Evening star., 1922-08-24

strange illness ana tne roo-
, berry of my employer, Mr..
Observation-Disclosures Jack Mansfield,
You know
Our visitor was a slight, very pretty.
but extremely nervous girl. who had
given us card bearing the name Miss
Helen Grey.
"Illness-robbery repeated Ken
| nedy, at once interested and turning
quick glance at me.
l shrugged my shoulders in the mega
tive. Neither the Star nor any other
papers had had a word about 1t.
Why, what's the trouble?" he con-
tinued to Miss Grey
You see." she explained. hurrying
on. I'm Mr.. Mansfield private secre-
tary. and-oh. Prof. Kennedy, l
don't know. but I'm afraid it Is case
for a detective rather than doctor
! She paused a moment and leaned Tor
ward nearer to US. Il think he has
been poisoned
The words themselves were startling
enough without the evident perturbation
of the girl. Whatever one might think.
there was no doubt that she firmly be-
lieved what she professed to fear. More
than that. fancied ! detected deeper
feeling in her tone than merely loyalty
to her employer
Diamond Jack" Mansfield was known
in Wall street as successful promoter.
on the White Way as an assiduous first
nighter, in the sporting fraternity as a
keen plunger But of all his hobbies.
none had gained him more notoriety
: than his veritable passion for collecting
diamonds.
He came by his sobriquet honestly.
! remembered once having seen him.
and he was, in fact, walking De Beers
mine. For his personal adornmentt
more than million dollars worth OF
gems did relay duty. He had scores of
sets, every one of them fit for king OF
diamonds. 1t was curious hobby for
great strong man. yet he was not
alone in his love of and sheer affection
for things beautiful. Not love of dis
play or desire to attract notice to HIM
self had prompted him to collect dia-
mondS, but the mere pleasure OF wooinG
! them of associating with them. 1t was
a hobby.
1t was not strange, therefore. to
suspect that Mansfield might. after all
have been the victim of some kind OF
attack. He went about with perfec,
freedom. in spite of the knowledge that
| crooks must have possessed about his
hoard.
What makes you think he has been
poisoned" asked Kennedy. betraying nc
show Of doubt that Miss Grey might
be right.
"Oh. it's so strange. so sudden"
she murmured.
But how do YOU think it could
have happened?" he persisted.
1T must have been at the little
supper party he gave at his apart
thoughtfully. then added. more slowly
and yet, it was not until this morn
ing, eight or ten hours after the party
that he became ILL.," She shuddered
"Paroxysms of nausea, followed by
stupor and such terrible prostration
His valet discovered him and sent fol
| DR.. Murray-and then for me-"
How about the robbery" prompted
Kennedy. as it became evident thai
it was Mansfield's physical condition
| more than anything else that was or
Miss Grey's mind.
'oh. yes"-she recalled herself
suppose you know something of his
gems? Most people do" Kennedy
nodded. He usually keeps them in 8
safe deposit vault downtown. from
like wearing. Last night 1t was the
one he calls his sporting set that he
wore, by far the finest. 1t cost oveI
hundred thousand dollars, and Is one
of the most curious of all the studies
in personal adornment that he owns
| white and the set is entirely based or
platinum.
But what makes it most remarkable
is that it contains the famous >M-l273
as he calls it. The NJ stands for Mans
field. and the figures represent the
! number of stones he had purchased uI
to the time that he acquired this huge
one"
How could they have been taken
do you Think" ventured KENNEDY
Miss Grey shook her head doubtfully
II think the wall safe must have
| been opened somehow" she returned.
Kennedy mechanically wrote the
| number, M-1273. on a piece of paper
| "It has a weird history" she went