Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-23
CHAPTER xxx.

n Ny days and my Sleepless nights
M we're a compound of misery
N and of wrath. Alternately
i was paralyzed with horror ano
galvanized by rage against
those who had dared to tear the child
from home and keep her prisoner.
The police, a score of detectives and
other private individuals were con-
Stantly at work.
Those in a position to know best as
sured me that / should very soon re-
ceive some communication from the
kidnaperS, making proposals for the
safe return of the child as soon as GER
tain conditions had been complied with
Again and again 1 was assured that
It was perfectly certain that the child
had only been kidnapped for ransom
and that as soon as the criminals mao
laid their plans for the safe receipt
of the ransom money the child would
be returned unhurt, and 1 was advised
instantly and fully to comply with the
demands of the kidnapers.
There will be time enough When my
child was returned to me to consider
the question of punishment.
The advice was unnecessary. Shouio
they demand the payment OF everything
I possessed in the word, they should
have it. and If they demanded twice as
much they should have that, for !
Would borrow It,
But 1 promised myself that, unless
died before my mission was fulfilled,
I would have them. Yes, they should
have it: and, yes, 1 would have them.
Sure enough, some three weeks after
Rosemary's disappearance, and just
when / was about at the end of my
tether. I received a buSineSSlike letter,
in good style and obviously written by
q person of education and experience.
This document set forth the terms on
which 1 should receive Rosemary back,
safe and sound. There were no vulgar
threats or anything of that nature. but
merely a plain and straightforward
business offer.
I was assured that on my complet-
ing my side of the bargain my daugh-
ter would be returned to me and that
I should never be moleSted again.
If, on the other hand, I failed to
fulfill my part of the contract I should
never see my child again: and If she
were recovered by the police and re-
turned to me the child would promptly
be kidnapped again.
There was, as I have said. no threat
of murder or injury, or anything of that
sort, but merely the statement that If
1 wanted to recover, and to keep, my
child, must fulfill their demands.
I quite agreed with the detectives to
whom showed the letter that this was
not one of the old-fashioned gangs, but
a criminal, or band of criminals. Of su-
perior mentality, and, therefore, far
more difficult to circumvent
And there was further evidence OF
this in the demands themselves, which
meant a colossal loss to me.
In the first place, they wanted our
family diamond, known as the Unset
ting Sun, and, in the second place, ]
was directed to purchase 100 other dia-
monds, each Of the value Of not less
than $4,000.
Evidently the scoundrels had no in
tention of being traced by means OF
paper money, bills or bonds
They pointed out that the inmedi-
ate receipt by them of the UnSetting
Sun would indicate my desire to recover
my daughter at the cost indicated and
would have a favorable effect on hel
health.
For the collection Of the hundred
diamonds a fortnight would be al
lowed, and my daughter would be re-
turned safely to me as soon as the kid
papers had satisfied themselves tina
the stones were genuine and OF thu
stipulated value.
I was then most specially warned
that If there were any "hanky-panky'
of any kind, such as sending a mode
of the Unsetting Sun and inferior OF
imitation diamonds, or If any one o.
the latter were estimated by their ex.
pert as being worth less than $4,000
my daughter would not be returned
to me.
The writer went on to warn me
against the childish stupidity Of en-
deavoring to set any kind of trap.
The Unsetting Sun was to be posted
In a registered parcel to a box address
in Chicago. The parcel would be called
for by a messenger who would himself
be instructed by an individual who
knew neither the name nor the face
Of the writer of this letter.
The hundred diamonds we're TO be