Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-09-28

word of honor that you didn't turn this
trick"
Betty laughed, staccato. But II I
say didf"
Quoin shrugged. '1That would end
my interest"
"And If it turns out didn't-ehr
"Then may be able to tell you some
thing to your advantage"
Betty sat up sharply. you mean
you know where my necklace isl"
Ibid you smuggle lit" Quoin counr
ter-questioned.
| A note Of unimpeachable candor In.
formed the woman's voice. II give
you my word Of honor did not. know |
nothing about 1t. Beyond the fact that |
1 myself placed a genuine necklace In |
that case, and saw a paste necklace
come out of it"
"There!" Mrs. Beggarstaff exclaimed
with look Of triumph at Trait.
The face of this last suddenly as
sumed most unbecoming brick-red
hue. "That's all very well" he
grumbled, land I'm not doubling Betty
little bit; but" he stammered and
gulped, "but tell you now can't be-
lieve it of Tad, and as for Lydia" He
made an exasperated gesture. "Quoin's
crazy-that's all!
whats this?" Betty put in quickly.
Tad and Lydia" She waited an in
slant, her color waning. what have
they to do with my necklace?
"I'n tell you," said QuOin gently.
"Craven gave his daughter your neck.
lace, hidden in a Chinese puzzle box, to
bring through the customs, counting ON
her exemption, as an alien, from rigid
inspection"
Mrs. Merrilees rose from her chair.
staring fxedly at Quoin. "You know
this to be fact?"
II saw it in Miss Craven's posses
: sion. The rest is inference from con-
tributory circumstances"
! The detective endured her stare
without flinching; though the color OF
q his dark face deepened and his breath
: came trace more quickly. Convinced
q at length of his sincerity, she turned
: away, moved to a window, and stood
there with her back to the room, gaz-
ing thoughtfully out into the misty
chiaroscuro of the plaza.
1hdl . why VIC WdhtCO JOuA "VAO
you were on the level before we told
| you," Peter explained.
] II see," said the woman in gentler
voice. "Please tell me about it."
Every WELL" Quoin responded with
! the story, from his view and point, OF
Lydia's adventure in the fog. 1T was
your necklace in the box, the real thing.
beyond mistake" he concluded.
But" Betty argued, bewildered, II
don't see"
"Wait. I think I can make every
thing clear. When Southpaw shut the
box and gave it up, on my demand. !
watched him pretty closely, and saw
him slip a playing card In with the
necklace. After got outside opened
the box up on my own account, partly
to satisfy myself about the necklace
partly to have look at that card. II
was knave of diamonds"
:. Betty swung back from the window
= But what can that meant"
Its a question l think Craven car
Sc answer-if he will. Anyhow, we're saf(
70 in assuming the card was intended fol
s. him, and certainly it must have hat
=" some significance. That, If you'll per
ed NIT, establishes secret bond of I'm
m Outstanding between two known black
er legs and-Thaddeus Craven"
ng but why didn't you tell me this a
the timer"
he Because, very naturally, wasn't a
gh all sure you wanted to be told"
py IF you'll please explain"
ng "Quoin MEANS" Peter interrupted
lp- you've been such a consistent PEI
former, he hesitated to do anythin
or calculated to cramp your style, II thi
tn thing was what it looked like-a frame
he up between you and Tad to beat tn
es- customs"
lily But what right had you to jump q
any such conclusion?" Betty insisted
ed Because knew you knew real gem
a from false-and the necklace you ha
shown us that very morning was cour
ro- terfeit."
It'll 1T isn't possible!" Betty proteste
an holly. II saw 1t myself"
$50 did I and was interested enoug
on well, you'll recall asked to see theI
ce. in q strong light? You were so satii
fed you never looked twice. But wa
positive then that they We're false, an
40 even more positive later, when I sa'
the real collar in the puzzle box"
ng "Still don't understand"
my IF you remember, Craven took b
lrs time about fetching that box from ii
'ok purser. 1t was good ten minutes b.
r. fore he got back. He had time and
spare to open your despatch box an
3 substitute the counterfeit for the gen
ine-duplicate key you knew nothir
BIZ about, of course"
IN "Look here" Peter began excite
IN ly, then checked and turned sullen.
ny. "Welly" Mrs. Beggarstaff demande
all while Betty and Quoin obliged Il
OF young man by looking their curiosity
"Oh, ] don't like to say It," he mu
IT. tered unwillingly. you've made o.
ioy too strong a case against him as It
tty, and rye ALWAYS had . sneak,ng fon
a. 4 =