Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-26
TheNight
BY HENRY N. Nicely
Copyright
The Frank A. Munsey Co.
BY HENRY N. Nicely
The Frank A. Munsey Co.

"She Is an able little craft, and
after each trip 10 q port she put out
again with two or three compact boxes
slowed away under the flooring in her
sinking hold. where nobody would
ever think to look for them. and she
loafed away TO u little coral island
nestled in the midst OF the numberless
Bahamas. and there. while the nets
were. Out. the old skipper bid the
Jewels,
"ln that way we soon had every.
thing out OF reach of the European
authorities. and bad begun to breathe
more easily when | started to ask my
self why should share this fortune
with the men who were associated
with ne.
"To be sure, they had gathered all
thief. determined To lie all thief, and
so Qhietly, one by one. arranged
those little fatal accidents about which
spoke TO You They were all emil
nenlly successful, and became, With
the skipper and his crew. owner Of
the entire vast sum.
"a Year or 50 ago It became nee.
essary for US TO Gct our hands on
ready cash
II had no intention Of risliL. he
sale VI such noted jewels IN the open
market, f1 IS fet me impress this on
you thel" is tot thinker IN TIE
whole col ctan mat ls 10. Wor'1.
famous aud worth sau ind plndt It
fortune. So hit upon the idea Of
findinL such an Isolated place as this
Goliorsakcn rock, kidnapping an IS.
pert diamond cutter and. getting "A
good aviator TO go into partner ship
with me Tor 20 long MS needed him.
you see. had no fear Of such
associations, because had learned to
dissolve my partnerships without the
AID Of the courts.
Il had known Mr. Provan year.
ago in Cincinnati He was a retired
jeweltr who had amassed comtorta.
bic fortune, and who had worked his
way through all oi the grade. OF his
business. and quit with the reputation
OF being the best damondcutter and
the shrewdest Judge OF jewels in The
country,
We'll fixed up fairy story that
got him here aud he has bern a prjs-
oner ever since. A couple ot months
ago his health began 10 fail, and saw
that homesckness for his daughter
was doing it, and that the only way 10
save him was 10 bring the girl here
and let her share his exile.
That's what | did with deCoy let
tiers made each one think the other
was a partner Of mine in this busuea.
and | saw to it that they were never
left alone together; and In that way
things were working out smoothly
when you arrived
"Provan fixed up the jewels with
unusual care, thinking that II he didn't
his daughter would land in jail
Then Casserta would fly over at
night, hide the jewels In that contrap
ton that all OF you fellows thought
was an invention Of his. and would
fly back to the field md deliver the
stun to Miss Ogden, who disposed u
II in various cities to which she man
aged to be sent by her magazine,
Say, old man, I've helped YOU anC
Miss Provan. Keep an eye out fol
Miss Ogden, and do what YOU can FOL
her--will you? ri communicate viii
her as soon as il looks safe.
when we 20 back to the hut II
give you papers containing all Of tn,
facts about every jewel that We hay,
handled. Some are gone -- cut art
disposed of for ready cash But the
big ones are still there.
II know you wouldn't touch a cen
as crooked as this; but I'm glad tha
this little stunt will be worth you
while, anyhow. for there are enough
rewards offered for the recovery o
this stuff to make you almost a mil
HoHdlTel Nlluuut lhe N"lht VI 'u'll'
You'll open your eyes when yo,
see that list. There is the great cluS
ter OF diamonds known AZ the Ploiade
that we got from the M2haraja Of .
Kharpooiah, the famous Cawnpu
twin stones, each as hig as and NOR,
valuable than the kohinoor, the Duli'
of Ashton's matchIcss string of pearls
the clustered crown from Tibet yo,
know, the one that almost caused
war-apd 80 on down the line.
my boy, the world has never seel
a collection OF gems to match this bed
and you will take it away with yo
today.
1t Seems. u shams. bat after al N