Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-12-03
True
Detective Stories
TRIANGULAR FLAW

Lord Herbert Laurence Sheffield
belonged to the nobility as there
was about his nationality-and that
was apparent Immediately from bis
monocle and his spats. Every shop
keeper along the Via Shiaia In Naples
knew his lordship, and every one Of
them admitted that more repre-
sentative member Of the British aris-
t0cracy had never visited Italy.
Lord Herbert was not only lavish
with his money, but 1t was whispered
around the Grand Hotel di Napoli that
his daughter, Sylvia, soon was to be-
married to one of the richest men In
England.
Therefore when the English noble
man wandered into the establishment
Of the largest jeweler In Naples some
two months after his arrival In the
city and asked to be shown some dia-
mond necklaces, there was an immedi-
ate scurry to wait upon him. Finally
the proprietor himself requested Lord
Herbert to come into his private Of
fee while he took from the safe a
necklace valued at 100000 francs, the.
property of client who was In finan-
cial straits.
II would like to purchase something
to give my daughter for wedding.
present." explained the Englishman.
and the jeweler nodded, for the rumors
of the engagement had already reached
his ears. "I'm afraid, though" con-
tinued his lordship, shat this neck
lace is little more expensive than
can afford at the moment. / don't
doubt its value, but I'll have to have a.
little time to think 1t over"
Certainly" agreed the jeweler. II
will be pleased to hold 1t as long as
you wish and, should you desire to-
see and examine 1t again, ! will be
very glad to bring 1t to the hotel at
your convenience"
''That would be excellent" assented
the visitor, but l naturally do not
wish my daughter to know anything
about the transaction. The whole mat
ter is to be surprise to her."
A few days later, in response to-
Lord Sheffield's request, the jeweler
took the necklace to the Grand hotel
and found the Engiishman alone in
the room. After very careful ex-
animation of the diamonds terms were
agreed upon and Lord Sheffield had,
just produced his letter Of credit from
his wallet when girls voice was
heard In the corridor, just outside the
door.
my daughteri" exclaimed the Eng
| lishman. "She mustn't know any
thing about this" and he swept the
necklace and the wallet into the draw
er Of the desk before which he sat- A
moment later Sylvia Sheffield came In
and announced that her fathers tailor
had arrived and wished to see him at
once. Excusing himself with the state
ment that he would be back very
shortly, Lord Herbert left the ROOM
and his daughter followed him imme--
diately.
When half an hour had passed the
jeweler began to wonder what was de-
tanning his client, but he didn't worry
: In the least because his necklace and
his lordship's wallet were there In the
drawer of the desk, right under his
hand. The transaction involved too
much money to warrant any impa-
thence, SO 1t was not until two hours
had slipped by before the jeweler rang
for the hotel clerk and requested to
know what was detsining Lord Shelf
field.
"His lordship and Miss Sylvia left
the hotel nearly two hours ago." was
the reply. "They had received cable
gram from England"
Sensing that he had been robbed, the
jeweler tugged at the drawer of the
desk only to find that 1t was locked,
but moments examination Of the
next room sufficed to show that the
wall against which the desk was
placed had been pierced and that the
whole procedure had been a plot to
lift the necklace and make q quick
getaway.
Lvigi Bonf, one of the shrewdest
detectives in Naples, was Immediately
placed in charge of the case and tele-
graphed to Rome to have the pair ar
rested. Sheffield, anticipating such q
move, had planted two confederates IN
the capital, and by the time that the
police had found that their alibi was
ironclad the real criminals were well
on their way northward. Then fol.
lowed one Of the longest chases in
continental detective history.
Finally, after more than eight
months, he located them In London,
only to be met by the downright denial
Of the Englishman that he had ever
used the name of Sheffield or had ever
been in Naples. He accounted for his
possession Of number of unset dia-
monds by the statement that he had
bought them In the Argentine and ex-
hlbited bill Of sale covering the
gems.
To this Bonfi made no reply, but
whipped out jewelers. magnifying
glass and commenced to examine the
diamonds, one by one.
Then, before the Englishman knew
, what he was doing, he leaned forward