Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-31
The Mystery of the Red Flame

the scheme away. 1t was kept bidder
until the Dom Pedro dockcd at this
side" p"
Even then. | suggested. "it could
not have been Gone except with the
connivance of some one ON the boat.
Boy" said Bromley Barnes, beam
ing on me. you're positively brilliant
this morning. 1t may please you to
know that your supposition hits the
nail precisely on the head"
nodded.
You were saying" prompted.
that you found the expressman who
! carted the trunks from the wharf"
| Yves. and he said that when he was
about half block from the wharf one
of the officers " the Dom Pedro came
running after him and told him that
he was to leave the thirteenth trunk at
n house on Clark street. He obcyed
the order. of course, and left the trunk
at the address indicated. That trunk
contained the Red Diamond"
There was an impressive silence
after which | asked Barnes if he had
gone to the Clark street house
| II did he answered, "and found
that my bird had flown. 1t is an ordi-
nary rooming house, and the bit of
baggage was delivered to n Mr. Mar
shall who had rented the room the week
before and who left Immediately after
the trunk was delivered. 1t goes with.
out saving that the name was an as.
sumed one. | tried to get descrip-
tion of the strange ,odger and the best
could learn was that he was n smooth
faced man and wore light gray suit. "
jumped to my feet in my excite
mcnt
"A man answering that description, -
| cried, has been lurking about Hedge
water House ever since | came here"
"Qnite likely agreed the old man,
but let me finish my story. The next
thing | did was to take the expressman
down to the Dom Pedro. I explained
him to line up all of the ships COM
pany. He did so, and my expressman
promptly walked over TO John johnson.
the steward of the ship. and said that
he was the man who told him to de-
liver the trunk to the Clark street ad
dress. Johnson couldn't deny the soft
impeachment, but he tried to explain
it away by saying that he was acting
under instructions from some member
of the Spanish Embassy. | wanted to
know which member it was and he
couldn't tell me. His story was so
palpably false that / took him into
custody and he is now in prison, await
ing a hearing before the United States
commissioner.
But what is the charge against him
that is what legal charge can you
make?'
II dunno" was the cheerful re-
sponse. I've just taken Il chance in
the hope of digging up something def
uite before he is given Il formal hear
ing. I'm satisfied that he is q crook,
but I've got to prove it,
This is interesting" commented.
You bet it is. Now I've got to
leave you. | wanted to get your story
at first hand and I've told you mine,
because it may help you in your future
operations. I'm going back to town
to round up the dealers in diamonds and
precious stones. And, in the meantime,
I'll keep you posted of anything which
occurs
But this Johnson: haven you tried
TO get him to confess?'
Tried ~ cried the old man with
snort of disgust. "If there is any
thing we haven't tried it is because it is
other country.
We've given him the third degree in
about thirty three different forms and
all he does is to look at US and say moth
ing. He won't talk, and that's all
there is about it..
But, you're going to hold him as long
as the law allows?'
Longer-something may turn up at
any moment to loosen his tongue
''Gou-you want me to stay at
Hedgewater House?" | ventured.
Want you !" he cried. why. man
alive, you We got to stay there -
By this time he was on his feet and
preparing to leave the Inn. We
separated at the door. lie went in the
direction of the station while | headed
for Hedgewater House. He waved his
hand at me and gave me a parting shot
Hugh = he cried.
! We'll" i answered.
If you don't bring the bacon you
needn't come home," were his final
words.
| | thought that over as | trudged to =
ward the house of mystery. ! was truly
in dilemma. If failed TO recover the
diamond my prestige at the Custom
House would be lost. If did it might
involve Dora Wharton in serious trouble.
How would it all end?
My mind reverted to the silent
steward in the station house. He was
the Sphinx whose lips / was expected
to unlock. Could ] do it? How was il
to be done?
One thing was clear. If there was
II conspiracy in the smuggling of the
Red Diamond, this man johnson was
the first, if not the most important, link
i'm the chain