Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-27

mounted to the seat beside Christie
pher which Jacobs had last occupied,
giving at the same time a glance AZ
his servants which sent them to
distance.
Race did not begin his story at the
beginning but very near the end,
slurring over what had happened until
he reached the episode at the inn
When Maritz heard that Van Cort-
landt and Miss Warren had been
seized by men in the dress of police
men. his dark face suddenly paled.
But my nephew told you to drive
on, to come here?" he demanded
tersely
yes. And came as fast as !
could, after sending back three gem
uine policemen to the rescue"
Then where is that which my
nephew trusted you to bring to me?"
HE trusted me with nothing-ex.
cept the sense to understand his mean
ing. But Miss Warren tossed her
music roll into the car as I shot away
from the inn"
"That was clever of her, and showed
that she is the right kind Of girl. But,
though she thought she was carrying
something of Importance, as a matter
of fact she wasn't. She was KIND
of decoy duck"
1.-THE man Jacobs, who | venture to
believe is fraud, disguised, to look
like some one else, left his overcoat
behind, very much against his Will
mo doubt it was against his will, II
he had put a little parcel he ought TO
have had into one of its pockets. But
there's nothing in that overcoat which
can interest me. And for the moment
I'm not interested in this spurious
Jacobs. who was probably furious at
being seen by Fan on the boat. What
I want is the thing which my nephew,
whom you know as Mr.. Van Cortlandt,
must have given you to bring me, Or
he would certainly not have sent you
away from him with your car"
II tell you he gave me nothing,
persisted Christopher. beginning to re-
sent the piercing glance of the mil
lionaire. "If there is anything of his
on board it must be in his luggage"
Every well; we'll have the luggage
down." said Maritz, land I will look
through it here and now, sitting by
your side Johnson!"-and he raised
his tone mperatively-"shut the
gates"
The bronze gates closed, and the
courtyard became as private as II it
had been a vast room.
The next order was for Van Cort-
landt's suitcase to come down from
the roof of the car, where it had been
placed when the new members joined
the party. A Strengthening, thin
little key on the millionaire's watch
chain opened the case as though 1t had
been made for the lock; and the
absent mans clothing, neatly folded
a.
Peter Maritz lifted everything out,
shook each garment, and ransacked
each corner of the handsomely fitted
piece of luggage, but the thing he
searched for was not there. He was
looking very stern and anxious now.
Il am as sure as l am of my own
life that my nephew would not have
voluntarily remained in the hands Of
thieves, sending you and your motor
on, if he had had on his person the
thing l trusted him to bring back to
me-" said Maritz, with grim con-
fidence. HE himself did not know
whether he, Miss Warren, or my old
servant Jacobs was carrying back the
real thing or an imitation; neverthe-
less, as he knew the chances were one
in three that he had the right one,
he would have died rather than risk
breaking faith with me-"
II can give you no explanation Of
the mystery" said Christopher.
Now that you are here, in my
courtyard, there is no reason why I
shouldn't confirm your suspicious"
replied Maritz, in a more concilliatory
tone. you ought to have with you
the New Koh-i-Noor, of which you
must have heard. You see l have
cause for anxiety, and have had cause
enough ever since the truth about my
purchase of the finest diamond found
in a hundred years unfortunately
leaked out. l was certain that a well
known gang of diamond thieves would
be on the lookout for the stone on its
way back from Amsterdam, and l did
my best to guard it. 1t was my
nephew's idea to employ you and
your car; and knowing your name and
the reputation you made in Dalvania,
l approved the notion. AS for giving
you a false name, he did nothing OF
the sort His middle name is Van
Cortlandt-his last is the same as
mine; though he has lived much
abroad, and luckily for my project, is
scarcely known here as yet You can
see why he did not wish to give his
own name, Maritz, on account of the
association. 1t was better for you to
know nothing, and you need have no
resentment if he was not entirely
frank. The mission was not his own,
but mine, though If he succeeded he
was to be made my private secretary,
with such salary as to keep himself
and wife, if he chose to take one
Miss Warren, for instance-in luxury.
Now you understand what hung upon
success, for him, and you must see
that he would not easily fail me. r.
you are hiding anything because you
think you haven't been treated
fairly"
Christopher broke in with protest;
but the position was now becoming
worse than uncomfortable. He was
at his wits end, and in his desperation
would have told the millionaire to
send for the police and have him
searched, If he chose, when a loud
clang at the gate bell cut him short.
Keep everybody QUIT" cried Maritz.
What if it is your nephew himself"
exclaimed Christopher.
Then let him in" amended the
master of the house: and an instant
later the small gate at the side of the
great ones was opened to admit Van
Cortlandt- Maritz, with Miss Warren.
"Hurrah, uncle!" cried the young
man. I'VE hired a motor and came
on like lightning after the rescue. Poor
old Jacobs was drugged on his way
to get the diamond, it seems; and
who but the notorious Tom Ashley did
the trick and disguised himself SO well
I think even you wouldn't have de-
tected the fraud-so well he was eN-
actly like Jacobs photographs which
you showed me and got the parcel.
But he's caught, and his three con-
federates; and the diamonds in his
overcoat This girl is the trump told