Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1920-06-16


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 a thief-says she sees ii too plain
ly and she can't be mistaken"
I'm afraid she's right" / whispered
back. 1.-THE Great Unknown was here
this mOrning-he says the diamonds
belong to an American millionaire"
Things were happening that day ex-
aetly like story-bOok plot-before ]
could get out another word of explana.
ton the bell rang and the Great Un-
known came ini / 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."
81 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"
Tableaul
The cat was out of the bagi Every.
body looked at everybody and the
Great Unknown snapped his eyes and
said, "Ah!" staring very hard at me.
"An accomplicew And he gave the
word horrid twist as he said it, and
/ felt l was proving it by my cheeks.
"Say-look here! Accomplish in
what?" Billy demanded fiercely.
Accomplish in what? In the great
est diamond robbery of modern times"
he replied imperturbably.
He sketched the story rapidly: An
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 a 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,
at is true" said Mrs DeIario earn
estly, 'every word of it. see i'll
hear It'll know it. We must give back
the diamonds at once"
Her Eve" gave'us away completely
saw the detectives eyes jump, but he
said suavely, 81 shall be thankful for
your cooperation in recovering the
stones-particularly if we can keep
the matter quiet. You see, there is the
wife In Pittsburgh"
''Pm sorry-very sorry to hear that.
1t isn't right" Mrs. Delario interrupts
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. l took the
hint and asked:
"Will you promise me that If 1 sue
coed in getting him to return the dia.
monds the case will be drOpped?"
GLADLY. / have explicit instructions
On that head"
"Billy, you go after him-but don't
let him know what he's wanted for"
Five minutes later he and Billy were
in the room. When monsieur saw the
Great Unknown he almost had fit
of Mysteries; when Claire saw her ia.
Their she did.
Snow. monsieur" said I coolly, when
he had done with his Mon Deus" and
"What does zis mean?" and a few
more EXPLANATIONS, "we'll help you out
of your difficulties if you'll confess the
truth. Did you steal those diamonds
from the Pittsburgh gentleman?"
Monsieur clasped his hands and
turned to me. st was re impulse Of
a moment-ze temptation of a single
instant" he walled. 81 have regret II
every hour-T am justly punish for my
sin. l take zem-I know not for wat
to make sport wis fate-and sink
to hide zoze jewels, to bring zem to
America-dispose of zem in Pittsburgh
where Messing dares be said about
gem because of re wife. am in one
little instant tempted and yield and
lose everysing. Mon Dieu."
asked the detective: "Are you sat.
isfied If he returns the diamonds
now?"
Certainly. It's all l ask"
/ motioned TO Billy and pointed to-
ward my table. Under that sheet OF
paper" said l.
Billy produced the blue box and
placed it in monsieur's hand.
Mon Dieuv" he calculated. "But,
madame, you have give me your WORD
of honaire Eat you do not find zese dia-
monds in your slipper you carry off"
"She didn't l found Them" cried
Mrs. Delario. "And when you ac-
c,,ced ma of rohhinp Claire I hadn't