The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1920-12-16

| said Poe Some Of my baggage IS
marked with G. p. ana : knew that
wouldn't escape your sharp eyes.
| You've called me Hardy with rather
| elaborate exactness. thinking you mad
joke on me. / didn't miss II. nor did
| miss noticing your eagerness 10 nave
the Van Wendts join that wild party:
! saw you were Quick-handed. too.
when you spilled the sparks over Miss
Van Wendt. and nipped of the pIati-
mum wire with your little nail clippers.
| on which / found the nick made in
! cutting the chain. The hand IS quick
er than the eye. but not quicker than
| the imagination.
What the devil do you mean?" cried
Bowen, putting down his glass, and
turning with his back to the rail. DO
you accuse me of stealing the Duchess
Diamond"
Yes, and with attempting to SNUG
gle it into New York"
Where have got il concealed
them" cried Bowen, his hand sneak,
ing toward his hip-pocket.
"Oh. don't trouble to find that little
| pearlhandled gun. I've seen it bulg-
ing out beneath your coat before. Look
over there. DO you see that officer in
white and those three in blue?" Poe
pointed to a crowd of customs officers
who had just climbed up to the ships
deck from the doctors boat, and were
already coming toward them.
Bowen's expression changed to one
of terror
81 cabled a friend of mine in New
York to send customs-house officers on
board at quarantine, and take you be-
fore you succeeded in smuggling in the
Duchess Diamond"
But ! haven't got it; | never did
have it. You can't prove a thing"
cried Bowen excitedly, leaning threat
eningly toward Poe.
Poe turned. and signaled to the GUS
toms-house men, who hurried up. He
replied evenly to Bowen:
"Of course you haven't 1t now; but
! suspected your interest in those
thick-necked wine bottles. | noticed
the corks were unusually large, and
experimental with one in my room.
One of those corks would nicely con-
ceal big stone like the Duchess"
But | have thrown all the corks
away" cried Bowen desperately, as
the customs-house officers quietly sur
rounded him.
Yes, you just threw the one con-
tanning the stone into the water. and
your fishermen accCmplices have
picked it up by now and are making
for shore this minute. Look" He
put his hand on Bowen's shoulder, and
pointed toward the fishermen's boat,
making for shore. At that moment a
trim gray launch flying the police flag
leaped out from behind the stern of
the great ocean liner, and In a minute's
time overhauled the big dory with the
two dazed pseudo fishermen.
Bowen trembled as he saw the police
board the boat and search his accom-
plices. He saw them remove, after a
struggle, small object from the coat
pocket cf the larger fisherman. Then
Bowen turned to his captors, and, his
arms slack and limp. his lips quivering.
said, You've got me-" His shifting
eyes sought Poe's. But how the devil
did you know | planned to throw the
cork overheard right here at quaran-
tine?"
THAT was easy" smiled the banker.
as the officials in white slipped hand
| ffo
surprised you sending long code mes
sages questioned you about the boat,
ali found that you knew we slowed
down at quarantine. | felt that was
the most logical place for you to throw
over the little cork. Your fishermen
could row close while the doctor was
being picked up, and If you threw the
cork carefully it might land right in
the boat, or at least near enough so
it would float until they could pick il
up unseen because the crowd would be
watching the officials boarding on the
other side. That is all. | just took a
chance, same as you did when you
pulled off that carefully planned little
party of yours on the Grand canal"
On landing at the dock in New
York, Christopher Poe looked for his
friend Burns, anxious to clasp his
hand after the lengthy parting, and
thank him for his assistance in cap
turing Bowen.
Finding no trace of Burns, Poe went
to a telephone booth on the dock
board, and called his friends office.
Hello, that you. Poe?" came q
CHEEKY voice from the other end.
YES" exclaimed Poe. 81 missed
you at the dock. Couldn't you make
it?"
mo. Mitchell called me away just
half an hour before you were due
Everything all right?"
Yes. fine. They got him at quaran
tine all right. thanks to your long-dis
lance work"
ooh, that wasn't anything" an
swered Burns. But tell me, did you
get any rest at all on the trip? In
mighty glad you're back safe"
mo rest to speak. Of" said Poe
: quickly. Two or three other jobi
turned up. But | got a change, any
, way, and guess that's a rest. sweal
I'll never tackle another mystery. Thii
. chap Bowen turned on me, and callet
me an amateur detective In spite o.
all the care I've taken, I'm afraid In