The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-04-23
@QDU)([)@A
In the Twenty Million Dollar Mystery
By Harold MacCrath
By Harold MacCrath

bad luck"
Nonsense" he replied "a jeweler
will be able to patch it up without
any trouble whatever"
bad luck!" she reiterated. at was
my mascot, and now the charm is
broken"
Put on your things and wen go
right down to the jewelers. and pre-
vent the hoodoo from getting in any
active work" Storm laughed. He
had very few superstitions.
Half an hour later they were at the
jewelers..
30, yes; that can be fixed easily
enough" he declared. 1.-THE pictures
will have to be taken out, though,
while the locket is being repaired.
He picked up small tool and pried
the photographs from the cases and
| handed them to Iudora
why, what's this?" she cried, indi-
eating slip of paper which adhered
to the back of her mothers picture.
| She spread it out on the case and
been left in charge of our trusted
friend, Captain Radcliffe"
Good Lord" exclaimed Storm
business; take my word for it. pro-
pose you run down to Hunts Office at
once He'll want this
Meantime Hunt had visitor. It
was Marcus Villiers of Montana, in
charge of the Zudora gold mines. He
was informing the detective that he
had concluded to follow his documents
in case they needed his testimony,
when Storm and Zudora burst into the
office with their astonishing news"
Il knew it," said Hunt, jubilantly.
"They seemed too COMPOUNDED assured
to suit me. And this little scrap of
paper will solve the riddle. Baird is
out at the villa, ready to send word
to me the moment those people leave
the villa empty And, by George, there
goes the phone now!" He took down
the receiver. THAT you, Baird? Fine!
They've left the villa? I'll be there
inside of ten minutes. And you heard
the directions? All, the diamond cut
ter's! Great work, boy; I'll make you
my partner for this" Hunt turned
eagerly to his visitors. I'm off. l can't
let this chance slip by. You people
sit quiet until you hear from me-. I've
a bunch that we're going to do some
roundup work this afternoon. Storm,
you keep Zudora under your eye up to
midnight. You never can tell. The
rats may turn and bite when they
learn that the game is up. Promise?"
81 promise" laughed Storm.
Hunt found Baird hiding in the per-
COLA.
Eyes. But you'll have to hurry. No
knowing when they'll return. l judge
they took some diamonds to the lapi-
dary's. Looks as if they smelled a
rat and were cleaning up. That win
dow up there is open. Come along
and III give you boost. I'll stand
under to give you warning in case they
return before you complete the job"
Hunt began the ascent Immediately
The window was unlocked. Gently the
Gectective raised it and slid into the
room. He wasted no time there, but
made directly for the stairs, alert and
watchful. The servants were still in
the villa, and he was not DESTROYS OF
running afoul of them. He reached
the stairs safely and went down as
soundlessly as cat. He passed abrupt,
: ly at the first landing. Some one was
in the Grecian salon. 1t was the but,
: Ter. He was clearing the little table
of glasses When he had them all on
the trap he stalked out of the room.
Maybe tomorrow he will not hold
his head so high unused Hunt, con-
tinuing his way down. He tiptoed in
to the salon.
The first object of his attentions was
the gem vault He succeeded in open
ing the panel in the column, but the
vault was seemingly impregnable. He
! cast aside the cover and books and
hither and thither he ran his nimble
fingers, hunting for the secret combin-
alton. He was about to give up in des-
pair when the top of the table slowly
turned.
, "Ah, my friends, I believe I've got
you all in the hollow of my hands this
trip. My, what stack of papers!
They'll make interesting reading, III
wager"
He went over them rapidly and fin
ally came upon a document rather
: yellow with age. He opened it. H,
4, had all he could do to repress thu
3 shout of triumph. 1t was the will 81
A long sought Zudora had won he
fight. He moved the cover back int
/ place, but in his hurry did not replac
t the things he had taken off it. A mis-
e take that may have cost him a goo,
e deal in the end Some victories ar
}. only half victories; and fate was go
ing to bring this home to him.
He tiptoed into the hall, flew up tn
stairs, sped through Madam Du VAL
: boudoir, and went out of the windo,
: just as Baird sounded the alarm.
"They are coming back. That's Ma
t dams limousine down the road. Hus
tie! What luck?"
: Got everything"
d "Then let's duck while the ducking
e good" suggested Baird.
t They began lodging among the tree