Evening star., 1918-01-27
BY A HAlR'S BREADTH.

the duke. II left him in the billiard
room. He's SO quick and clear. and will
tell Mr.. Beck the whole story straight
out from the beginning"
Jewels, her volatile ladyship vanished.
Mr. Beck and the duke stood for q
few minutes together at the great DOW
windows. looking silently out over the
sylvan loveliness turned suddenly to
the detective with trouble in his eyes
No. said Mr.. Beck, in answer to
the unspoken appeal, Ellen Terry OF
Sarah Bernhardt could not act IKE TINS.
Your grace was right-the notion Is
grotesQue.
Mr.. Rose declared it wasn't my
gamekeeper." said the duke. because
you can never trust a case. he said.
that looks too plain Ny wife says
the same, because he's the sweetheart
of the girl, Lucy. she's so fond OF. But
Markham Is in prison for 1t. all the
same with a bullet-hole drilled through
his leg by Herbert's revolver. Herbert
is my brother, you know. But here
they are, and Herbert will give you
the facts at first hand as Tar as we
know them"
The duchess had brought back with
her a very striking looking man, re-
sembling the duke. but taller ana
handsomer. He carried his height with
soldierIy ease, for he had been In the
Life Guards The face Fnrsbsad was ,sank ana
framed with close, crisp curls OF Old
gold just fiicked with silver.
Now tell him the whole story" said
her grace. impetuously: Then, with
laconic military precision he set the
facts before the detective.
You have heard of the great South
ern Opal Mr.. Beck?
Mr.. Beck nodded.
1T has been an heirloom In our ram
ily since the days of Queen Elizabeth,
and is without match or rival in the
whole world, they say. Before my
brothers marriage the opal was KEPT
locked up in the strong room OF the
bank. But Ethel-her grace, 1 mean
naturally enough took a fancy to wear
1t. She had q safe set into the wall
OF her dressing room under the nang-
ings. There is but one key, which she
kept about her night and day"
grace and she put into Mr.. Becks
hand a small, slim. steel key with many
wards, which he examined curiously.
at happens" the Hon Herbert went
her grace's. / have exceptionally quick
ears. AS was dressing for dinner last
evening I thought heard the whisper
ing of voices in her grace's room. L
a moment before. Ny suspicious were
naturally aroused. I took revolver
from a drawer. slipped of my boots
and crept quietly. to her door. There
was no mistake about the voices. One
was a mans. l opened the door as
softly as could. The candles were
lighted. The man was standing with
his back to me. close to the corner
where as have learned. the safe is
set. The girl was facing the door. and
man bolted for the open window and
Ieaped out, twenty feet at least, to the
ground. I had a shot at him as he
wheeled around rhododendron bush.
Nd = n a
through the calf Of his leg. But while
l had rushed to the window tho woman
had fed through the door. l followed
to alarm the house. and met Ethel on
by the pistol shot.
"a burglar" she cried. oh. my
opalr I declare hadn't even thought
of the opal until that moment. We
safe was open and the key in the lock.
All the other Jewels. some Of great
value. were untouched. but the opal
was gone. There's the whole story for
you SO +, far !, as Is it >! .s known"
Turns out to be the dukes head
Markham. He came and gave himself
He wss Dssdns s se pHH sqs saa
not have the opal. of course. HIS
wound was dressed and then he was
packed OF to prison a
= AND the girl!
ooh! the girl was Lucy. my own
maid, Lucy broke in her grace. "She
came crying to me and told me all
about it. She is the best Of girls. She
was in my room. Mr.. Beck. when I
left yesterday, after she had dressed
me. The lights were lighted. and it
seems that Markham saw her at the
window and climbed in. But she
swears that neither of them even so
much as thought of the opal, and I
really do believe that"
May I see the dressing room?" in
quired Mr.. Beck.
Certainly"
And the girl. Lucy?"
II will have her sent to you at once"
Mr. Reck had barely time tn cast his