ban rn Tortoise 3B, y Old Frick was patrolling to and tro at the gate when I returned. “Nobody has got over the fence to- day,” said IL “No,” he answered thoughtfully; “that has been my belief the whole time. I fear that we must have thieves in the house—but here comes Sigrid!” He was quite right, for there was the dear girl walking at a rapid pace toward the gate. A warm blush overspread her face when she saw me, but it disappeared quickly, and I noticed she looked very pale and fatigued. We opened the gate for her, and I gave a sign to Frick that I wished first to speak with her. I went up to her, took her hand, and whispered some words which had noth- ing to do with the theft. Then, as we came nearer her uncle, I remarked aloud and as carelessly as possible: “Your uncle cannot find the black tor- toise; he thinks he must have mislaid it in some place or another.” I said this purposely to arouse her at- tention, in case the diamond really had been mislaid. I was afraid that if I mentioned at once that it might have been stolen, she would have become too excited to think quietly over the matter. “But, dear me, isn’t it in the cup- board? I myself saw you put it in its place before we followed Mr. Jurgens through the garden.” I could not help noticing that Sigrid spoke in a very absent-minded manner; she looked fagged out, like a person who had gone through some physical or mental exertion. We told her not to mention anything for the present to the servants about the disappearance of the diamond, and then she left us and went into the house. [It struck me as remarkable that the affair should interest her so little. The next thing I did was to telephone to the police station, and order two of my men to come out immediately to Villa Ballarat. I then asked old Frick to take a walk with me in the garden until they arrived; in this way we could see that nobody went in or out of the house without our knowledge. “Where is Mr. Howell?” T asked. I suddenly began to wonder why I had not seen or heard anything of this gen- tleman. “Oh, he went by rail to Osterdalen this afternoon. He was invited by a man called Varingson, I think, who owns large forests up there. They are going to shoot capercailzie; it is only four days, I think he said, before close time begins.” : “What time in the afternoon did he “He had sent his Tuggage down to the station before mid-day; but the train was not going before six or seven. We can hear from Iverson when he left. Besides, you know, everybody goes and comes as they like in this house.” Iverson was Frick’s trusted man; he was formerly a sergeant in the army, an unusually trustworthy and clever fellow, Whom Frick had taken igto his service at my recofamendation. He was genet- ally known as the gardenet, but he took his turn as gatekeeper, and with the coachman he kept the yard in order; was joiner, smith, and many other things,” and received from old Frick a very liberal salary. « Both he and the coachman were un- married; they lived in quite a small lodge near the gate, but had their meals up at the house. . In the meantime my.two<men arrived at the gate, and I gave them my instruc- gions,” One of them was to: keep watch outside the villa and arrange that he should be relieved, so that the house and garden should not be unwatched. Ii the diamond was still within the iron railings, the thief would at once try to get it out of the house. & The other constable got orders to in- struct pawnbrokers and all others to whom the diamond might be offered that, should this occur, they must inform the police without loss of time, and that the person bringing it must be fol- lowed and watched. ; At supper 1 received a long detailed account from old Frick and Sigrid of all that occurred in the house that day. “Their statement as to time, etc, cor- soborated exactly. Sigrid had, however, _a pad headache, and looked very poorly. “Bath Frick and I advised her to go to bed, which she did soon after. Then 1 had a confererice with Iverson. “THe coachman was away for the day. Lastly, 1 hadia talk with the house- maid and cook. Sigrid’s maid, Evelina, had been away that afternoon to visit “her mother. She had, however, been at Villa ‘Ballarat about six o'clock, but had” gotie Gut” dgain immediately, and had not yet returned. i What results or conjectures I arrived ‘at after all these investigations 1 shall fater on return ‘to; for the present, I can only add they were not very satisfy- ing; I began to be afraid th his affaig would cause ore tro worry — som . Rg | than any other business of the kind had | hitherto done. Before I parted from old Frick I got | him to write an official notification of the | robbery to the police; without this I could not take up the case in earnest. CHAPTER V. AT THE POLICE STATION. THE next morning at eleven o’clock 1 stood in the police superintendent's office ; he had told me to be there at that hour. I had, for some weeks, figured as chief of the detective department, dur- ing my superior’s holiday. The latter was applying for a position in