Evening star., 1918-01-20

the Harcourt diamonds Mr.. smithson
set him on the job. He worked all
day, took the case home with him and
brought it back the next morning,
finished.
Il had never seen a job done SO well
or so quickly" concluded Mr.. Smith
son.
But how did he manage at home?
You surely did not let him take the
diamonds home with him?"
Bless you." cried Mr.. smithson
briskly. "he never saw the diamonds
and never will"
Then how did he make the case to
fit them?"
I'VE had model-the old case"
'Have you got it still?"
"Yes. I think it is somewhere about
Excuse me for moment"
He returned with a rubbed and faded
jewel case covered with what once had
been dark-green morocco.
That was our model, Mr.. Beck. You
see in the raised center a place for the
II see," said Mr.. Beck. Then. after a
pause: You can let me have this old
case. SUPPOSE"
Certainly. Mr.. Ophir's instructions
are sufficient"
by the way Mr.. smithson." he said.
carelessly. did Dir. Mulligan-I think
you said that was his name-say any
In1nE ABOUT opnlf.
well. now, Mr.. Beck: now that you
mention 1t, he did. When he first came
he asked me If I did not do work for
Mr.. Ophir, and he seemed anxious about
1t. l thought. He was very strong In
his praise Of Mr.. Ophir. He said he
thought he could get recommendation
from him if I wanted it. but I didn't.
His work was recommendation enough
for me-"
Mr.. Beck put the case in his coat
4 ar1 tn 6nnr
He paused on the threshold.
Good day. Mr.. Smithson." said Mr..
Beck. '"Mr. Mulligan did not turn up
in the afternoon. I suppose?"
Beck? He did not i gave him some
thing extra for the way the thing was
done. and I fear he may have been
indulging. Irishmen do sometimes. you
know. Mr. Beck. But he is coming
back in the morning. l promised him
double wages. He will be here at s
o'clock tomorrow. I can give you his
address if you want him meanwhile"
THANKS. l fear it would not be of
much use to me. | fancy T will find
him when l want him. perhaps before
you do Good-day again. Mr. smith
SON BY the way. ] would not advise
YOU to count too securely on Mr.. Mui-
ligan's return tomorrow morning.
Mr. Beck had dismissed his hanson
when he entered Mr.. Smithsons. He
was only a few streets from the Strand
and he now walked very slowly in that
direction.
"IIe must help whether he likes it or
not 1t won't he the first time he has
given me lift, though never before
in such big thing as this. by George
he is a clever one. What a success ne
would be if he had joined our profess
sion. though I suppose he thinks he
is better off as he is. If he helps me
to unravel this business I'll take care
he gets his share of the credit.
MIR Beck laughed to himself as if he
had made good joke, and stopped
abruptly as he glanced at a church
clock.
-Four o'clock" he muttered. How
fast the day has gone by! Four is his
hour and l have no time to lose. sup
pose I'll find him at the old spot; and
he set off at a double-qulck pace, five
miles an hour at least. in the direction
of Simpsons restaurant in the Strand.
There he was to meet NJ Grabeau. at
the time the cieverest and most popular
drawing room entertainer in London.
He was a marvellous mimic ana ven
triloauist. a auick-change artist. but.
above all. a conjuror. He could maneu-
yer a pack of cards like skilled gam
bier. In the construction and manu-
facture of mechanical tricks and toys
he was possessed of skill and in
genuity almost beyond belief.
Mr.. Beck had met NJ. Grabean at some
of those social functions where the in
PRODUCTION of a detective. either as a
footman or a musician, Is thought q
ance between them had ripened into
companionship IL not friendship. Mr..
Beck's profession had an intense at
traction for the Frenchman.
Naturally, when Mr.. Beck became
tangled over the vanishing diamond
puzzle. he was anxious to consult his
friend, M. Grabeau.
II hope he's here" said Mr. Beck to
himself, as he entered Simpsons restau-
rant.
One look relieved his mind on that