Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-25
HREE times the knock sounded
on my door. Then came mo-
ments interval, and the knock


ments interval, and the knock
was repeated. j took no I'M
necessary chances when l unlocked
the door and opened it wide enough
to command view Of my visitor.
That visitor. ! found, wap not the
person i had expected. For standing
there ! saw a middle-aged woman in
the dove-gray uniform of the Order of
Deaconesses.
demanded. l could see the primly hel
mouth corner relax, the dropping
shoulders become more erect, and the
pensively inclined head with it's gray
drapsd hood suddenly thrown back.
This vas followed by a peal of laugh
ter as light as it was unexpected.
"Toosey Attrill!" gasped still star
ing at her.
The demure figure in gray settled
into one of my wicker club chairs
THE next moment she was busy FUN
bling under her dun draperies for
what ] strongly suspected to be u
Turkish cigarette.
II thought you'd hurried off to
catch night train for Chamboro,"
] said, as / closed the door and
locked it.
train slides out" she calmly explain
ed. And somebody's gotta wise me
up before l lose myself in the tall
timbers."
I'm the first place. Toosey," told
her, this ID more the Protective
Union than Alliance work. The dia-
mond business, as you're probably be-
ginning to learn. is one of the big
gest businesses in this country. Most
Of it centers around Maiden Lane.
That's headquarters for practically
all of the big brokers and dealers and
importers. Naturally, they have to
send their goods out-out on sale and
cut to customers. That's where the
diamond carrier comes in"
This man Oldershaw who's just
wired in his troubles to the Union, is
a traveller for the diamond house of
Oppenheim & Son. These big houses,
as I've said, have to have travellers.
They're trusted men, who've all been
tried out"
Toosey still seemed to be perplexed.
But what d'you spose would've
given this gink Oldershaw sudden
attack O. cold feet?" she inquired.
'"That's what the inspector Is sending
you out to Chamboro to find out. Older
shaw's got a hundred and ten thousand
dollars worth of unmounted stones with
him on this trip, and he has to be pro-
tected. Something has happaned to
make him suspicious. He wants help.
And Sloan thinks you're the right per-
son to take it to him."
Toosey ianguidly consulted her watch.
''Well, I'm not crazy about the job" she
announced. For my idea of excitement
amt stallin' as choich woiker in a
backwater town."
you're to send for me if you need
me-" told her. az l crossed to the door
and unlocked it.
unlocked that door more quickly
than l had intended. l flung it open,
startled by the discovery that some one
had been standing outside Of it. I step
ped into the hallway just in time to
eaten Slgnt OF ngufe vanishing lur-
lively about the first turn
Two hours later Inspector Sloan was
calling me up from the Alliance offices.
"Balmy" he said over the wire. ~
want you to catch the midnight train
e for Chamboro. A carrier for the Adel-
stein house named Brescher has swung
off his regular route to camp in that
town, and from Oldershaw's message
don't like the looks Of things there.
want you to get right after Toosey At
triH. Go to the Lantry House and re-
member that desk clerk there called
MacLean can act for US at pinch
Brescher matched string of pearls for
his house in Philadelphia and has the
goods with him. They're valued at
about ninety thousand. The office here
ISN'T altogether satisfied about Brescher
Get in touch with Toosey and act on
the. evidence you're able to pick up
That's clear. isn't it? Good night"
l..tried TO hold the wire, but my con-
motion was already cut off. scram-