another department, and I had had the chief superintendent’s assurance that I would be appointed in his place. “I have al- ready spoken to the Minister of the In- terior about it, and you can consider the matter as good as settled,” were the some days before, had concluded a con- isfaction. It was soon after I had been fortunate enough in clearing up the cele- brated Bjornernd case, and in getting the murderer arrested. My chief had always been very friend- ly to me, and treated me, especially of as far as his old-fashioned, dignified and solemn manners would allow of it. He shook me by the hand as soon as I came in, and said: “Good morning, take a seat.” He beckoned to a constable standing stiffly in one corner, who then pushed a large armchair toward me. “You can go into the anteroom for the present, with Mr. Monk. “You are a lucky fellow, Monk, to have got another interesting affair in hand. I mean the diamond robbery at old Frick’s, in Drammen Road. If I know you rightly, you have: already made up your mind about the case. From what I have heard you are a friend of the family. Indeed, if I am not very much mistaken, it is not only the dia- mond which attracts you to the house.” 1 must confess I was much surprised that my chief should know a secret which I, like all other people in love, believed to be well guarded. Naturally, I did not enter upon that part of the story, neither did my su- perior seem to expect it; but T began, as shortly and briefly as possible, to explain to him a little about the state of affairs in the house, and among the oc- cupants. I afterward gave him an account of the previous day's events. ~ “As you may know, sir, there was a guest at the house yesterday to dinner. It was old Jurgens, the lawyer ; you know him, his collection and his mania for collecting! I have heard that his rela- tions are trying to prove that he is in- capable of looking after his own affairs. He is getting imbecile from old age, and is squandering his large fortune by buying up all the world’s curios. “But he is still sharp enough not to let any one pawn off any trash upon him; but if there is an object of real value, one way or another, then he will pay the largest sums without blinking. “He dined with old Frick. He came, of course, only to see his collection, and he nearly worried the life out of Frick with his importunate requests to be allowed to buy this and that. The party at dinner consisted of Jur- gens, Frick, Miss Frick, and Mr. Howell. Young Frick had gone away two days before. There were in the house, be- sides, the cook, the housemaid, and the gardener. The coachman was on a visit to his family at Moss. I have already telephoned to the police there and ascer- tained that he reached there in the morn- ing and left by the evening train at eight o'clock, . -“ “Miss Frick’s maid, Evelina, was also away during the afternoon; she had got permission to go ‘home to her mother, who was ill. “After dinner they all went into the museum, as the people of the house. call the building which I told you about some time ago—the ome which Mr. Frick, upon my advice, had erected out in the garden between the main building and thé Dtamnien Road, _“When they have guests at Villa Bal- coffee in the museum, especially when the guests wish to see the curiosities. “Jurgens, the lawyer, had then for the twentieth time asked to see the black tortoise, and was persistently pressing Frick to sell it to him. “‘T will pay £500 cash for it!” shout- ed the old man. “In the first place it is worth four times as much, my dear Jurgens,’ old Frick had replied, ‘and besides, I wouldn't sell it at any price. “Jurgens ‘then had to relinquish all hopes of obtaining the diamond; but he continued asking to be allowed to buy some of the other curiosities. He was especially struck with a little elephant carved in ivory with a clock in its fore- head. The clock-works lie in the ani- mal’s body, and the trunk acts as the pendulum. The swinging backward and forward of the trunk has a most comical effect. “He had no better success with the elephant than he had had with the tor- toise; and it was rather a relief to the family when the tiresome old man was taken away by his servant. You know he has some difficulty in walking, and has to be carried about in a wheeled chair, pushed by his servant. “Frick said good-by to Mr. Jurgens, and was just going to lock the cases, after having put everything in its place, when a cry was heard outside. “The clumsy servant, who had appar- ently been drinking, had nearly upset ‘the old man onto one of the flower beds. “All rushed out from the museum into the garden. “After having got Mr. Jurgens »ight- ed again, and safely outside the gate, they all went into the house. Thus it came about that old Frick forgot to loek | and the door to the museum. ve + Sr ca words with which my superior officer, | versation which had given me great sat- | late, almost as a comrade; that is to say, Struk- stad; I have something to talk over , larat, it is often the custom to serve the : both