The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-03-19
DIAMOND
u Jane Bunker
ospyrs's!rss neahs'hard0oo

and allow me to explain.
We couldn't very well refuse him
that-particularly as we didn't kno"
what TO do with him anywaySrso we
helped him to a chair and when weo
set him in it, l took my turn to re-
mark severely: There's not mucn TO
explain. You were caught in the act
of breaking and entering my fiat-you
NAV make your explanations to the po-
lice. Wen have them here IN nve
minutes" That was a fine shot on my
part, l felt.
Monsieur's face proved it. Ma
dame :" he cried. "Ze police-nO! Fol
YOUR own sake-fOr re avoidance OF re
scandal. Madame. you totally misun-
derstand re so strange situation
ut certainly is" commented Billy.
lin which l am place. But l IAN
explain all-everysing-why l am
here. I have re absolute proof Eat
madame has zee jewels of my
daughter-which do not belong to ma
dame-in her apartment"
Billy and l couldn't help smiling at
this and monsieur seemed astOnished.
I sneered. "Indeed?' in the way that
always set hin on edge.
"Oui-yes-madane. ! have re
proof in your own words"
/ gave him another 'Indeed?" in the
same tone. This was the moment had
been waiting for. | slipped a paper
out from under Il pile on the table
the carbon coDy of the decoy letter.
IS that it?" ! s~,veetly asked, show
:r" il 30 him. "Yee-J thought 80
, And is this it, tOo?" / handed
him the copy Of the decoy letter sup
posed to be from Mrs. DelariO to him
self. After that l said: REALLY, mon
sieur," in an amused tone, and Billy
waved his hand toward the typewriter
and informed him blandly, Home
made cake. Written here last evening
just before l had the pleasure OF max
ing your acquaintance on the stairs.
Mailed by me after | saw you to your
hotel"
The Door man looked from one to
the other OF us-and actually l did feel
sorry for him He Stammered: Il
cannot underestimate recognize re
writing of Madame DelariO-' He
was silent a moment and then light
seemed suddenly to break on him and
he launched an ultimatum of accuSa-
tion at me: eff madame did not have
re stOnes-if she has not seen re
StoneS-how could she refer to Zem?
How could she have composed ZiS-tO
deceive me?" He nodded in q way that
said: Nov answer that-if you can"
| had expected some such question
and I was ready. That's too simple"
| assured him. You remember you
accused me of stealing jewels from
your daughter; therefore l knew what
you were after"
"But zis word sgum-drOps'-it refers
most evidently to unset jewels"
"Oh, l put that in" Billy inter
rupted. at doesn't mean anything but
what you make it mean. Seer" He
spoke in a tone that said you're Civ
ing yourself away"
Monsieur ignored him and looked at
me as if expecting Inc to continue my
explanation.
1.-The hyacinths," l went On-they
lay, a draggled bunch on the floor.
you overlooked them in your search
it was the one thing you did not open,
that bunch, so / knew you'd remember
If when / called your attention to 1t.
You see, monsieur" l added, 81 knew
you would remember the n thing
you'd OverlOoked"-he bowed and q
faint smile fitted across his face at
the compliment l was paying his in
telligence-"and come back to investi-
gate-if you had the chance. l gave
you the chance, that was ALL"
But how do you know Eat / can
come back SO easily as zat?" he asked.
partly puzzled and partly to draw mo
out.
you had q pass-key to the fiat-you
opened the door with it the other night
and / stood behind it while you were
working at the chain-bOlt. ! saw your
hand"
"And you said nossing-y0u do not
scream when you e q man try to get
into your apartment In re middle of re
night" he interrupted. his tone a mix
ture of %incredulity and-I hope I'll be
forgiven the apparent conceit-ad-
miration for my bravery.
SWhv shOnld I sav anvthin1-0P
scream? ! knew you couldn't get In.
40 what was there to be scared 0verf'
He smiled then for the first time and
said: Madame. you are q brave
woman"
Which I thought I was-c0nsideFinS;
but l didn't mean to let him see I
thought 20. Without waiting for any
1900 -~--as->-x~ A>k~AAA RW>-~AA