Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-22

brook gurgled and danced.
Eyes, bird" he said as he sat
down, In front of me on a collapsible
camp stool of steel and canvas.
Sometimes called the whisky-jack
or the venison heron or the moose
bird or several other names ] love
to study Gods innocent little feathered
creatures. And a place like 'Miramar'
gives them such splendid harborage.
Somewhere through the, thicker cover
here you may run across a Hungarian
pheasant or two brought over my
self for Mrs. Obden- Belpont"
The sound of that name seemed to
cause him to lapse into silence. After
a minute or two he turned to me.
Who did it," he abruptly demand
ed. .
Did WHAT" asked. Carried of
that De Medici ring?"
The handsome old face grew sud-
denly furrowed. Then there have
been two thefts:" he said.
IL thought you knew that. Are any
features of the secret being withheld
from me-" l asked him as l outlined
to him what had already been told me
of the case.
mo: that's all we know positively.
And | wasn't told of the second theft.
That makes things more serious"
Tell me about Gwendolyn De
Haven" ventured.
impossible" he said with the ut
most decision.
Then Miss Blanchan?" l continued.
Again he shook his head.
Then how about Benchley?"
He smiled almost commiseratively.
IT'S quite clear you don't know the
redoubtable Benchley as-as we've
come to know him. 1t would be a bit
absurd to sacrifice a forty -four-year
record for honesty. life slate of abso-
Lutte integrity for 5000 or $500
trinket."
That's what I've felt all along"
agreed And at the same time that's
why it has impressed me as an inside
job. It's really the sort of snatch
petty sneak thieving that a weakling
or n mental defective might be guilty
Of"
Mrs. Obden- Belpont has no weak
lings in her retinue" he proclaimed
That's what I've been at consider
able pains to verify" acknowledged
Then that takes us back to the
guests. after ALL" he said with a
chuckle.
But what is there to work on
there?"
1--WE been wondering about young
Ealand." he ventured in a hesitating
sort Of way Hasn't it struck you
hat ho' hal r cd look ing and
ill-at-ease?'
Then he looked at me out of the cor
ner OF his shrewd old eye. How well
do you know him."
II don't think know him at all"
finally acknowledged. Then I turned
and asked point blank: DO you think
he stole those jewels"
Il am sorry to have to say it," he
muttered without looking at me. but
know of something he has stolen"
WHAT | demanded. But Rear
Admiral Ferris didn't answer that
question. Instead. he caught up his
field glasses and leveled them through
the sun-filtering LEAKAGE.
Not long afterward as I returned
across the glowing green terrace |
saw under the, cool shadow of the
carriage entrance a big plum -colored
sedan ornamented by two human
caryatids in plum colored uniforms.
One of these figures suddenly circled
the car and swung open the plum
colored door. At the same moment
Mrs. Oben- Belpont herself stepped out
to the sedan. She stopped short as
she caught sight of me.
you haven't succeeded very well.
have you:" she remarked. Her tone
was very quiet. 1t made me think OF
a knife blade buried in rose leaves.
"Why notr" / asked.
Because a diamond barpin, | hnd.
has just been stolen from my daugh-
ter's ROOM" quietly retorted that
magisterial figure. And the plum
colored factotum swung shut the
plum coolred door and left me staring
rather emptily after that glistening
eQuipage as II wove its purring way
out along the winding gravel drive.
About the third jewel robbery at
"Miramar.' I found, there was little
that was novel and still less that was
known. The night brought nothing
new nor did the morning. "Miramar.
in fact. was preoccupied with n bigger
movement than the one which had
..,~ tOhhlc-