The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-20

> the owner kept it in his possession. ]
/ then went in and on the register saw
the name. Francois Tribadeaux. South
Carolina.
The problem before me now was
/ duplex. l must procure funds with
which to follow the man-perhaps to
| Europe-and | must prevent the pos
! sfbility of his transferring the sap
/ phire to confederate. The former of
these two matters must be attended to
at once. 1 shut myself in a telephone
booth, called up Mr.. Ackley and in
formed him of what had occurred He
at once sent me by messenger an
envelope containing ample funds for
immediate use and letter authorizing
me to draw on him for further neces-
stiles.
The Frenchman remained in his room
| till 8 o'clock, then came down stairs.
walked with deliberation to a news
stand bought morning journal and
went into the breakfast room. A num-
Der of persons We're now about. and
l did not fear being spotted as
shadower. | followed my man into
| the breakfast room and ordered a meal
for myself. finished before he did
and waited for him outside. He went
! to the rack containing time tables and
selected one Of the Pennsylvania rail
road
/ could have called for assistance to
! arrest him, but feared that | might not
find the gem on him. l preferred to
wait till | could get him where he
could not pass 1t to some one else or
| hide 1t. If he took train, this would
indicate that he had 1t with him. l.
felt confident that he would take a
train on the Pennsylvania road, and
when he left the hotel soon after
breakfast he went out, called taxi
cab. and In another followed him to
the station of that road. He bought
ticket to Philadelphia and l being at
the window at the same time bought
one for the same city.
The train was not an express, but l
felt confident that my quarry was 60
ing to Philadelphia to sail for Europe.
determined to prevent his leaving
the country If possible, but wished to
settle the matter between us without
the interference Of any one else. How
could do this?
l determined to give him a clew to
the fact that was on his trail, hoping
that to elude me he would leave the
train. Taking a seat near him began
to ogle him suspiciously, and saw at
once by his expression that he had
taken alarm. When convinced of this
fact, took cigar out Of my pocket
and put it in my mouth and by my
expression indicated that l was eager
for a smoke. Then shortly before the
train was to stop at way station
feigned to be so anxious to light my
cigar that I could no longer resist and
went into the next car ahead, which
was smoker.
But l was on the lookout for my
man. The train had already started
on from the station at which 1t had
stopped when | saw my man walking
away from the track. He had let him
self down from the rear end of the car.
The train was going at good speed,
but | jumped off and hurried after
him, heading him off from the houses
about the station. Seeing me. he made
in the other direction Aiming to cross
his track l drove him into the open
He had made a mistake In leaving
the train at a very small town. l had
secured a condition that had earnest
ly wished for He undoubtedly had
the gem with him, and no possible OPP
portunity to pass it to any one else or
to hide it. But the French are ingen-
ious people, and he had perhaps a
method of outwitting me that l had
not counted on.
There could not have been any doubt
by that time that l was detective
seeking the sapphire in his possession.
AS 1t turned out he was figuring to get
me where he wanted me, just as l was
figuring to get him where l wanted
him. He led me along the railway
track till he reached cut and a turn
in the road at the same time. Then
he turned and, drawing a pistol, said
TO me in broken English:
stop where you are or l will kill
YOU"
l had been routed out of bed early in
the morning and had started off in
such hurry that l had not provided
myself with my revolver Somehow
did not believe the man would carry
out his threat. and l kept on toward
him. But he fired at me. Then, to my
surprise. he threw down his pistol and
, said:
Monsieur, l do not know what you
. want of me. At any rate | am ready
to convince you that l am citizen of
. France travelling in America and that
you cannot have any real interest in
me-"
: l was now convinced that he had got
! rid of the sapphire and was very much
taken aback as to how he had done it
| did not propose to leave his pisto
behind and picked it up. 1t was an ole
t fashioned weapon with a single barre
/ large enough to contain large sized
: hickory nut.
E 1t flashed upon me that the gem hat