The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-08-13
THE Allison Pearls"
CHAPTER
BY EDWARD H. HURLBUT
Copyright, Puget Newspaper Service.


Imply upon the arm of Sterret
Masters. while that tall individual
parted the maskers before him
and finally placed her upon a
chair in a corner of the ball room
that was for the moment compare
lively free from dancers.
Hurry, pleased" Her voice
trembled with anxiety and COM
mand. See that no one leaves
. the hotel!"
Masters hurried away and soon
returned. figure in mask and
domino beside him. This Is Mr..
Douglas, the house detective. Tell
him all you know"
Miss Allison arose eagerly. ct
is my necklace" she painted. "You
know the famous rope of pearls
the heirloom of the Allisons? 1t
is gone-stolen from my neck as
] danced!"
"When did you discover your
loss?" Douglas was speaking in
cisively, but with certain defer
ence--as was due the heiress OF
the Allison estate, one minor as
set of which was the magnificent
Allison hotel where the mardi
gras waS then being celebrated.
81 noticed they were gone said
Masters, lust after we returned
to the floor from an ice."
"You are positive you had them
when you went to the refreshment
pavilion" The question came
from the detective.
Il am positive" replied Miss
Allison.
Remain here; say nothing to
any one," Douglas worked his way
expertly thru the swirling throng.
Within his office in five minutes
were assembled dozen dominoed
figures. They were plain-clothes
men from police headquarters and
special officers detailed from the
private agencies for the evening.
Douglas rapidly outlined the case
and the dozen detectives scattered
to the entrances of the hotel,
their dominos and masks off;
coolly and deliberately scrutiniz-
ing each person who left. Within
ten minutes Night Captain OF De-
tectives Royan from headquarters
arrived with three brace more OF
upper office men and within 20
minutes all that metropolitan po-
lice skill for the time being could
suggest had been done to take the
initial steps in the apprehension
of the thief or thieves of the
500, 900 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 the ma masked figure
in q plain black domino approach
ed him.
sWhat's up, Jerry?"
Douglas stopped and eyed the
other thru his mack Sits. You,
Lanagan?" he asked, obviously.
Eyes. l was watching Masters
and Miss Allison on their hurried
way across the floor. Something's
doing. What is 1.-THE Allison
pearls? I notice she hasn't them
on"
Douglas paused before replying.
Then the futility of attempting to
keep anything from Jack flanagan
of all men when his suspicious had
been thus aroused, appealed to
him and he replied:
Eyes. Taken from her neck
while dancing. You may as we'll
print 1t. 1t may help
Thanks" replied flanagan, dry
ly. "Your permission is very gra-
cious. l wouldn't have thought of
printing it otherwise" To himself,
as Douglas turned abruptly and
sat down again beside the couple,
flanagan unused: 1.-THE pearl neck
lace! First time, too, it's been out
of the safe deposit vaults since
Mrs. Allison 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 outside of the narrow bounds
of the newspaper world, had been
detailed to "cover" the Mardi
Gras ball by his editor, Sampson,
in order to be on the scene In the
event OF just such an occurrence
as the theft of the Allison pearls.
Vague rumors had been given cir
culation of skilled Eastern crooks
who had drifted to the city for the
pre-Lenten festivities and the
Mardi Gras ball at the Allison
the elimination of society's elab-
crate entertainments.
flanagan id'ed near the group
Of three. He was in no hurry.
But his black eyes were swapping
thru his mask. 1t was mystery
that appealed to him; under the
lights of brilliantly illuminated
ball room, with a thousand dane
ers in cap and motley, with each
guest admitted only on card OF
entrance double stamped and dou-
BILE scanned, from the very neck
Of Constance Allison, the famous
rope OF Allison pearls had van
ished. A.
A waltz had given way to a
fwo-step and the gay jewellers were
now squared for lancers. Doug
las continued with his examina-
ton. The royal trumpeters were
taking their places on the dais'
TO peal out the unmasking hour.
During the last two dances Lam
agan's eyes had not left one par
ticular couple. The same couple
we're now at the corner OF the set
$1,000 ,~o~o.k nas.. JIfenn