The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-07

LOAN scarcely looked at me as I
stepped into his office. "Balmy."
~ he said. with his hand on half
opened desk drawer, little Spearman,
of Loeb & LeVins house has just been
black lacked in Detroit and that
Swartzdcrp Star taken away from him.
1t looks like a Scar Parker job to me.
So go to it! Use Toosey Attrill and
remember it's the stone we want al
most as much as Scar himself Get
the data from Doyle" he snorted back
to me over his shoulder. It's typed
and ready for you. And the sooner
you hike it for Michigan the better"
Ten minutes later 1 had a carbon
copy of the Doyle report, Toosey on
the phone, and two berth reservations
an a night train for Detroit. And forty
minutes later I was aboard my sleeper,
quietly perusing a typewriter report
which 1 kept well hidden behind the
pages of an open 'Lady's own" Then
I sat idly studying the back of Toosey
Attri1Is ash-blond head eight seats
IN front of me. For when Toosey and
/ Travelled on a case, we always trav-
eled as strangers.
All Maiden Lane knew of the Swartz-
dorr Star. that pure white stone from
the Kimberley mines, which had been
cut double-rose by Van Dam, bought
by Bates the race horse king. passed
on TO a theatrical deni- mondaine, then
stolen and recovered and re-sold to a
Brazian coffee importer, who traded It
to Chilean diplomat, who in turn
hung 1t upon the throat Of a volcanic
little Spanish DANGER two weeks be-
fore the same lean little throat was
cut, almost from ear to ear. m quite
unsAvory San Francisco resort. 1t re
appeared a year later in Cairo, and went
northward again with the swallows to
glitter in the Grand, Sale at Monte
Carlo when 1t was carried off triumph
ant.y by a Russian prince. only to re
turn again to Amsterdam, where it
was re-cut and several carats lighter
in weight. once more found the waves
OF fate tossing 1t upon the shores OF
America.
An ex-governors wife, It also ap-
peared had snubbed the wife of a man
named Woodworth, who'd piled up
many millions in the automobile in
dustry, with war munitions as a side
issue. That was the step which started
things. 1t started sort OF warfare OF
display, a sort of duel of diamonds
until the motor king, catching an echo
of gossip as to the Swaftzdorp Star in
New York club. fought out the
stone, and ordered it delivered to his
wife in Detroit.
But 1t was not delivered. Before
Henry Spearman a carrier for tbs
Maiden Lane firm OF Loeb & Levin
could hand over the star and eighr
smaller diamonds to the Woodward
avenue jeweler, who was to noun
them in a gold and platinum tiara, h'
was black lacked in the streets of De
troft, presumably by one Scar Parker
alias English AIRY, and the nine dia-
monds were carried away. Spearman
found, still lay in Harper Hospita
with a cracked skull.
1 went to bed turning these thing
over In my mind. slept roundly, ros'
early, ana breakfasted before Toose!
was even out of her berth. Then, hav
ing inventoried tho car and found
nothing out of the way in any of m!
fellow travellers. 1 bought a morning
paper and went over it, heading b.
heading. to see what was happening il
the world.
It was then, and only then. that
became conscious OF the man acros
the aisle from me. He was a leal
man in clericals, with that priestl,
close and constant shaving. Present..
he leaned timorously across the aisle
II beg your pardon, madam" h
Quavered. but might 1 borrow you
newspaper for a minute or two?'
1 stopped to gather up the discarde
sheets. 1 was surprised. as / did 81
to see that the blue-jowled strange
had crossed the aisle and was some
what hesitatingly sitting down in tn
seat opposite ME.
u get off at Detroit" he announce
as though the movement were one c
Importance. DO you know that city
Il ought to. 1 was born there"
was fib of the first water; but I sal
1t without a quaver.
He sighed TT is my first visit" h
explained. yet am visiting your cit
for a very pleasant mission-to rea
the marriage service for my wife
cousin. A cousin named Sheppard.
approach 1t with a most unwelcom
task on my hands"
so you're cynic enough to thin
that of MARRIAGE" He raised a palli
hand in protest.
Its not the marriage" he correcte
1T is one Of those semi-barbaric fes
lures of the ceremony which have CON
down to us from our pagan ancestor
refer to the practise of ornamentin
the human body with precious stone
after the manner of the ancients"
why should that add to your tror
bles in this particular case?" I III