The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-10-16
CHAPTER xII-cOntinued.

IS
"N>thng doing" he sneered. ANY
crook iarng enough to steal those
pearls, once he had got his hands on
them, never would return them.
Pearls are too easily disposed of.
You've got to dig up better expla-
nation than that"
What did Mr.. CASTOR think? What
did he say when he found them
there?"
He had nothing 10 say. He was
50 tick!ed at finding them again that
he hustled with them right away to
the safe deposit vaults and did not
rest mtil he had them safely locked
M. He took both jewel eases with
him and made me 90 along with him
20 protect them"
Didn't You look at all for the secret
passageway told you about
Still dreaming about that are
you| SrOlfed German. mo, We didn't.
TN the way up to the Granddeck the
old man spoke about it and | told
him that in my opinion there was
nothing to it, After be recovered the
pearls he was too excited to think
about anything else. 1t seemed to
break him all mp. and took him back
to Ills hotel and left him there. He
said he pad some writing to do. and
That he would meet me at my Office
nj noon today"
How do you account for the re-
turn Of the pearls" | cried Desperate
IT, "Whats your theory about them?'
- haven't any" he replied. ITS
up to you to explain it Maybe by
the time come to see YOU tomorrow
you'll have thought up a 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 it was"
He walked away without answering
Back once more in my cell, 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 | could plainly see had all but
destroyed Germans faith in my hon
eSty. | must solve it if was to re-
tain him in aiding me to get free, YET
the whole thing seemed inexplicable
could hardly blame him for doubling
me. The great value of the pearl!
had been motive enough for their
theft. but what possible motive could
there have been for the thief return
ing them?
With q shock it came TO me, too
that the restoration of the pearls
practically upset the whole theory o
my defense. If | could have eStab
lished the fact of this theft, iur,
might be persuaded to believe my tall
of anonymous notes, mysterious whis
pers, and secret passageway b!
which the thief had gained access t
the apartment. hut without the mOtiv
of theft, my story, unsupported b.
witnesses and uncorrObOrated by 9th
or evidence, surely would be incred
lille of belief
| had Just one hope left Old Ruff
must find that secret passageway an
see whittier it led. That, with on
knowledge of the identity Of the telt
phone girl and the possibility of prov
ing Germans belief that Wick wa
an ex-cOnvict, seemed likely to he m
only salvation. Old Rufus must fin
that pasSageway, He must! He must
For hours l lay there racking m
brains over the unsOlvable problems
NV luncheon was brought in, but
waved it away untouched. Wearil
I wondered whether the recovery
the pearls had destroyed my aged re
atiye's faith in me, as it seemed
hnye destroyed Germans. coul
hardly blame him if he doubted N
after finding that my story Of the di
= appearance of the pearls was appa
emily untrue. In my brief experient
as prisoner l had learned all tC
we'll the bitter fact that once q ma
is discredited. hencefOrth no OF
trusts him. If Rufus CASTOR failt
me at this juncturj: did not see no
7 could possibly extricate myself Ii
Srathed from the web that unSeet
hands had so skillfully and ma
8 riously woven around me. The on
0 roy of comfort that ! could find an
r where in the whole situation was
i nv firm belief that though old Ruff
Z and German and the whole wOr
, doubted me. Barbara Bradf0rd--n
barbara, ventured to call her In
innermOst heart-wOuld continue
hplieye in me. She would he sure,
matter how much appearances we
e against me. that was telling Il
truth. Barbara and ] knew. Even
y she had not known that | could n
possibly have fred the shot that kill
le Miss Lutan. I was certain that s
still would have trusted me.
,. Thinking about Barbara recall
= that it was the day of her sisters We
T. ding. had one of the prison after
ants get me the evening papers to S
what they had to say about it.
was fearful lest some breath