The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1916-12-14

| ~, WIZ IL was 6Ots
The diamond blinked at her and
seemed to say: "Steal me. He tooR
me by force; take me back by stealth
[ belong to you"
Gloria had had no previous expert.
ence as a pickpocket, but she under
stood how exciting the profession must
be. Her father was an unsuspecting
and an easy victim. She had only to
lay her cheek against his as q blind
fold and while her hair got into his
eyes and made him squirm she cap
tured the ring. She was afraid at once
that he would miss it, speak of it,
reach for it, and find it gone. She
dared not linger.
$50 back to your cards, you old
darling" she said, kissed him half a
dozen good-nights and left.
She ran up to her room and set the
ring in place again on her finger. She
rejoiced in it moment. Then her
| tolerate combination of disobedience
| and robbery. The main thing was to
| keep the ring. She put it in little
chain and fastened it about her neck.
And there she wore it until-until her
quest was ended and she had learned
| the truth. Much time and many adj
| ventures lay between this night and
| that day.
Her father went back to his soil
| taire and did not miss the ring for
| hours. Then he raised a mighty poth-
er. He had the old butler on all
tours looking everywhere for the ring.
He even had the ashes in the fireplace
sifted. He suspected everybody but
Gloria. She was asleep in loneliness
that was somewhat assuaged by her
fidelity and her mission.
The next morning Gloria set about
her task with an analytical mind. She
read in the morning paper that Frank
Mulry. the partner of the late Rich
ard Freneau, had decided to incorpor-
ate the firm under the name of Frank
Mulry, Inc. 1t made her angry to
think of this busi,nesslike haste. But
she realized that, after all, she knew
nothing of Mulry and that he must
know a great deal about her poor
Freneau. He was the first man to
visit. She was happy in this deter
mination. Her brother David dropped
in to say: "Lois and had little mis-
understanding, but we have made up.
We're going to the country house for
a new honeymoon. Come along, you
two, and have some skating and ski
ing and toboggan work"
Gloria shook her head. She had 9th
er work to do. Her father urged her
to make the change of scene. She |
said she would think it over, but she
did not intend to go, as she planned |
to spend her wits on Frank Mulry. AS |
soon as she could get rid of her father
and brother she ordered her own car
out for the long voyage downtown. !
Frank Mulry was not at his office !
when she arrived. He had been sum-
moned to Doctor Royce's office by tel
ephone. Thinking that Royce prob
ably wanted tip on the market, and
eager always for a new customer,
Mulry lost no time in Obeying the sum-
mons. He found Royce in grim hui
NOR and not at all polite.
"Mr. Mulry," Royce began, every
word as sharp as a surgeons knife,
''you know more about Richard Fren-
eau's affairs than you would like to
tell in the open court. Miss Stafford
is suspicious of everybody who ever ,
knew Freneau. imagine that she will
look you up. It is the wish of her Ia
Their and of myself that she shall
not find out what a ScOundrel the man
was. We want to spare her, at least
till she grows much stronger and time
has healed her wounds little. 1t is
to your interest as much as ours to
keep her in the dark. You know how
those letters were mailed and those
kilograms sent. You know why
Freneau played that horrible trick on
the poor girl he was engaged to. L
merely wish to warn you that if you
see Miss Gloria Stafford coming your
yay, you get out of her sight no mat ;
,er how or when. If you don't you'll !,
)e mixed up in a murder trial that !
nav prove disastrous to you and your
business"
Mulrys usual smile was twisted into
look of terror. He had more reasons
han even Royce suspected for wish
ng to keep the searchlights of the
,ress and the police out of his office. =
lie was uncertain of the manner of
death, but the published :
lints of suicide for financial reasons
lad put Mulry into new financial diff
ulties. He had used the money
rreneau had borrowed of Gloria's ia .
her to save himself from crash. 2
lie was afraid that Stafford would de- ?
land it back at any moment, and he I
ould not face such demand. II
Furthermore, his part in the writing !.
f the letters and the sending of them Il
nd the kilograms from the various u
tiles was one that he could not pleas !.
ntly explain. He could think of no
God lie to tell, and the last person on .
arth he wanted to meet was Gloria Z
tafford.