The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-08-13
CHAPTER I.

parted the mhskcfN hetofe hin hnu
finally placed her upon a chair In
n corner OF the ball room that was
for tho moment comparatively free
from dancers.
Hurry. pleased" Her voice trem'
hled with anxiety and command.
see that no one leaves the hotel !"
Masters hurried away and soon
returned. figure IN mask and
domino beside him This Il Mr..
Douglas, tho house detective. Tell
him all you know"
Miss Allison arose eagerly. ~, n
my necklace" she painted, you
know the famous rope OF pearls
the heirloom OF the Alllnona1 II
Is gone stolen from my neck as |
when did YOU discover your
loss" Douglas was speaking In
cisively. but with certain defer
cnce-as was due the heiress OF
tho Allison estate. one minor asset
OF which was the magnificent All
son hotel where the mardl graB
was then being celebrated.
Il noticed they were gone" said
Masters. 'iust after We returned 10
the floor from an Ice"
you are positive YOU had thcm
when you went 10 the refreshment
pavilion9" The question came
from the detective.
II am positive" replied Miss Al
lison.
Remain here; say nothing 10
any one" Douglas worked his way
cxpertiy thru the swirllng throng.
Within his office IN five minutes
were assembled dozen dominoed
figures. They were plain-ciothes
men from police headquarters and
special officers detailed from tho
private agencies for the evening,
Douglas rapidly outlined the case
and the dozen detectives scattered
10 the entrances OF the hotel,
their domlnos and masks off. cool
IS and deliberately scrutinizing
each person who left. Within ten
minutes Night Captain OF Do.
tectives RoyAn from headquarters
arrived with three brace more OF
upper office men and within 20
minutes all that metropolitan POI
lice skill for the time being could
suggest had been done to take tho
Initial steps m the apprehension OF
the thief or thieves OF the 100000
rope Of Allison pearls.
Douglas. all points covered by
the regular and private detectives.
walked slowly back toward Miss
Allison and Masters. just before
he reached them a masked figure
in a plain black domino approach
ed him.
What's up. Jerry
Douglas stopped and eyed tho
other thru his mask silta You.
he asked. obviously
Yes. was watching Masters
and Miss Allison on their hurried
way across the floor. Something's
doing. What II it-the Allison
pearlsf notice she hasn't them
on"
Douglas paused before replying.
Then the futllity OF attempting 10
keep anything from Jack flanagan
OF all men when his suspicious had
been thus aroused. appealed to
him and he replied:
"Yss. Taken from her neck
while dancing. You may as well
p-int IL. IL may help"
Thanks" replied flanagan. dry.
ly. "Your permission Is very era.
clous. ! wouldn't have thought OF
printing Il otherwise. To himself.
as Douglas turned abruptly and sat
down again beside the couple. Ian.
agan unused: The pearl necklace
First time. too. It's been out OF the
safe deposit vaults since Mrs. Al.
llson died"
flanagan. star" police reporter
for the San Francisco Enquirer.
and amateur detective whose many
achievements during the past few
years had extended his fame out.
side OF the narrow bounds OF tho
world. haf been detail
cd 10 cover" the Mardi Gras ball
by his city editor. Sampson. In or.
der to be on the scene In the even,
OF Just such an occurrence as the
theft OF the Allison pearls. Vague
rumors had been given circulation
OF skilled Eastern crooks who had
drifted to the city for the pre-
Lanten festivities and the MardI
Graa ball ut the Allison--the cut
minatlon OF society's elaborate en-
tertainments.
flanagan ldled near the group oi
three. He was In no hurry. But
his black eyes we're swapping thru
his mask. II was a mystery that
appealed TO him. under the lights
OF brilliantly illuminated bal
room, with a thousand dancers In
cap and motley. with each guest ad
mitted only on card OF entrance
double stamped and double scanned
from the very neck of Constance
Allison. the famous rope OF Allison
pearls had vanished
A waltz had given way TO n two
step and the gay revelers we're now
squared for lancers Douglas
continued with his examination
The royal trumpeters we're takinS
their places on the dais to peal ou
the unmasking hour.
During the last two dances Lana
cams eyes had not left one particn
lar couple. The same couple were
now at the corner Of the set OF lane
ers nearest Miss Allison.
rs 1t coIncidence7" thought Ian
agan.
Douglas arose and hurried away
and flanagan slipped into the sea
he had vacated He began talkini
abruptly TO Miss Allison. but hi'
eyes never left the Louis XIV. gal
liant and the Musette who had thu
corner OF the lancers nearest e
him.
when did you last have You
necklace. Miss Allison?" The banc
had rrv shad out tho final chord IN