The Washington times., 1919-02-25


PIucke seeking to borrow SIS 100000
on the royal jewels.
Burglars break the safe and are
seized with terror when DeloTms
springs out.
Ten voices cried in the same
breath:
"Stop theft"
The first to rush in pursuit IF
the criminals was the Hungarian
military attache, repeating:
stop thief"
In a second the whole street was
in a tumult. People gathered from
all sides. Police officers came On
4 run.
But the robbers were already Ia
away. Vainly was the whole quar-
ter ransacked. Probably an auto
mobile. stationed a short distance
off. had carried them swiftly away.
The victims of this extraordinary
robbery had nothing left eX4 SIT the
meagcr consolation of making a
formal complaint to the officer IN
charge of the police station in a
neighbOring street.
They went there.
On coming out the comte returned
home on foot; he lived too near, and
the weather was too fine that eve
ming to inflict upon Nam the
trouble of coming for him in the
middle of the night.
He did not grieye for his pearl
shirt studs, nor his gold cuff but
tons, which were imitation, nor the
ten bank bills in his pocketbOolC,
also cIeverIy initiated, but he did
think sCrrOwfully OF his ring.
It had become a sort of fetch.
The diamond was one OF those he
had found in the possession OF
Baron Plucke-Strohe; he had taken
a fancy TO il. though he could not
have explained why; So he had kept
it and had it mounted in a ring
which he had worn constantly ever
since.
Il will never part with it," he had
promised Juliette, until our we'd
ding day, then I'll put it on your
finEer:'
But he felt certain that the
robbers would bring il back to
him-the offer was too large
for them to hesitate, Besides
had they not suspected him
OF being a colleague? Did they
not know him-the fraternity Of
thieves is better informed than the
ooIice-and, while rejecting on all
this. he was trying to remember
exactly the last words uttered by
the Hercules, which had attracted
his attention.
suddenly he struck his forehead,
eNclaiminS:
Aha, That very stout man
isn't that the description of one OF
fhFAa
them-the second might very well
be his companion, a person OF aver
age size. But the third?
have it," he added instantly. ITS
Lady Durfcrton, the guide. IN the
Rue Nczelay she took the part OF
the groom: in the Rue Jadin she
locked the doors and opened the
windows for her aCCompliCes. And
il is for the purpose of pointing
out profitable enterprises that she
goes into fashionable society, pre-
tending TO be the wife of an officer.
That is the reason she directed the
conversation this evening TO the
NTaharaiah. No one could know bet
ter than she that his jewels did not
exist-and she made me pay for her
disappointment over my empty safe
by ieering at me. All. the jade-tf
only I can find her again" And 10
think that. one day, l had the i'm
prudence to receive her IN my home
To allow her TO obtain the plan OF
my apartment. She is very clever
as well as decidedly pretty-and,
certainly. l would never have sus-
pected. in spite of my shrewdneSs,
that Lady Dufferton, belonged to 4
band OF robbers"
When he returned home. he
walked Nam to tell him all that had
happened during the evening.
"IH-gOtteu gains never bring good
luck" replied the IIindoO seriously.
Il told YOU not to Keep that dia-
mOnd, Iiut the most intelligent
men have such weaknesses for the
vanities of this world As to your
suspicious regarding these three in
dividuaIs. do me the favor not to
speak of them to the police; let
them unraveI the matter them
selves. 1t is always imprudent to
put ones fingers between the tree
and the bark: there's only one thinS
10 expect getting pinched!
And the HindoO fell asleep again.