Fair play., 1920-01-03
CHAPTER xII.--Continued.

but I didn't mean to let him see /
thought so. Without waiting for any
more compliments finished. "You see,
you'd discovered you couldn't get in
while was in, so if you wished to get
, IN. you had to come while was out
and gave you the chance. Perfectly
SIMPLE"
"a mere decoy--such as anybody
might use" Billy tossed at him.
81 hope you're conyinced--it was
'mere decoy," said I, pointing to the let
fer In his hand.
'fYcn have convinced me-" he re-
piled bitterly, looking at his hand
cuffs "Permit me TO congratulate you,
madame. You are re first person-man
or wou1an-in Europe or America
vUho has caught De Ravenol in a trap.
Madame, you are clever-you are
braye--you are so sagacious intel
ask you, what are you going to do wis
,meY'
IT wasn't so much what he said as
the way he said It that drove a sud-
-ieu chill through my bones. I'd been
sis,iing myself that for several min
utes; but as monsieur put it. it was
well--like pulling up fishing line
when you think you've got bite and
finding you've got piece Of forest in
tow. I had to say something, however,
and this was the thing that seemed
called for:
"Give you up to the police"
Monsieur rose unsteadily to his feet
and holding out his manacled hands to
me-and he was really impressive in
sioppy--he slowly uttered: Madame,
before you call in re police, have
Somesing of great importance to your
self to communicate"
He paused I nodded.
"ZOSE DIAMONDS WHICH HAVE
BEEN STOLEN BELONG TO re EN-,
pEROR OF GERMANY"
With those words monsieur actually
eurned the tables on US! 1t was at
Once his statement of our mistake and
our misfortune. Billy says he "saw
~warships carving Atlantic waves"
saw an army with banners. And be-
hind MI fhcir immediate significance
stood an ronclad background that
spelled It, ormination. A minute be-
fore we led been dealing with man
now We ~ &c dealing with power.
am free 10 admit that neither Billy
nor l dO1jhreG the truth Of the state
nent once 1t was uttered-there was
an atmosphere about monsieur and his
smaxacled hands that carried convic
yrioD; ard while many details were still
UDcxp'aiu,I, his statement did explain
the diamonds. Which was the main
Ching. for I'd always said they never
'nplongpd to any hu' crowned head
There are some things in this world
much roo large for private parties tC
carry she responsibility of. And 50
completely was I captured by an ade
9uately explained ownership that | was
almost ready to pull the diamonds
from their hiding place at the bottom
Of the sdeboard drawer and send then
4pack--per monsieur-to the Emperor
William with my compliments, wher
Billy burst out, where's your proof?
In n way that struck me as irreverent
not TO say rude.
Monsieur repressed sneer and re
niied that certain proofs would b,
forthcoming at the proper moment
and that meanwhile, throwing himSel
upon our mercy and to illuminate tn
mistake we'd made, he would tell u
severything-and would start with tn
legend Of the so precious stones.
Once upon time. about the four
steenth century, or so, there lived II
one of the states comprising the nov
aJnited Fatherland, very powerful
grand duke or kinglet, with two grow
5s1ns and in another neiGhboring prov
nee the size of Greater New Yor
ived another very powerful duke, VIII
I,Oas1ed a beautiful daughter.
Chose were the days when war wa
cheaper than peace. But since a wa
between these two kinglets would il
F,vItably lead to the total eXtermins
t..oa Of both parties and leave nothln
tso show for their prowess but heap
Of fire-scorched stones and few hal
seitted pea:sants-whO had no right I
oe alive. anyway-these wise kinglet
r.efhought them that by uniting thei
xsoRcee-and incidentally a son and
aaughter-they could together conqut
The surrounding territory for as muc
ax ten square miles.
Now. Oscar. the prospective brld
g7uuas, was busily engaged in dr'
natic border war with pOwerf'
tsachy the size Of Nantucket, SO thel
xzaa nAught for It but to dispatch ii
handsome younger brother. Fritz.
.yljSht his brothers troth by proxy.
sThe dates were set, and all seeme
1soying along Its appointed cours
Ehen post-haste comes a trusty me
xenger and delivers himself Of Il
snle ne has ridden all day to bring
s.sb.s Nscar has been smitten thronl