The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-04-22

| ed DIT gSCernly. Il can take you "
your father now--ft isn't possible"
She obeyed like the sick child she
was and then the bell rang and there
stood Billy and Mrs. Delario-Billy
white and woebegone. Mrs. Delario
white and distracted.
shes here" 1 whispered, pointing
in the direction of the study.
Billy stood on no ceremony-he
swept both of us aside and romped
through the hall and heard one glad
cry, Claire" and found him on his
knees by the divan.
Ny only comment was a maiden
auntie smile that went over his head
or under his feet, perhaps, for he
was in too lofty a state at having
found her to notice such trivial details
as that he found her. in my flat.
/ Later he drew me to one side while
Claire and Mrs. Delario were bubbling
together and told me: "Say-I think
I've made Mrs. d. understand about
those things-I simply had tot was
getting too serious for everybody. But
one funny thing-nothing ], can say
can shake her that our foreign friend
is thief-says she sees it too plain
ly and she can't be mistaken"
I'm afraid she's right" whispered
back. "The Great Unknown was here
this morning-he says the diamonds
belong to an American millionaire
| Things were happening that day ex-
actly like a story-book plot-before
could get out another word of explana-
| ton thesbell rang and the Great I'm
known came in! was too much as
tonished at having him pop up in an
swer to my speaking his name to keep
him out, and he reached the room and
saw the object of his search reclining
on the divan with Mrs. Delario sitting
beside her.
"Well-you've found yourself, see"
he said pleasantly to Claire after nod
ding casually to Mrs. Delario and Bill
ly. I've been hunting you all day and
now, If you'll be so good as to tell me
where your father isl have business
of great Importance to him.
y don't know where he is!' Claire
cried, and then appealing to me, she
blurted out: "But you do. Oh, tell him
and let him save papa
Tableaui
The cat was out of the bag! Every
body looked at everybody and the
Great Unknown snapped his eyes and
said, "Ah!' staring very hard at me.
San accomplice y And he gave the
word a horrid twist as he said it, and
felt I was proving it by my cheeks.
"Say-look here! Accomplish in
what?" Billy demanded fiercely.
"Accomplice in what? In the great
est diamond robbery of modern times"
he replied imperturbably
He sketched the story rapidly: An
| impecunious Indian rajah visiting
Paris owned the stones and through
De Ravenol, an impecunious nobleman
and ex-diplomat who'd run through his
own money and his wife's dowry, sold
them to Pittsburgh millionaire.
name not mentioned-who intended
them as gift worthy himself and a
certain lady of the operate stage The
stones were so badly cut that De Raw
enol induced his friend to send them
to Antwerp for recruiting by Van Rou-
ten. On the day Of their return they
mysteriously disappeared, as did also
one of the rajah's retinue, who knew
about the stones and had himself
taken them to Antwerp. Suspicion
/ fell upon him and the case was put in
to the hands of the Great Unknown.
| sit is true" said Mrs. Delario earn
estly, "every word of it. l see it,
hear it, know it. we must give back
the diamonds at once"
Her eve" gave us away completely
I saw the detectives eyes jump, but he
said suavely, IT shall be thankful for
your cooperation in recovering the
stones particularly if we can keen
the matter quiet. You see, there is the
wife in Pittsburgh"
"I'm sorry-very sorry to hear that
| 1t isn't right" Mrs. Delario interrupt
ed.
The Unknown shrugged. IF the gen.
tleman can be induced by you ladies
| to make voluntary restitution the case
| will be dropped. And merely for his
daughters sake"
He broke off and looked at Claire
kindly and inquiringly. / took the
hint and asked:
evil you promise me that if 7 sue.
coed in getting him to return the dia-
monds the case will be dropped?'
"Gladly. / have explicit instructions
on that head"