The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-08-25
The Allison Pearls"
BY EDWARD n. HuRLBUT
Copyright. psEst Newspaper Service

~~~~~~>~~e~~~~-~D~~~
know something about-this neck.
lace7"
And he produced another neck
lace--a duplicate OF the frat!
Tho gasp OF establishment that
followed was genuine and spon,
taneous. Carol. the woman and
the Whip settled perceptibly into
inflcxibiilty. Only Allison was un'
moved.
Vow. Alice" said flanagan.
erispiy. TIN the man who took
that necklace from your grip
and took {, before reputa bic
witness. Colonel Allison. II has
been In the hotel safe ever since.
You had nothing to do with the
second theft, any OF you. The
phony string OF pearls. manufac-
tured by tho deft Diokie. which
you returned 10 Miss Allison. hop
ing II would pass muster in the ex-
element long enough al least 10
let Carol get out, was stolen by
tho bell.hop. That one Ia your
string. Maggart Worth about
$3.50 OF anybody's money.
You. Alice Lamont. took the
necklace from Miss Allison. You
only had couple OF seconds. You
snapped the gold string and Carol.
who was to have slipped the
'phony necklace around her neck or
dropped II on the floor beside her,
didn't have time when either Mas.
tsfs or Winkeppner or Miss Cado-
gan got In the way and he was
afraid Of being seen. lie got the
necklace inside his domino all
I right. but II was minus one pearl
which you did not know. That
pearl had dropped off the cut end
Of the necklace and. quite by I'M
fortunate accident, squarely into
tho bulge at the neck OF Masters'
costume. as he leaned down. and
20 10 find \ resting place in his
blouse. where IL was finally found
by Leslie.
THE night that posed the other
tableau here. Masters. I dropped
an olive pit, and n you had exam.
ined your blouse when you remov-
ed II. you would have found an oil.
I've pit about where the pearl had
been originally
Now. Carroll" concluded Lana.
gan. suddenly swinging TO the
Chapple. you're known with your
kind as square. This man here is
under nasty cloud on account OF
that pearl In his blouse. The case
against you Is ironclad. want
you to say that there was nobody
in the thing but YOU three: you
can understand that. Alice Lamont
You're in love yourself. in love
with Chappie Carol. These two
women here are likewise In love.
with men who have been blackened
by this How about it,"
There was an instant OF electric
tension. Chappie Carol made an
involuntary movement forward.
half extending his hand. and then
halted abruptly. his eyes suddenly
hardening into defiance and denial.
The Lamont woman watched him.
mesmcrized. The Whip watched
them both. flanagan was embrac-
ing all three in his swift. sweeping
glances. He was beaten with Car.
roll; he realized that. He swung
decisiyely upon the woman.
How about II with you. Aiice7
How about these women"
The Lamont woman sank TO a
chair. She cried softly for a mo-
ment before arising to place her
hand on Carols arm.
GIVE II up. Chappie." she said, |
OroYnly' ,,.
tended his hand.
Hell. This gun has got the
case sewed up" he remarked. with
a quick return to his ready assur
ance. Its curtains for us. Sure.
you're In the clear. All right, |
Chief. snap 'em back on. I'm real
ly the one to take the jolt. The !
girl loves me. all right Same old
story. Went TO work for me on
that account"
There followed a pause and Ian
aEan spoke:
so long as DiclSie had the maid,
why didn't you take chance of
substituting them in the room?"
we thought OF that" Carol re-
sponded But It isn't my way OF
operating. It's just as easy in a
crowded ballroom and II you're
caught. you. of course, can say you
Just picked them from the floor.
But IL you're clever enough. you're
not caught-at least. not In getting
them" he added ruefully. It's
done pretty quickly Then again.
the maid told Dickie that they
were to be put back in the safe de-
posit vaults and only brought out
before the ball They were to be
returned after Il. she said, That
was on account OF the rumors in
the papers about the high class
Eastern crooks operating here. SO
we trailed around, spotting the
pearls early. and when that mixup /
came on the floor II was made to
order for us. The girl here indi.
eating Miss Cadogan. ut seemed to
me, was watching us. may have
been mistaken, but | didn't take
any chance with the 'phony string
Just then"
How about the pearl on your"
demanded Leslie
Carol answered, bitterly: zone
of those slips that happens once I'm
\ lifetime to every crook. The
pearls are attached singly. but In
In In, 80, H. iG.sI