Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-03-03

FooSioie' anu JAlhSu LuI 5OlhS tAAiAS
on Indifferent subjects to the lady
who was seated by my side. We adj
mired Mrs. De Mendoza and her
gorgeous rope of pearls. My host
interviewed.
1T is women Ike that" he COM
mented, who choose to deck their
bodies with jewels OF fabulous value.
who encourage crime.
Roughly speaking, l dare say
that necklace Is worth eighty thou
sand pounds. If It is really true that
Pugsley is once more at work. what
AN opportunity1
"A woman must be very brave"
my hostess declared. ito run such
risks"
The jewels are probably In the
hotel safe most OF the time" ! sug-
gesied. Il don't suppose she goes
ont in them"
Our host smiled.
Il can imagine Pugsley finding a
few minutes In the hotel quite suffi-
Client" he observed. He or his sue
cessors, whoever they may be. would
think little enough OF human life by
the side of, say, $4,000 pounds. By
killing at sight they certainly In
crease their chances of escape"
That closed our conversation upon
the subject, We sat about in the
lounge and drank coffee and liquors.,
danced for a time and smoked few
cigarets The party broke up as the
frh In he hnfnrv Iovzy
cred. was the only one of our little
gathering remaining In the hotel,
and | was talking for a few moments
to the head porter, who was an old
acquaintance Of mine, when a man
made a somewhat hurried entrance
through the swing doors and seemed
on the point of proceeding to the
office. AS he saw me. however, he
hesitated, and turning aside, ad-
dressed me.
Excuse me, but you are Sir Nor
man Greyes2" he asked.
/ admitted the fact.
Can ask you to give me Eve
minutes OF your time on a matter of
urgent business?"
looked at him with some surprise.
His voice and address were good,
and In appearance he differed In no
respect from the crowd of diners
who frequented the place. He drew
a card from his pocket and handed
1t to me.
I stepped underneath one of the
electric standards and looked at the
card-"Mr. Stanley Delchester."
Underneath was the name OF a IA
nous insurance company. I mo-
toned him to follow me into the de-
serted lounge, and invited him to
take chair.
Many years ago, Sir Norman" he
reminded me, when you were off,
cially engaged at Scotland Yard. you
saved our firm great loss in the
matter Of the Hatton Gardens
emerald theft"
81 remember It quite wer." I ad.
mitted.
1--WE understand" my visitor con-
tinued, that you have now resigned
from the Force, but we hoped that
you might be inclined to undertake
commission for us. 1t came to the
ears Of our chief quite Unexpectedly
that you were staying here. and he
sent me after you at once"
II can at least hear what the busi.
ness is" I replied.
There is staying in this hotel"
the insurance agent proceeded, "a
Mrs. De Mendoza, the reputed widow
OF fruit merchant in Bueuos Aires.
She is the possessor Of very won
derful pearl necklace, which she has
insured with our firm for a hundred
thousand pounds. Our acceptance
Of the. policy was a grave error
which we recognized almost imme-
diately afterward. We know nothing
of the lady. and under those circum-
stances 1t is against our business
policy TO accept the risk. We have
done our best to protect ourselves,
however. Since the policy was is
sued, We have kept in constant touch
with her, and have been in daily
communication with the hotel detec-
tive. BY tonight's post, however, we
had MESA sc from the latter to say
that he was at home i'll, and that
during his absence his duties would
be taken over by the night watch.
man. The policy has only one more
week to run, and Will not under any
conditions be renewed. We want to
know If. for any fee which you care
to name, you will do your best to
guard the necklace for US during
that waek?"
Continued in Our Next Tssue)