South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-16

Jacques in petty dishonesties. / sus-
pected him Immediately 1t occurred
10 me Of once that the diamond
might have dropped out pr the trous-
ers when he was hanging them up
this afternoon. He would realize
what a big prize il was and know
YOU would offer a reward. That
would make it easy for him. Through
confederate he would get the prize
offered and rest perfectly free am
easy about being caught. OF course.
he would never think Of trying 10
dispose OF the stone itself. Here. put
your arm under his back Poe
broke of, he'll breathe better.
yes. go on" cried Armstrong.
This afternoon, here, what have
YOU been doing? How did YOU get
hold OF the diamond
II had you call up Jacques and
tell him 10 prepare dinner an hour
earlier. 50 ne would have no time in
which 10 leave the rooms and pass
the stone 10 some crooked friend or
confederate Then l slipped In and
surprised him standing a6stractedly
by the kitchen sink
HE was looking at the diamond.
II guessed that in a minute, for
though his back was turned TO me.
saw that he was twisting the object
! in his hand around and around. 70
catch the light from the window on
/ the l2S facets, Of course. Then j
walked in loudly TO make my pres
ence known and see what he would
/ do. In his surprise at being caught
/ red handed he had presence of mind
enough TO drop the stone into the
I cracked ice before him. where IT
would be safely hidden among the
| sparkling crystals. I saw him make
quick movement as | stepped IN,
and easily guessed that was it
He recovered from the shock Of
/ seeing me rather nicely and adrOitly
/ threw a scoop full OF ice on top of
/ the heap already in the pan. l knew
| in an instant he did that 10 make
sure of covering the diamond, though
/ / could not have made il out
I in the ice, anyway That's all. Just
\ 10 amuse him and keep him away
/ from the kitchen till you came l
/ pretended I wanted him 70 search
/ the floor and the moulding in here.
/ He made several breaks 10 get 70 the
/ kitchen and put the diamond in "A
/ more secure place, fearing something
would happen, but I stopped him
each time Then you came in.
got TO the ice first and kept Jacques
away by covering ii with my body.
1 had judged the location of the dia -
mond in the heap of ice as we'll as !
could and allowed for melting, so
when 1 took two scoopfuls out OF
the center OF the heap | figured that
or the other. IL happened TO be in
yours. which made it more interest
ing and spectacular. Jacques was
as greatly surprised as you, and I
confess 1 wasn't quite sure OF the
thing myself until the last two min
utes; your ice had mostly melted
and 1 saw that the diamond had
sunk TO the bottom. then you
drained off all but drop and left
/ the diamond. naturally mistaking il
for ice-not being accustomed to
diamonds in your drinks"
Il see, 1 see" Armstrong nodded
his head appreciately. 1T was
mighty shrewd OF you. I never had
such a shock in my life as I did
when I saw that stone come TO life
again like that. l was sure il was a
piece of ice" He paused and then
continued dejectedly: I've made a
fool of myself. To think that
doubted Ninon for an instant. But
1 haven't known her so very long
and she's so childlishly interested in
) gems. you know. and it did disap-
pear so utterly-off the face of the
earth, it seemed. But 1 didn't really
think for a second that she-only-'
Cheer up! You have your dia-
: mond back and you've found that