Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1922-01-26
True
Detective Stories
TRIANGULAR FLAW

THERE was as little doubt that
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 Shlaa in Naples
knew his lordship, and every one of
them admitted that more repre-
sentative member of the British ars-
tocracy had never visited Italy.
Lord Herbert was not only lavish
with his 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 jeweer 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
nee while he took from the safe
necklace valued at 100000 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, "Im afraid, though con-
unued his lordship, that this neck
lace is a little more expensive than I
can afford at the moment. | don't
doubt Its value, but I'll have to have q
little time to think 1t over"
Certainly" agreed the jeweler. u
will be pleased to hold 1t as long as
you wish and, should you desire to
see and examine it again, | will be
very glad to bring it to the hotel at
your convenience"
THAT would be excellent" assented
the visitor, but | naturally do not
wish my daughter to know anything
about the transaction. The whole mat
ter Ia to be surprise to her."
A few days later, in response to
Lord Shefield's request, the jeweler |
took the necklace to the Grand hotel
and found the Englishman alone in
the room. After a 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 daughteri" exclaimed the Eng
hshman. "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
Seweler began to wonder what was de-
taining his client, but he didn't worry
m the least because his necklace and
bis 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 OBTAINING Lord Shelf
aeld.
His lordship and Miss Sylvia left
the hotel nearly two hours ago" was
he reply. "They had received cable
yram from England
Sensing that he had been robbed. the
|eweler tugged at the drawer of the
lesk only to find that it was locked o
,ut a moments examination of the
text room sufficed to show that the G
vall against which the desk was $
Aaced had been pierced and that the "
Mole procedure had been a plot to "
lft the necklace and make a Quick u
u
Lvtgf Bonfi, one Of the shrewdest y
etectives In Naples, was Immediately
laced In charge of the case and tele- -
raphed to Rome to have the pair ar. W
ssted. Sheffield, anticipating such a :, !,
sove, had planted two confederates in -
he capital, and by the time that the ~
siice had found that their allbi was :,
'onclad the real criminals were well q
their way northward. Then fol- -
wed one of the longest chases in "
'ntinental detective history. I,
Finally, after more than eight ~
onths, he located them in London. M
lily to be met by the downright denial 80
the Englishman that he had ever u
'ed the name of Sheffield or had ever &,
'en In Naples. He accounted for his ~
Of a number Of unset dia- III
onds by the statement that he had ~.
night them In the Argentine and ex- 81,
bited a bill Of sale covering the !
ms. -
To this Bonfi made no reply, but Rr,
hipped out a jewelers. magnifying an,
ass and commenced to examine the ras