The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1920-02-26
Copyright by the Bobbs-Msrrill Compan,
CHAPTER xVII.-contlnued.
BY JANE BUNKER

Madame, If ZCZe diamonds are not
In my possession In two hours from
now, Monsieur Eugene will be arrest
ed and go to prison, and his stay zere
Will not be short, for ask to have ball
as re crime is great one-hxed at
one hundred sousand dollars and his
muzzer is unable to give 1t. Madame,
If you are her friend, you can save her
now. ! give you two hours In which
to bring me zoze diamonds"
And the diamonds lay on my table
beside him / had only to reach out
my hand and say, Here" and the mat
ter was settled. Yet something In me
Kept saying, No - no - no - you
mustn'tW
l said nothing and monsieur repeat
ed, IF in two hours zoze diamonds are
not in my hands will have her son ar
rested" and sat there looking at the
box and thinking that In two seconds
If / so willed 1.-THE diamonds would
be In his hands!
No--I dared not do 1t without at
least exacting some proyiso that
should prevent their use in the treaty
with MeXico-it would be treachery to
my country, cowardice. We had two
hours-we could do something In that
time-we'd not, the three Of us, give
up without struggle.
"WellT' he asked.
"But just what do you wish me to
do?' l asked, finding my tongue again
~ don't seem to be clear on It,"
II have been telling you" he showed
signs of Impotence. 81 wish you to
call upon her immedlately-she is ut
home, for my daughter is wis her"
he smiled at that, remembering how
he'd used Claire to checkmate Billy
and me the night before. Repeat zis
Interview Eat you have wis me-con-
vince her Eat i am ready to have her
son put under arrest'-he drew for
Wnrd to the edge of his chair ind con-
tinued In the tone of one addressing
a partner-"I assure you Eat when you
hsve communicate zis wis her, she
does one Of two sings: If she have al
ready confess to you she have re dia-
monds she release you instantly from
re obligation to keep her secret; and
II she have not already confessed all
to you, she does So-she is obliged to
DO so to protect herself-to ask ad-
vice Of a friend who comes to warn
Der"
BY this time / had perceived that
Bly one feasible line of action lay in
pretending to fall In with his plans,
thus gaining time in which to consult
Billy as well as Mrs. DelariO, and !
raid smoothly:
II appreciate the dellcacy with
which you have put the case to me
and relieved me of the necessity OF
talking to you about my friend-l
can't tell you how 1 appreciate it
and there stuck
What did mean to do?--tell hin
I'd go2 And II did, was to take the
diamonds or leave them behind in thu
bouse? At that instant of indeclsioI
sud perplexlty my eye lighted upon thu
Dote sent up by my recent mysterlou.
caller-the supposed detective. M!
counter-movel / drew 1t from the en-
gtart IN conversation.
81 appreciate II 80 much that trea
yuu with a corresponding confidence
Epd ask you to explain one or two III
tie matters so that / may avoid an.
difficulties that may arise while Tn
discussing the matter with Mrs. De
lArio."
"Wis pleasure@anysing-
well, this-I should like an expls
nation of this note"
/ put 1t in his hand.
He read 1t, frowned, turned It owe
to see If there were anything on tn
otber side and still frownlng said, "Zi
Dote7 know Messing OF EIs note.
And he read aloud" Mademoisell
Claire de Ravenol has disappeared
MY daughter has not disappcared-e1
cept so far she has disappeared ri
morning to Madame Delario's house."
His words and manner to my min
at once disposed of the hypOtl esis tina
the new man was monsieUr's accom-
plice; but / went on "The man VIII
sent this up-and whom ] saw
claimed to be detective In your en-
p!oy."
Monsieur gave a start. "a dete'
tive-in my emplOy-looks for m
daughter IMPOSSIBLE When do 20
receive zIs notef"
about two hours ago"
"A detective-two hours ago tell
you ] employ him TO seek for m
daughterl What does 1t meant
have employ no one to seek for m