal
bad Il chance Excuse me, il you please.
while send for the men"
He left the room and Rogers waited
there alone Presently he heard a
Steathy fOotStep behind his chair and
hot breath on his neck. He jumped
just in time to escape the wicked
knife Of Pun Shah. whose dark face
was cOnvuIsed with anger
Rogers had whipped ont a revolver,
and so the two were standing facing
each other when Mr.. Gibson returned
with his four servants.
"Whnt Is this. Pun Shah?" demanded
his master quickly. but the man only
bowed his head in silence.
"YOur man was about to kill me-"
said Rogers cOolly.. because ! have
discovered that he is the one who stole
your diamonds"
rs II possible? Pun Shah. what have
you to say?
The Hindu fastened look Of deadly
hatred on the young lawyer and,
snHtchng off his turbun. drew from its
folds the string of diamonds that had
so mySteriouSly disappeared. He flung
the ornaments on the floor ut his mas
ter'S feet and with Il swift. gliding
movement vanished from the room.
No one made n movement to follow,
and an instant later they saw the
flicker of his white turbnn as he diSHp-
peared down the driveway.
| Mr. Gibson dismissed his servants
with II gesture dropped the string Of
diamonds in his coat pocket. and faced
Rogers
How did you faSten the crime upon
Pun Shah 50 quickly: ! had evidence
that no one saw him enter the room.
and"
Rogers put mp hand 1T Is easily
explained Your butler possesses I'M
usual hypnotic powers He simply
hypnntiZed the six guests In your draw
ing room. took the diamonds from be-
Meath their noses and disappeared,
They might have been puzzled by the
incident which made them nCcnmplireS
| l,I,, h,, "a,