The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-08-15
''The Allison Pearls"
From Our Last Issue)
BY EDWARD II. HURLBUT
Copyright, Puget Newspaper Service.

Continued From Our Last Issue)
How do you account for the
jewel in your blouse?" asked Lam
agan of Masters.
Il do not account for it can
mott am thunderstruck.
"One explanation might be-" in
terrupted Leslie, curtly, that be-
fore he had a chance to slip the
necklace along to a confederate
one of the pearls worked off from
the cut end. It's simple enough.
Assuming he slipped it to the
Chappie. The Chappie was tangled
in the crush before he got out
some place to pass it to another
confederate and another pearl
worked off the string"
Possibly unused flanagan.
How were the pearls attached
Miss Allison?" he asked.
They were on a gold thread a
strong, fine thread"
WAS each pearl soldered OF
fastened individually to the
string?"
She hesitated moment and
glanced at flanagan with sudden
piteous appeal, as tho she glimpsed
in his remarks and from his atti-
tude some ray of hope. Il
couldn't exactly answer as to that
l never paid such close attention to
the necklace. Tonight was the first
time l had worn it. But the string
was compact; the pearls extending
solidly to the clasps"
"How long was the string?"
flanagan was still doing the ques-
| oning. Leslie was following him
i1tently.
Il should say IS or 20 inches. F"
at must have had some weight.
You were not conscious that it no
longer hung from your neck?"
II was not" replied Miss Alli-
son, helplessly. "But the excite
ment was so high, and so many
people jostled me in the crush, that
it was not until during a lull,
reached up absent-mindedly to run
the string thru my fingers, that
discovered that they no longer
hung from my neck.
But thought Mr.. Masters no
ticed 1t was gomez" Lanagan1s
voice was trifle sharp.
81 think l did call attention to
it; it may have been merely Miss
Allison's expression, when she
found the pearls gone-that was
my information" replied Masters
81 saw her tumble abeent-mind-
eddy at her corsage. l don't think
until I spoke the fact had really
come home to her that the neck
lace was gone"
do you think" flanagan asked
turning suddenly to Miss Cado-
gan, chat the gentleman in the
domino answers the general build
of the man who was Just in here
who was called Chappie Carroll
GAS to height, possibly; other
wise it would be difficult to say
she replied. 81 took notice of him
just now; but / wouldn't go so far
as to say anything else. He was
entirely masked"
flanagan dropped into a chair
beside Leslie. Suppose she and
Winkeppner go back on the floor
What do you think? Possibly she
can locate this couple. They are
worth looking up?"
81 think it's a bunk chance, >
replied Leslie, arising. i've got
two birds, each with a pearl, and
they've got to DO some pretty stiff
explaining. This lad will have tC
come along to headquarters with
the Chappie."
Masters stiffened. "You-would
arrest me?" he asked. ARREST me
on such evidence? I tell you, sir
I have absolutely no understand.
ing of how that pearl came on my
person. 1t is preposterous to &C
cuse me! Is not my reputation
worth anything? Is not the goot
name of my family any guaran
tee? Are we in Russia that mer
of standing, caught in the grip Of
accidental circumstances, are Il
be hailed away to a dungeon?
am not going to run away! Yot
can always find mel Locate the
balance of the necklace and ther
you will know my innocence
but until you find that do no
label me with this charged"
But the case-hardened Leslie
gave no sign that he had beef
touched by Masters appeal. Royal
returned. Leslie held brief
whispered conference with him.