Evening star., 1931-05-10

S4DV; not IN Cnlcago, where the police did not
know him.
Front does it." he thought. "Front and
brains"
Then he went inside to see if the girl had
arrived.
IF YOU knew Tom Torley, patrolman, you viii
know Capt. Thomas Torley of the police de-
tective bureau. Capt. Thomas Torley is the
same man. He has a red face and fallen arches
and his taste leads him to shuttle about through
fine houses with his hat pushed back and his
cigar tilted upward, but he sees what he sees
through clear eyes and the coming of him
sends wiser men into flight.
It was this Capt. Thomas Torley in plain
clothes who stopped to speak to Policeman
Masters, the trafic officer on duty nearest the
robbery. He did not believe that Masters knew
any facts Of value; the auctioneer did not speak
OF a pursuit. Still, there might have been an
outcry. The loss had been discovered early.
What do yuh know about this what-iS-it?"
he asked whtmsically. And where does he go,
and why?"
The traffic man saluted and grinned ooh,
him! His mother grabs him and runs blam-
ing 1t on me-"
THE time before" said Torley
"Oh, thenl mutt in q sky-bIue bus makes
left turn and then he~does 1t again back
ward; but I don't know why"
I'm looking for a crook with stone face
half an hour DID," said Torley.
mo crooks at all: not then. All that hap
pens here is a funny guy looking for mail
box"
What kind of package?" asked Torley idly
In way Of speaking. This guy is special
delivery, letter mail but all the address he car
rieS is tan topcoat his arm. I don't
know why I tell you, except it's funny, him
stopping along worried over what he don't know
thing about, and the DANES he meets rubber
ing like April the first"
Nobody jumps quick into q carp"
"Only this guy into a route three"
And such was Torleys preoccupation he did
not SO much as ask exactly what it about
the funny man that was funny, but had to
guess it out later on.
For all his IesureIy manner, Torley waS.ed
no time in finding the auction room. While
Linton, the auetioneer, went for the jewel case
Torley glanced about him at the articles on
display.
Some Of these had already been sold, others
would come UP later. But all of them whether
the grandfather clock at his left or the Bristol
glasses at his right, bore an identification num-
Der written in lead pencil on tag.
That's all have for clue" said the auc-
tioneer, offering the other thin box.
The detective looked at the tag. unlatched
the case, threw back the lid. Embedded In
the white satin lining lay a necklace of dag
zling beauty He peered down into the shining
facets Of the stones.
Paste, all right" he replied.
Il can prove that what sold was diamonds"
Linton went on.
Toriey looked again at the tag "who wrote
that tag, Linton?"
Dave wrote it. why?"
Maybe he didn't I want him to write me
another just like it."
The clerk was called and instructed. Torley
watched him closely. Even before the man had
completed copying the symbols on the tag he
said:
That's how. Forgery. See that on this
tag? The up-and-cown stroke was made first,
because it's underneath the cross-stroke. Your
man makes his croSs-stroke first. Forgery and
Sleight Of hand"
Linton wiped the sweat from his brow
Somebody insde?"
Nobody here If one Of your men done IT,
he would of switched the tag, too Simpler.
Somebody from the outside What outsider who
has the chance? An outsider who is Gus
toner might Of had. don't know who else"
1T never left my sight," said Linton. NO
body was near it except people knew. Do you
think would have let o stranger handle q
necklace like that?"
Then somebody you know stole it?"
"Oh, but captain!"
Somebody steals it, Nobody is near except
looked at it?"
Nobody except the bidders" said Linton.
That's bringing it down closer Who are the
bidders for the necklaee?"
"Rubenstein, Conway, . man named Victor,
q man named Case, man named Arrowhead,
and OF course Enockman who bought it. Cohen
and Ames locked at it in advance, but didn't
bid"
They're out, because experts look it over
later. Enockman is out. Too rich. That leaves
five. Conway and Rubenstein are Out-theyTe
diamond men OF old standing. That leaves
three, What do you know about these three
- men?" .- -, ...t. "a. ..a 49,
N"rSe said them goods many times" said
.'Kxev where they ivee- y.,s. ]. s. -.,,.
I