Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-04-13
ADAM-BELSS

can't nave tnat STONE IN, the house
another night"
I promised to talk. to Reyes when
saw him later. Van Every was
excited and l tried to calm him. In
while he was himself again.
II couldn't have anything happen
to Joyce, you know" he said simply.
II know"
I'm afraid that she'll go in and
find it when no one is there!"
"She knows where it ISL"
'She knows where the safe is. but
I've changed the ruby. I've put 1t
some place else. Only Soon and
know where it is"
"You were going to tell me how
you happened TO buy it."
"Yes. / said, you know, that I'd
been wanting it for years. Ever
since first saw it."
You saw It'll"
"Ten years ago saw It."
"Where?
"Here. In this library" he
pointed back over his shoulder into
the library. "It was brought up for
me to see by-by two nuns. Maug-
han!" He paused. and leaned over
closer. "Two nuns! They told me
that they had a jewel I might be
interested in. had agents out all
over the world looking for gems of
interest. My hobby. as you know.
They were from some Franciscan
convent in Quebec. When one of
them pulled the stone out from I'M
der her robe, gasped. I realized
the beauty Of it. and Of course 1
knew Of it. and had tried to locate
it. Here it was in my library. You
can imagine how excited I was!
They said. at least one Of them
talked to me. the other nodding con-
firmatiOn constantly. that they had
found the stone among the belong
ings Of dead sister at the convent
They thought it must be valuable,
so had consulted jeweler in Quebec.
He knew nothing about the stone,
but that it was a ruby Of fabulous
price. He suggested they consult a
New York jewel merchant, who hap
pens to be a good friend Of mine.
Instead Of writing they came, and
the man referred them to me. That's
what they told me.
II took it in. and offered them a
certain sum for the stone. the price
does not matter, and they wanted a
night to think It over. They were
going to give the money to the con-
vent. So they left, taking the ruby
with them, and never saw them
again for 10 years. They were sup
posed to have come back in the
morning. AS you may imagine /
called my jeweler friend about them.
He had never heard Of them, and
they had never come to see him. A
check on the convent proved. that
neither sister was there. Who they
were I don't know. I worried about
them for years. daI11ning myself for
letting the ruby slip through my
fingers in that crazy fashion.
II tried to trace the jewel through
the great markets.. It was apparent
~ lost; had dropped out Of every
thing. I put detectives on, Il, spent
a small fortune trying to, locate II,
more because Of the two nuns than
anything else.. Yet they had seemed
so, genuine at the time. I did not
doubt their story until I called my
friend. And yet now that think of
it, was a fool to believe them-a
likely story indeed! Clever DISCUSSES,
that was all.
81 blamed myself necessarily for
not offering them a higher prica that
day. Obviously that's what. they
wanted.
But. Maughap, Monday Of last
week-you won't believe me, but it's
the truth-they came back. Soon
recognized them when they came to
the front door. He had let them In
10 years ago. Good servant. Soon.
happened to be out-iu the neigh