Judsonia weekly advance., 1917-04-18
EIGHTH EPISODE
The Price He Paid.

room and closed the door behind him. The girl stood with her head just even with a port-hole, and the morning sun filled her beautiful blonde hair with streaks as of furnished gold.
 The Sphinx stood for moment lean ing with his back against the door, si- lently admiring the beautiful girl
 Nervously Kelly approached the task he had set for himself.
 "It's very embarrassing for me to do what duty compels." Then the Sphinx hesitated.
 AS if more deliberately to embarTass the detective, Pat stood silently gag Ing at him, her face radiant with smiles.
 'It's embarrassing" the Sphinx was repeating himself in his confusion. With an effort he finally blurted out: T must search your room for the stolen pearls"
 You surprise me, MT. Kelly" said Pat assuming an austere demeanor, while her eyes belied her manner in their wrinkles of mischief. "Whose pearls do you expect to find here ex- cept my own?"
 Mrs. Phillips, on the boat deck, has been robbed of a string of almost fab ulously precious pearls" said Kelly in apologetic explanation
 And you expect to find them around my neck?" said Pat.
 T must search everywhere there is nf fin or1 know. Miss Montez, that have reason to attribute almost any eseapade to you.''
 "This time, at all events, you are wrong" said Pat. But to satisfy you give full permission for you to search anywhere, even without possessing any warrant to do so."
 Really you are kind Miss Montez," was KeIlys remark as he began look ing about in places where the pearls might be hidden.
 "We will have your baggage care fully examined by the customs off, clals-and we may have all the pas sengers personally searched before they go ashore. But find the pearls I must-it would be a great advertise ment for me in America"
 Nothing would be a greater source of pleasure to me than to provide you with some good advertising-but as I have no method of doing that, may at least offer you a chocolate?" the girl replied, offering at the same time box of sweets to the great detective.
 "Thank you, Miss Montez-but I've just had breakfast" and the Sphinx resumed his search. Finally he came upon a bundle wrapped in blankets, lying in corner of the stateroom.
 "What's this?" said Kelly as he be- gan roughly disturbing the bundle. But he was halted by faint cry near a1 hand-and by Pats sharp com mand:
 Be careful, sir Don't be rough you have found one of the pearls, but not the entire necklace"
 with a merry laugh Pat flung aside the blanket disclosing the baby she had brought from the second cabin and in resentment of its rough treat ment, the baby began to cry.
 "See now what you have done, you bad old detective" said Pat. You don't know how to handle pearl when you find one," and the girl soothed the child. Kelly retreated toward the door of Pats stateroom.
 Excuse me for disturbing you-but I'll see you later," and with no little embarrassment the detective withdrew
 The news was flashed to the customs officials by wireless and when the ship halted at quarantine, several extra officials came on board and took charge of the investigation. Every stateroom was searched, but to no avail.
 The formalities of passing quaran- tine, the inspection of tickets and the examination of the passengers were completed. The steamship swept majestically up the North river to it's pier and just as the first passengers started to hurry down the gang-plank, orders were given that every person on board must be personally searched.
 Matrons at the customs office searched the women, and the men were similarity examined by the ships stewards and customs officials. But the lost pearls were not discovered.