The Idaho recorder., 1921-11-25
True
Detective Stories
TRIANGULAR FLAW

Copyright by The Wheeler Syndicate, Inc
ITHERE was as little doubt that
i Lord Herbert Laurence Sheffield
belonged to the nobility as there
was about his nationality-and that
was apparent Immediately from his
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-
focracy had never visited Italy.
Lord Herbert was not only lavish
with bis money, but it 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 ia 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
flee while he took from the safe a
necklace valued at 10000 francs, the
property of client who was In finan-
| cial straits.
| Il would like to purchase something
to give my daughter for a 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-
dnued his lordship, that 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 it over"
| Certainly" agreed the jeweler. II
will be pleased to hold it as long as
you wish and, should you desire to
see and examine 1t again, will be
very glad to bring it 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 Shefiield's request, the jeweler
! took the necklace to the Grand hotel
and found the Englishman 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 a girls voice was
heard in the corridor, just outside the
| door.
MY daughter !" 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 al
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 toe
much money to warrant any impa
tence, so it was not until two hours
had slipped by before the jeweler rang
for the hotel clerk and requested tc
know what was OBTAINING 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 tuggeG at the drawer of the
desk only TO find that it was locked
| but a moments examination of the
next room sufficed to show that the
wall against which the desk wa.
placed had been pierced and that the
whole procedure had been plot te
lift the necklace and make a quicl
getaway.
Lvigi Bonfi, one of the shrewdesi
detectives in Naples, was Immediately
piuNNu III Shai SC VI Tic case anu lele
graphed TO Rome to have the pair ar
Vested. Sheffield, anticipating such
move, had planted two confederates ir
-he 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 denia1
of the Englishman that he had even
used the name OF Sheffield or had even
been in Naples. He accounted for his
possession of a number of unset dIa
monds by the statement that he had
bought them in the Argentine and ex
hibited a bill of sale covering the
gems.
To this Bonf made no reply, but
whipped out jewelers. magnifyins
glass and 20