Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-03-04

he removed his hat and motioned me
to precede him along the hall.
MADAME, ask sousand pardons,"
he began suavely. "Unfortunate-or
razzer, unforeseen circumstances, rem
dered zis intrusion necessary and I
feared If you closed re door-since
you had had interview wis your friend
Madame Delario you might perhaps be
tempted not to speak wis me-and a
delay to speak wis me might spoil all
our plans"
While he talked I felt my courage
come back, and in a voice I felt was
not obviously shaky, l replied: "Oh,
certainly. I understand. was ex.
pecting you."
Expecting me?' He seemed sur.
prised that I should be expecting him
at that time and asked why, at the
same time motioning me to take q
chair by my study table and showing
me he would sit in the other.
To gain time on my side, I went on:
Il fear you worried about Claire, when
she did not come. I should have tele.
phoned you, but my telephone seems
to be out of order"
l had a malicious pleasure in re.
minding him that he was the one to
suffer for it and frown passed over
his face, but was gone in an instant as
he said: 1T Is of no consequence"
and then plunged into the matter at
hand.
"While wait for re lift to pass
down just now, sink recognize ze
voice Of Madame Delario. She is here
a moment since, is she not?"
"Yes-she was here"
He paused as if in hopes that ]
would tell him what she had come for,
but l had taken quick stock Of the
situation and decided to let him do all
the talking.
"Zen she have probably told you Eat
I have seen her last eveningY
"Yes-she mentioned it, believe"
"Bien-zat helps me to explain
You see. feel it necessary to have
some words wis her after she have
talked wis you and before she can see
you and communicate her ideas wis
you. Hence I am oblige to put you to
some trouble-for which I ask one
sousand pardons-in order Eat I &C.
complish it. Zerefore-I arrange II
Eat leave my daughter to entertain
you and Mr.. Rivers while make q
brief call on Madame Delario and see
what she have to say for herself about
zoze diamonds. And for zis reason
When I see you last evening, am in
positive command Of information Eat
proves her to have re diamonds"
fear gave start at this informa.
ton, for he threw himself back with q
self-satisied smile as much as to say,
Il thought that would astonish you,"
and drew cardcase from his pocket,
removing a clipping torn from the
Personals" in the Herald and point.
ing to one notice, marked with pencil
on the margin.
I read it:
Large reward for name Of person
recently offering special set Of matched
stones. State number and color. Box
~, Herald Omce."
returned it to him without com.
ment-I tried to appear ignorant OF
what it might mean.
II have insert it sree times" he
went on smugly. II do so because ]
argue to myself as follows: Re dia'
monds are find by Madame Delario
and she say to herself: Probably some.
body play Joke on me-zey are moi
real, zeze jewels-zey are paste. Still
zey may be worse somsesing even so
and will take zem to a dealer and
find OUT"
he paused to laugh and under cover
OF it gave me a look with his beady
eyes-which fancy told him moth
ing.
."Now zen, ask myself where does
she take zem first? Probably to Tiff.
fany. I have myself inquire zere, but
wisout result. And I realize cannot
interview every dealer in re city-also
1t Is not we'll for me to be seen toe
much looking for zoze stones. Zerefore
have insert re notice aud receive
more zah fifty replies. All wCrseles:
but one" ~.
He produced shabby scrap Of pa
per, saying it was veritable clue. ant
gave it to me to read.
II can give you name and address Of
party offering seven large red stones
last Saturday. Address by letter only
Haskins, 1851 Third avenue, Box z"
II see at once I have somesing Of
value. I have receive zis on Saturday
morning. But before Eat, have re
ceived some uzzer letters''-he gave 8
little shrug to indicate that he referred
to the decoy letters he had received
from Billy and me-"and I sink have
not only re clue, but Eat can obtair
re diamonds wisout to inquire Of zis
Haskins., So I make my endeavor-as
you know-wis re result
He stopped a moment and I saw hi
was making an effort to keep down hi
northumberland probably his hate
and I FASTENED to help him do both BY