The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1916-01-27
The
Diamond
Cross
A Case Requiring
Delicate Handling
By JOHN Y. LARNED

hidden. | laid my hat and overcoat on
"a chair beside me. u waiter presented
me with menu, and | gave my order.
While was waiting a man came In
and took seat at d table near by. He
was fashionably dressed. but there
was something in his physiognomy
that | did not like. His clothes seem
ed too good for his breeding, | pre-
sumo / noticed him especially because
| had nothing else to look ut. he being
the only person near me.
After being served and having eat
en- arose to depart. Taking up my
overcoat | heard something drop on
the floor. Surprising some article had
fallen from one of the pockets Of the
coat ! stopped to see what 1t might be.
1t was a Russian leather box, some
thing like a glove box, though much
smaller. Taking 1t up, pressed
spring with my thumb. raised the COW
er and revealed gold cross set with
FIVE diamonds. each as large as a pea.
When raised my eyes from the box
they rested on the man have mention
ed sitting near me. He was regarding
me with a curious expression. He had
seen me pick up the box. open 1t and
the look of surprise on my face when
! saw what 1t contained.
An explanation of my find occurred
to me at once. Some lady had been
Iunching at the table l had used and
while doing so had laid the jewel box
ON the chair beside her. She had gone
away having forgotten that she had
placed 1t there She may have laid it
down while eating or when she took
out her portemonnaie to pay the bill
While was wondering and DELHI
Grating what to do with my find the
man who was watching me arose from
his table and approached me.
III trouble you for that, sir" he
said. referring to the box.
is it yours" | asked.
NO. but have been employed by
the owner to find it. am a detective,
A lady has been robbed of it. Her
maid left her at the same time. | have
been shadowing the maid and expected
TO find her today and hoped 10 arrest
her. She has doubtless been here and
left the box by mistake"
This story did not hang together. A
lady's maid would not likely be lunch
ing at a swell Fifth avenue restau-
rant with valuable property she had
stolen and surely would not have for
1 gotten it. woman who was used to
such surroundings and possessions
might have done so. My opinion was
that the man who claimed to be de-
tective was bent on getting the find
into his possession in order to get away
with it. However, this was only a
supposition Of mine. and since l was
found with property that he claimed
had been stelen did not like the pros
pect of becoming involved IN GRIM
inal matter. ! concluded TO temporize
with him.
Il think" | said, that | had better
turn it in to the proprietor of the res
taurant."
you had better turn it in TO me, .
he replied. regarding me sternly.
Suppose ! refuse?"
"ln that case shall consider 1t my
duty to run you In"
Tall lltu ten INV hdppGuCu ~
find the property"
"And prove IL you can that you have
not stolen it"
WINGED. The fellow seemed to b'
bad one, and he might make me 1
lot Of trouble. ! was wondering wha
had better do when a lady. fashion
ably dressed. came hurrying up to me
looking as II something unusual ha(
occurred. II struck me at once tina
she was the owner OF the property. ant
| was not mistaken.
Il left box on that chair" she said
pointing. Have you seen it,
looked at the detective as much a
, TO say: is this your lady's maid? Sh
, looks for all the world like the lad,
herself" Ignoring me in his reply, h
5 addressed himself to the young lady.
This gentleman has found what 20
left. l am detective and have bee
6 employed to trace this property whic
6 has been stolen. don't know VIII
you are or how you came into its pos
session. The owner desires to &c
: back her jewel. and II 1t is placed
my hands ! will return 1t and no que'
lions win be asked; If not ! shall
e obliged to arrest you and you viii hav
!, to prove your innocence"
I The lady seemed very much tou
bled. She looked from the speaker I
me and back from me TO the speaker.
my friend" | said to him. there
0 a question to be decided concernin
: the ownership of this find. This youn
woman is evidently a lady. and al
e a gentleman. We both shrink froI
appearing in a police court Let U
find some way by which we can settl
the matter among ourselves.
what do you proposeT' he asked.
a knew by this reply that my SUI
picions Of him were correct He wa
no detective. but one of those we
dressed crooks who frequent place
where they hope to find well TO do vi
Tins At the same time he migl
= make it very unpleasant for both Ii
:; lady and myself. From this time
e became war Of wits between US.
Cn~ts,,.,.I - ve.o. fc,.v