The Pulaskian., 1920-07-22

 pearlO. once he had got his hands on then, never would return them. Pearls are too easily disposed of. You've got to dig up better expla- nation than that"
 What did Mir Gaston think7 What did he say when he found them there?"
 "He had nothing to say. He was so tickled at finding them again that he hustled with them right away to the safe deposit vaults and did not rest until he had them safely locked up. He took both jewel cases with him and made me go along with him to protect them"
 Didn't you look at all for the secret passageway I told you about?"
 'Stlh dreaming about that, are you?p ssoffed German. No, we didn't On the way up to the Granddeck the old man spoke about it and I told him that in my opinion there was nothing to it. After he recovered the pearls he was too excited to think about anything else. It seemed to break him all up, and took him back to his hotel and left him there. He said he had some writing to do, and that he would meet me at my office at noon today"
 How do you account for the re- turn of the pearls?" cried desperate iy. "What's your theory about them?"
 T haven't any," he replied. 'Its up to you to explain it. Maybe by the time I come to see you tomorrow you'll have thought up new yarn to spin."
 Please, please" called after him as he turned away, "do look tomor- row and see if that secret passage is not where I said 1t was"
 He walked away without answering. Back once more in my cell, I stretched myself despondently on my little iron cot, and closing my eyes, tried to concentrate my thoughts on an at tempt to solve this new mystery, which I could plainly see had all but destroyed Germans faith in my hon. esty. I must solve it if I was to re- thin him in aiding me to get free, yet the whole thing seemed inexplieable. l could hardly blame him for doabting me. The great value of the pearls had been motive enough for their theft. but what possible motive could there have been for the thief return ing them?
 With a shock 1t came to ne, too, that the restoration of the pearls practically upset the whole theory of my defense. If I could have estab- lished the fact of this theft a jury might be persuaded to believe my tale of anonymous notes, mysterious whis- pers, and a secret passageway by which the thief had gained access to the apartment, but without the motive of theft. my story, unsupported by witnesses and uncorreborated by oth- CT evidence, surely would be incred- ible of belief.
 had just one hope left. Old Rufus must find that secret passageway and see whither it led. That, with our knowledge of the identity of the tele- phone girl and the possibility of prov Ing Germans belief that Wick was an ex-convict; seemed likely to be my only salvation. Old Rufus must find that passageway. He mustl He must
 For hours I lay there racking my brains over the unsolvable problems. My luncheon was brought in. but l waved 1t away untouched. Wearily wondered whether the recovery of the pearls had destroyed my aged rel atives faith in me, as it seemed to have destroyed Germans. I could hardly blame him if he doubted me after finding that my story of the dis appearance of the pearls was appar- ently untrue In my brief experience as a prisoner had learned all too we'll the bitter fact that once a man is discredited, henceforth no one trusts him. If Rufus Gaston failed me at this juneture I did not see how could possibly extricate myself un- scathed from the web that unseeen hands had so skillfully and mali ciously woven around me. The only ray of comfort that I could find any where in the whole situation was in my firm pellet that though old Rufus and German and the whole world doubted me. Barbara Bradford-my Barbara. ventured to call her in my innermost heart-would continue to believe in ne. She would be sure, no matter how much appearances went against me. that I was telling the truth. Barbara and knew. Even If she had not known that I could no, possibly have fired the shot that killed Miss Lutan. I was certain that she still would have trusted me.
 Thinking about Barbara 1 ,ecalled that it was the day of her sisters we'd ding. had one of the prison attend ants get me the evening papers to see what they had to sAy about 1t. for was fearful lest some breath of