the cupboard with the iron shutters : “Tt was then exactly five o’clock in " the afternoon. “Qld Frick went up to his room and took his: after-dinner nap. Miss Sigrid went out for a walk; she had been suffering from headache the whole day. “At six o'clock they met again; she had been back a quarter of an hour, and awaited her uncle with afternoon tea in the sitting-room. “The two sat together till seven o'clock, drank tea, and went through Sigrid’s household accounts. “At seven the young girl went again for a little walk, as her headache was no better. “When Frick had seen her to the gate, he suddenly remembered that the door of the museum was not locked, and then he made the discovery that the diamond was gone. “The gate-keeper, Iverson, had spent | the time between five; and half-past seven in the little lodge; he had been | busy with some carpentering, and stood at the windows, which looked out on the gate and the road. “I asked him if any one had passed in or out during that time. The key to the gate hung in the room where he was working, and he had himself let every one in and out. “Yes, first there was Miss Sigrid, who went out at five and came home in about half an hour or three quarters. ' “About six Evelina came home, but went out again at about half-past six. “About seven o’clock Mr. Howell went out; he had a gun and game-bag, and took a four-wheeler which was passing at the time. “Soon after, Miss Sigrid again went out, accompanied to the door by Mr. rick. “The cook and the housemaid had been in the kitchen or their bedroom the whole time.” “I must say yours is a model of a preliminary, report, Mr. Monk; you seem to have got it all by heart, and not even to have made any notes.” “I believe I have a special talent in * that respect, sir. I only get confused if I take down anything except what is absolutely necessary. I can see it much clearer when I've got it in my head.” “Yes, oh yes, each one has his own method! It is at any rate a very use- ful talent for a detective. But tell me one thing; how can you be so sure that the different times you mention are cor- rect? It is not always that the people in a house are so exact in regard to time.” “As it happens, my statements have been confirmed on. that point. Old Frick has a remarkably good pocket chronometer, and he takes a pride in always keeping it correct to the minute. “Just before Jurgens left, a remark was made how correctly the little’ watch in the elephant’s head kept time. It stands on a shelf just over the cup- board where the diamond had its place. Although it had not been regulated for a ~~ i long while, it showed the right time to , a minute; which was verified by com- paring it with the chronometer. “And thus we have a safe starting- point; the time was five minutes past five. “Then Mr. Frick takes his afternoon tea precisely at six each day. The ser- vants have got into the habit of being - most exact in that respect, as the old man is very particular. “Finally, Iverson looked at the clock when Mr. Howell left, to see if he would be in time for the ‘rain. Mr. Howell had made the remark as he was pass- ing out that the time was ten minutes to seven, which agreed exactly with Iverson’s watch. “As you see, the different times which I have mentioned cannot be far wrong— not more than a minute or two.” i “Yes, I see that. I suppose your inquiries at the pawnbrokers’ and jew- ellers’ have been so far without result?” “Yes; up till now they have led to no result, and I think they never will.” The superintendent nodded. Neither " of us said as much, but we were both agreed that the thief who could steal an article like the tortoise, which would be so difficult to dispose of, whilst he had plenty of other salable articles to select from, must have had his special reasons, and would not have rushed to his own destruction by trying to dis- pose of the stolen jewel to a pawn- broker. “Of course I know,” said the stipet- intendent, cheerily, “that you haven't by a long way finished with your inves- tigations. But it would really be inter- esting to make a few guesses as to who i could have taken the diamond. Who _ can have taken it, do you think?” I saw that my august superior wanted to discuss the case; and I could mot re- fuse, although I had no mind for it at this stage of the inquiry. | “As. far as 1 can see,” 1 answered, ' ¢there are only five persons who could have taken the diamond: the gardener, Iverson, Mr. Howell, the maid, Evelina, the cook, or the housemaid. All these people had the entry to the garden be- tween five and half-past seven, and also into the museum.” “You forget two people, Mr. Monk.” I stared at him. “You forget ofd Frick and Miss Frick.” The superintendent smiled, and I tried also, but it was a sorry attempt, and a most unpleasant feeling crept over me. The superintendent evidently took no- tice of this. “Yes, 1 speak, of course, from quite a «theoretical standpoint. It is part of a policeman’s A B C that he must sus- pect every one as long as the guilty party is not discovered.” “Not