Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-25

/ spent ten minutes in getting trace
of Toosey, who'd been quietly shadow
ing Brescher while he INDUCED In the
luxury of shave and haircut, and
dispatched her to ChamPoro's tele-
phone exchange to call up Oakville
and establish communication with
wilkins there. And ! engineered my
way down to the Lantry House Office
and made myself known to MacLean,
the desk clerk. knew he was on the
Alliance list, but I was in doubt as to
how far he might be trusted. His
smile, however, was broad one as
he motioned me back to the check
room where we could talk unobserved.
II guess you haven't made much
OF a hit with our friend Oldershaw,"
he surprised me by announcing.
Hes just telephoned to the city au-
thorities to see IL couple of police
men in plain clothes couldn't be sent
up to keep him company. And he's
sent a wire to the Alliance office COM
planning that he has good reason to
believe a woman crook is shadowing
him."
why should he think that?"
We'll. my own impression is that
that mans kind OF lost his nerve.
Our house safe is out of order, you
see, and he's had to sit up with a
quart or two of diamonds"
Perhaps" l ventured, he wants
those COPS" AS I made for the street
went straight to the jewelry store
OF Landon Brothers. There the
younger member of the firm proved
only too willing to vary the tedium
OF Watch-mending with something
more exciting. o. r..r
Oldershaw. I found, had placed a
small order with him, but had not de-
posted any sample trays in the firms
vault for safe keeping. He had spoken
of doing so over the telephone, it was
true, but he had called up later on and
explained that friend of his named
Brescher had found safe without
troubling them after hours.
This novel information rather took
my breath away. even though l tried
hard not to show it. For here, some
where, was still another lie. So l de-
murely asked for a list of Chamboro's
remaining jewelers., and, having OBJ
tanned that list. set out for a discreet
canvass of the same.
me second store l visited was kept
by one Max kishinger a sallow and
sharp-eyed man of about thirty. with
prematureiy bald head and an extreme
~ inhospitable manner. When I inno-
nQntlv n Nj.
look at something in garnet rings, he
sized me up with those circuitous Hes
ter street. eyes of his and announced
he wasn't doing any business that day.
Why not?" demanded, with a pout
of disappointment. a.
Because I'm busy taking stock" he
brusque1y informed me. g.
But you're still going to do business
here?" asked. with purely assumed
I can't sell you anything lady. this
morning." proclaimed the proprietor.
i stared Vacuously around, notwith-
standing the note of finality in the
mans voice. I wanted a clear-cut pic
ture of that establishment of his, for
something told me that some time in
the near future we might be meeting
again. Then 1 made my way back to
Main street. where I caught sight of
Toosey within a block of the Lantry
House. and she discreetly motioned
me under cover. '.' @-
THAT boob Wilkins is dead to the
world over there in Oakville, SO I've
been tai!in' Brescher around town." she
explained. And what's more. you've
just handed him the shock Of his
promlsin' young life"
"When?"
When you strolled into that kike
gem shop" she announced. "And I've
just followed that guy Oldershaw into
a drug store and lamped him buy
two-ounce bottle o. collodion."
I stopped short. For collodion, l
had long since learned. was a very
valuable asset to the busy workers
of the underworld. Both e-break-
ers and jewel thieves used it for var
nishing their fingers to avoid finger
print Identification.
"Then, here; Toosey, Is where we
get busy" l announced as we Cir
Cled back for the Lantry House. Once