The Washington times., 1919-03-07
Man With X-Ray Eyes
THE sTRANGEsT STORY YOU EVER READ.
AnatOle, Who Is Trying to Dispose
of the Diamond, Gets a Shock
From Police Circular


making a little purchase. care
lessly mention a stone which I
mean to have set as a scarf pin.
Then, during the conversation.
when he has told me its exact value,
] will let him understand that Z
might be willing to part with Il,
and will offer to sell Il to him"
While pursuing this monOlOgus
he had reached q little shop where
jewels OF all kinds. watches OF All
sizes. clocks, and various articles
of gold and silver made an attrae-
tive display.
AS he crossed the threshold. the
jeweler. after pushing his speeta-
cleS upon his forehead and laying
on the counter q paper he was just
reading, came TO meet him with
outstretched hand
Monsieur AnatoIei" he cried,
cordially. what good wind blows
you here, after not seeing you for
so long?"
Because was very busy, Mon
sieur Coleman. was travelling
for my business house. But. thank
Heaven, I've at last become q Pa
risian again.
"And what can do for you to-
day?"
Just a trihe But he
interrupted himself. pointing to the
sheet of paper, you were busy7
Has the poetic tarantula stung you.
and were you writing verses?"
NO" replied the jeweler. laugh
ing, that is only q circular sent
out by the police, at which I was
glancing"
There is no criminal who does not
prick up his ears at this word
"Ah!" said AnatOle, Immediately
interested. land what is IL about
Nothing very interesting. IL in
forms US that in a murder commit
ted several years ago, = diamond.
bearing a special mark. had beer
stolen, and asks those OF Us into
whose hands il may have fallen TO
notify headquarters"
And" asked Zizi. in a tone OF
casual curiosity. what is this
mark"
two letters engraved upon the
lower facet have never
seen the stone" he added. "but
perhaps one OF my felloW-trades-
men may have been more fOEtu-
nate"
But. while the other was speak
ing. a sudden thought had entered
Anatole's mind. and, without going
so far as to imagine that. by an
extraordinary chance, the stone in
his pocketbook was the very one
for which the police were seeking
and that this, for lack OF others,
was the reason the comte seemed 70
value it so highly. il did not seem
TO him outside Of the domain OF
possibilities that. during Comte
d. Abazoli-Viscosa' life, there might
have been a murder followed BY
robbery.
As he remained thoughtful the
jeweier asked:
What can sell you today
Then he answered:
"Oh, / want to make friend
little gift an alarm
clock that won't be too expensive
Will you show me one?'
He had gradually approached the
counter on which, a few minutes
before. the jeweler had laid NJ
Clamart's circular and. while the
latter. with his back turned, was
taking a few alarm clocks from his
show window to bring him, he
adroitIy seized and nOiselessly
slipped It into the pocket OF his
coat
Here's one at six francs fifty.
guaranteed for five years. There's
nothing better at the price"
Il rely on yoU-there, like that
one in red copper. Wrap 1t for me
I'm going to do an errand and
will stop for it as I came back,
Very well"
Zizi left the shop. muttering to
himself:
six francs fifty? Not il I know
IL! Well see each other again for
the alarm clock. But" he added.
winking. thank you all the same
for the informationH'
Two minutes after. in a neigh
boring street, he took from MS
pocket the precious paper. p,
All" he mUrmured. here are the
additional details I needed-if I
had urged the point. the old rogue
would have been quite capable OF
suspecting something's it's bet
ter to get our information for our
selves"'
Then, glancing at the paper he
had unfOlded. he began to laugh as
he read the word standing out in
large characters is one corner. con
fdentiaL
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW