The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-07-08

= N
ns Wa. Known b Her % a Thief OF
International Fame.
Of International fame.
aYou were no match for Chester
Naismith. Do not look 80 glum. The
shrewdest police officers In Europe
have never been able to cope with
him. Why should you despair?"
He sprang to his feet. "By gad, he
hasn't got away with 1t yet" he
grated. II will run this scouhdrel down
If have to devote the remainder OF
my life to the task"
She sighed. "Alas, fear that /
shall have to tell you little more
about this wonderful man you know
as Sprouse. Six months ago the
friends and supporters Of the legiti-
mate successor to my country's throne
consummated a plan whereby the
crown Jewels and certain documents
Of state were surreptitiously removed
from the palace vaults. Instead Of de-
posting the treasure in Paris, it was
sent to this country in charge of a
group of men whose fealty could not
be questioned. The man you know as
Loeb is in reality my cousin. have
known him all my life. He is the
youngest brother Of the pretender to
| the throne, and cousin Of the prince
who is held prisoner by the AustrianS.
This prince has brother also, and it
was to him that was supposed to de,
| liver the Jewels. I travelled from New
York, but not alone as you may sus-
pect. I was carefully protected from:
the time I left my hotel there until
we'll until I arrived in Boston.
"While there / received setret
message from friends in Canada d.
recting me to 60 to Spanish Falls,
whore would be met and CON
Quoted by Prince Sebastian htnso.!
to the place called Green Fancy,
which was near the Canadian border
A safe escort would be provided foE
us, and we would be on British soil
within few hours after our meeting.
II is only necessary to add that whcE
I arrived at Green Fancy ] met PTin""
C@o---auG understood. I had careful
" covered MY tracks after leaving
Boston. My real friends were, an4
still are, completely in the darl. as 10
..rr m9ycments, so skilfu'ly was TIC
I.ick managed. '' 'i'''
"And now f5r Chester Naismith. j:
was he who. acting for the misGuidc:.
loyalists and recommended by certain
coun. Crst0crats who by virtue @;
th,ir :: "n diSsipa1icns had corlc -
know MIN as 4 man Of Infinite 70
sourcrfulncss and daring, planned and
carried out the pillaginS of the palace
vaults. Almost under the noses OF th2
foreign guards he succeeded in "h-
iairing the jewels. No doubt he could
have made eff with them at that tire.
hut he shrew,iy preferred, to hava
them brought 10 America hy some on"
( else. It would have been imrossih'a
/, for In, 20 dispose Of them i: Europe
i You sec how cuEnins he is?
sHe was no doubt thWartcd il 'Hs
, design to waylay me on the road fro3i
Spanish Falls by singular occurrence
IL this tavern. He was attacked in his
room here ovprnowered, bound and
gagged ny two men. He knew the
men. They were thieves as clever end
as mercless as himself. They TOO
were watching for me. do not snnW
/ how these men learned of my inter-
ton to come to Green Fancy"
! "They came to the Tavern four Oh
/ Eve days before your arrival al
Green Fancy" Barnes interrupted.
"Snrouse told me that they were Sc
l cret service men from abroad and that
he was working with them. My theory
is this, and / think it is justified by
events: The men were really secret
agents, sent here to watch the move
ments of the gang up there. They
came upon Sprouse and recognized
him. On the day mentioned they over
powered him and forced him to reveal
certain facts connected with affairs at
Green Fancy. Possibly he led them to
believe that you were one Of the con-
spirators. They waited for your ar
rival and then risked the hazardous
trip to Green Fancy. They were dis
covered and shot"
II believe you are right" she cried
"Then we have accounted for Mr.
Sprouse, and I am no longer interested
in the unraveling Of the mystery sur
rounding the deaths Of Room anc
Paul." said Barnes. "There Is nothing
to keep me here any longer, Miss Cam
eron. suggest that you allow me- tc
escort you at once to. your friends
wherever they"
She was opposed to this plan. While
there was still q chance that Sproust
might be apprehended in the neighbor
l. IL