The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-06-19
BY ROI COOPER MEGRUE.
Novelizcd by Wyndhsm Martyr.
Copyright, 1914, by
Roi Cooper Megrue and Little.
Brown q Co.
CHAPTER /.
A Pearl Necklace


Taylor, a deputy surveyor. threw
away the stub ola cigar and
reached for the telephone.
\ When central had given him
his number, he called out:
Say, Ford, I've something
mighty important for you. Direct
ly the Mauretania gets into Quar-
antine, go through the declara-
lions and phone me right away
whether a man named Stephen
DENLY declares a pearl necklace
valued at 100000. A big case,
you say? | should bet 1t is big
case. Never you mind who's
handling it, Ford. 1t may be X.
j.. or 1t may not. It's your job to
phone me as soon as YOU get a
peek at those declarations. Let
Hammett work with you. Good
bye"
He hung up the receiver and
leaned back in his chair. He was
spare, hatchet-faced man, who
held his present position because
he knew enough to work in the
dark and never ask for explain
atoms.
When a step in the outside pass
age warned him that his chief
might possibly be coming in, he
settled down in an attitude OF
work. But there entered only
Harry Gibbs.
Hello. JIM" he said when he
entered.
Thought you were searching
tourists on the Olympic this aft
ernoon," Duncan replied.
Gibbs mopped his perspiring
head. II was" he answered. 81
brought a dame along for Taylor
to see. Where is he?"
Down with Malone now; he'll
be back soon."
Gibbs turned about to see II
the steps he heard at the door
were those of the man he had
come to see. 1t was only Peter,
the doorkeeper.
"Mr. Duncan" said the man,
Miss Ethel Cartwright has just
phoned that she's on her way and
will be here in fifteen minutes"
Gibbs could see that the news
of which he could make but little
had excited Duncan. Directly the
doorkeeper had gone, Duncan
called his chief on the telephone.
Hello. Hello, Chief, Miss
Ethel Cartwright just phoned
she'd be here in fifteen minutes.
Yes, sir. :.
I'll have her wait"
When he had rung off, Gibbs
could see his interest was increas-
ing. what do you think of her
falling for bum stall like that?"
"Who?" Gibbs demanded.
Which? What stall?"
why. Miss Cartwright" said
Duncan.
well, who Is she?" Gibbs
cried. us she a smuggler?"
mo. She's a swell society GIRL"
said Duncan in a superior man
ner. THE chief wants to use
her in the DENLY case, so he had
me write her letter, saying we'd
received a package from Paris
containing dutiable goods, a dia-
mond ring, and would she kindly
call this afternoon and straighten
out the matter" Duncan now as
sumed an air of triumph. "And
she fell for a fake like that"
Il get YOU" said Gibbs. "But
what does he want her for?"
| Duncan lowered his voice and
grew very confidential
Last week the chief got a
cable from Harlow, a salesman in
Carriers jewelry shop In Paris.
Harlow's our secret agent there.
His cable said that an American
named Steven DENLY had bought
la pearl necklace there for
100000"
| "Gee!" Gibbs cried, impressed
| by such a sum, but who's Stew
en- DENLY? Some new million
aire? l never heard of him."
Neither did J." Duncan told
him; and we can't find out any
thing about him and that's what
makes us so suspicious. You
ought to be able to get some dope
or a man who can fling $1,000
away on a string of pearls"
Did he slip it by the customs,
them"
"He hasn't landed yet" Dun
can answered. Hes on the
Mauretania."
why, she's about DUE" Gibbs
cried.
Il know" Duncan retorted.
This fellow DENLY in travelling
with Montague Vaughan--son of
the big banker-and Mrs. Mich
Iael Harrington"
You mean the Mrs. Michael
Harrington" Gibbs demanded
eagerly.
Sure" Duncan exclaimed,
there's only one"
Gibbs was disappointed at this
ending to the story.
| IF he's a friend OF Mrs. Har-
rington and young Vaughan, he
amt no smuggler. He'll declare
the necklace"
The chief has bunch he
won't" Duncan said. HE thinks
this DENLY is some slick conf
dence guy who has wormed his
way into the Harringtons' conf
dence so he won't be suspected"
Maybe he amt travelling with
the party at all, but just picked
'em up on the boat"
Duncan shook his head. mo,
he's a friend all right. She's TAX
ing him down to the Harrington
place at Westbury direct from the
dock. One of the stewards on
the Mauretania Is our agent and
he sent us a copy of her wireless
to old man Harrington.
But how does this Miss Cart
wright come in on the job?"
asked Gibbs.