Evening star., 1922-10-29

one event which would convince me
| beyond mistake that these Jewels
were yours"
the word together.
What" Justine and varick shot
THAT they should be stolen again"
"No-oh, no" She caught them in
both hands. I'VE need them now"
She slid the string over her head,
keeping a hand on it as If to safe
guard 1t.
| But Varick asked: What have you
in your mind?"
ERANCE. dropping into a carved
L chair of black oak. unconsciously
/ framed his old world face land
/ slender, tall body so that he looked
| like an ancient Arabian astrologer
about to prophesy. This is my
theory" he began. laying long fingers
on the dark chair arm. You remem-
Der the one man whom you noticed
the day>when you got off the trolley
car and. the taxi almost drove into
you. and two or three people seized
you and pulled you out?"
1.-The man." Justine said, with a
crooked nose and bad eyes?"
Yes. That man was undoubtedly
Crooky Magellan, the most eminent
jewel thief in the world. He was
known to be in New York Your
jewels were taken. probably, by a net
which had been spread for weeks
! The taxi driver was one of the gang;
! there was a member of it on the
trolley. and of the men who pulled
you from under the taxi, one was
! Magellan himself, and he knew how
| to get the pearls from your throat"
| Il saw that man with the crooked
nose and fierce eyes; I'd know that
| face. l. Her voice trailed.
( "What is it?" demanded France.
! II didn't know it,
"What do you mean. Justine? Have
you seen him again?''
Yes 1t was the man who came in
when I was leaving the pawnshop."
What France leaned forward
tensely. "A pawnshop? When?"
In as few words as might be Justine
told how she had bought the beada
Frances sensitive face was fire and
movement Listen. Mrs. Varick," he
said at length. This theory would
tie things together. Suppose that
Magellan. who is uncanny in devices.
should himself have left the pearls,
disguised by combining them with
paste jewels, at that pawnbroker's, as
hiding place"
He wouldn't dare protested
Varick.
mo safer place. argued France.
"Those pawnbrolers are sometimes
jewel experts; more often not Ma
gellan would knows his man.
year ago the police were hot on his
trail in New York. Then he disap-
peared. My theory is that he got
himself arrested on some minor
charge and was given a year in
prison. That, being unrecognized,
would be as safe a retreat as Ma
gellan could find. Likely he didn't
mean to get a year-he overshot.
Also, likely he was handicapped all
these years with your jewels and un-
able to get rid Of them. They were
conspicuous and he was conspicuous.
make no doubt he was saving them
| till a favorable time as a nest egg
for his retirement. These chaps lose
their grit after a while. and the wise
ones foresee it. Well. before his ar
rest. he may have left these stones
with the pawnbroker. who couldn't
sell them for twelve months. He meant
to be back to redeem them. but some-
thing delayed him. It's probable ne
came from day to day to watch the
! string. leaving it as long as might
be. Some Providence sent Mrs.
Varick just before one of his visits.
It would take him a minute to hnd
that woman had gotten the pearls.
If Mrs. Varick had turned back In re-
sponse to that shouting-it's likely
he knew her and followed her. But
If she'd turned back" France
! shrugged his shoulders.
varick shuddered. "Do you sup
pose he's trying, this minute to get
at me-to get them back?'
"That," said Mr. France. would be
the triumphant proof that they are
yours"
Good Lord" Varick burst forth,
| 1--WE don't want triumphant PROOF at
that price. Much as wed like the
pearls, ws'rs not keen about living
] AS hunted animals. ~