The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-04-01

argue to myself as follows: Re dia-
monds are find by Madame Delario
and she say to herself: Probably some
body play a joke on me-zey are not
real, zeze jewels-zey are paste. Still,
zey may be worse somsesing even so,
and l will take zem to dealer ana
find OUT"
He paused to laugh and under cover
of it gave me look with his beady
eyes-which / fancy told him moth
ing.
snow zen, / ask myself where does
she take zem first? Probably to Tiff
fanny. have myself inquire zere, but
wisout result. And / realize l cannot
interview every dealer in re clty-also
it is not well for me to be seen too
much looking for zoze stones. Zerefore
l have insert re notice and receive
more zan fifty replies. All worseless
but one"
He produced a shabby scrap OF pa
per, saying twas veritable clue, ana
gave it to me to read.
II can give you name and address or
party offering seven large red stones
last Saturday. Address by letter only
Haskins, 1861 Third avenue, Box z"
81 see at once / have somesing OF
value. / have receive zis on Saturday
morning. But before Eat, have re-
ceived some uzzer letters"-he gave
little shrug to indicate that he referred
to the decoy letters he had received
from Billy and me-"and l sink have
not only re clue, but Eat l can obtain
re diamonds wisout to inquire OF zis
Haskins. SO I make my endeavor-as
you know-wis re result"
He stopped moment and saw he
was making an effort to keep down ms
mortifcation--and probably his hate
and l FASTENED to help him do both by
telling him cordially: "I'm really
awfully sorry, monsieur, but then
what else could / dor
"Ah, madame, it is no more to men
ton between u.s. he returned gallant
Ny. "But-you American ladies' SO
energetic /! One knows not how to take
your
81 suppose we are puzzling--to for
eigners."
"Puzzling! / have sink know some
sing of re ladies and Of re Americans,
since my wife is herself American, but
1 find since I am come to zis country
/ have much to learn. Oui" and he
gave me a little laugh. showing he
meant me to take this in a compli-
mentary way
"And now may tell you Eat have
re name and re address Of re one who
have zoze diamonds in his possession:
It is Mr.. Eugene Delario-ze young
son OF Madame Delario-who offers
or at least seeks to have valued
zoze diamonds last Saturday at deal
er's on Maiden Lane"
1t has always been mystery to me
that managed to control-or think
did-every facial expression that
might have shown him already knew
what he told me. But monsieur went
on, apparently not noticing anything
about me:
"You know re son of Madame De
lario ?-Monsieur Eugene?"
81 have never met him-no."
s'Well-it is of no consequence
know of certainty 1t is re son of Ma
dame DelariO who have shown zoze
diamonds last Saturday-and he don't
know zey are diamonds Ori! And
after / have zis information. argue
zis way: Since have her SO positive
denial, it is her son who have accident
ally discover zoze diamonds unknown
to her and he says nossingl You see?
All is now explained"
"But, monsieur, are you sure of this
man Haskins?" questioned. "Are you
sure he wasn't lying for the reward?-
that all he told you wasn't mere CO.
incidence?"
!'' he cried In tone Of disgust
and some contempt for me. "Coiuci-
dence! Madame, you must know Eat
when you find more zan sree cOinci-
dences in a case you have-circum-
stantial evidence! When you have suf-
ficient circumstantial evidence you
have-proof. And when you have re
proof of crime-you can act!"
He shot this off in fierce determin-
ed tone and 1 saw he was ready to
spring the mine under the Delarios,
mother and son. To gain time, ask
ed: "But are these condolences suffi-
cient?-are they evidence?"
"Bah!" he cried again. "Zey are
sufficient for any court" He leaned
little nearer to me and spoke in
more confidential way, as if he expect
ed me to agree with him. "Ze chain of
evidence is complete. Re same house
re house in which ZoZe diamonds are
known to go in Eat slipper; re son Of
re lady who owns Eat slipper; re date
on which zey are sh0wn-not before
zey have arrive in America, hut some
five days after; re seven stones. And
re man Haskins have even describe re
same box! Oui--Monsieur Eugene
does not take zoze diamonds out of Eat
box to show zem la small white box,
about re size"
Monsieur glanced over my table and
his eye fell on-the box with the dia-
monds!
about re size of zis," and he pick
ed it up.
My heart stopped beating. With
| tremendous effort raised my eyes
from it TO his face, just as he took hold
Of the elastic and snapped 1t.
hot Of o.