The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-05

him write a name on the register, take
key and start to go upstairs. A bell
boy offered to carry his suit case, but
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 l must prevent the pos.
sibility Of his transferring the sap
phire to confederate. The former of
these two matters must be attended to
at once. I 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 were now about, and
did not fear being spotted as a
shadower followed my man into
the breakfast room and ordered 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 l might not
md the gem on him. l preferred to
wait till l 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.
felt confident that he would take
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 a
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
l 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 l do this?
l determined to give him a clew to
the fact that l was on his trail, hoping
that to elude me he would leave the
train. Taking seat near him began
to ogle him suspiciously, and I saw at
once by his expression that he had
taken alarm. When convinced Of this
fact, ! took cigar out Of my pocket
and put 1t in my mouth and by my
expression indicated that was eager
for smoke. Then shortly before the
train was to stop ut way station l
feigned to be so anxious to light my
cigar that 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 It 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 mistake in leaving
the train at very small town. had
secured condition that had earnest
iy wished for He undoubtedly had
the gem with him, and no possible op-
portunity to pass it to any one else or
to hide 1t. But the French are ingen
1ous people, and he had perhaps
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
'AoNA I'LL hC iCuChCu cut dDu d
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 will kill
you"
l had been routed out Of bed early In
the morning and had started off in
such hurry that ! had not provided
myself with my revolver Somehow / |
did not believe the man would carry |
out his threat. and | kept on toward |
him. But he fired Mt me- Then, to nv |
surprise, he threw down his pistol and !
said:
Monsieur, | do not know what you !
want of me. At any rate am ready |
to convince you that | am a citizen of |
France travelling in America and that
you cannot have any real interest In
me-"
was now convinced that he had got
rid of the sapphire and was very much
taken aback as to how he had done If