every ome, sir!” I felt I spoke with an earnestness which was not in harmony with the situation, or with the genial tone of my superior; but I could not get rid of the unpleasant feeling which: the mentioning of Sigrid’s name had caused me. “Perhaps you are right, Mr. Monk; in any case, this will not prove the op- posite. But tell me, what is really your opinion of Mr. Howell® { It was obvious that the superintendent em 1H Aaa £81 ARR eA Le —— ——————— cA SS —————n —— 4 wanted to get away as quickly as pos- sible from the subject which I had been foolish enough to discuss in rather a disagreeable manner, and I felt not a little ashamed of my want of tact. “It is only right, sir, that you should direct my attention to him. From five o’clock till ten minutes to seven he had the opportunity of taking possession of the diamond and getting away. with it from the house. There would be no risk for him to enter the museum; if any of the servants had seen him do it, it would have attracted no attention; he is just like a member of the Frick family. “That is one side of the case; the a gentleman, that he is tied by the bond that he need not steal either diamonds or anything else.” “Are you sure of this?” “Yes; I go by what he and old Frick have said; besides, at half-past nine this morning I called on Wendel, the banker. spected firm to Mr. Howell, and I asked Howell's account stood. four hundred pounds standing to his account. It was the remainder of a sum cash and deposited with the banker; besides which, instructions had been re- ceived from Messrs. Hambeo & Son, the London bankers, to open an account for Mr. Howell to the amount of two thou- sand pounds.” “Well, I should be glad if I had such an account at the bank! It does not seem probable that the Englishman should have taken the diamond. By the bye, Mr. Monk, I must not detain you any longer; go on with the matter as you yourself think best; you have, of course, not had much time for inquiries, and I ought, perhaps, not to have been so inquisitive at such an early stage of the investigations; but you must rather look upon our conversation as a kind of refreshment, which 1 take between the dustbins and the demonstration in the theatre, Well, good luck to you, and let me hear from you as soon as you have anything of interest to report.” i The superintendent shook me by the and. “Strukstad, let the manager of the theatre come in,” he said resignedly, as 1 went out at the back door. Later in the day a letter was handed me from the superintendent, marked “Private,” which read as follows: Dear Mr. Monk,—I have not been able to dismiss old Frick’s diamond from my mind. Couldn't it have been lost in quite an ordinary way; fallen on the floor, put on a wrong shelf, or in some such way got astray? : One might also imagine that some one for fun has hidden it, to play old Frick a. trick, I confess it is not likely, but it is still more unlikely that any one should have stolen it—the most unsalable article of i all the valuables which you say lay in that cupboard. I ask you to take this into considera- tion, and apply the greatest caution in your investigations. The disappearance of the diamond will soon be the general talk of the town. It is of the greatest importance that the police should not make fools of themselves. That is to say, they must not let themselves be deceived by peo- ple’s extraordinary stupidity. 1 know your good sense, and in all probability these lines are superfluous. 3 Yours, etc. | ~~ (To be Continued.) | | | | Cochran The New Comms ad Clu House For Men ALLEGHENY COLLEGE Founded in 1815 5% Present W. H. CRAWFORD, Meadville, Pa. HUNTERS’ LICENSES. Three hundred and twenty-five thousand blank hunters’ licenses have been sent out to the county treasurers of the state for issuance to the hunters of Penn’a. for this | fall. This issue, which is based upon {the number of licenses issued in the last two years is believed to be am- i ple, but the State Game Commission | has prepared for even more. The sale of licenses has been started by Co. i treasurers and many of the salmon- their owners. The revenue from the licenses is to be disbursed for game work only. The commission is now paying bounties for scalps and heads of animals and birds, which are a nuisance to the farmers, from the rev- enue of the last eighteen months. This is also furnishing the funds for the establishment of the State game preserves. Several of these have been located in central counties and wires are now being stretched. Pennsylvania licensed automo- mobiles will display orange and black tags in 1916, accordig to an announce- made by Highway Commissioner Cunningham. war TL nor YY “OLE 7 WIDNE« © ILLS ECR BAC SAonE RIZNELVS Ah. 8LACOISR I myself recommended this highly re- . other side is that Mr. Howell in every | respect gives the impression of being | of friendship to the Frick family, and ! finally that pecuniarily he is so situated | the chief, quite confidentially, how Mr. “He informed me that the latter at the present moment had from three to | of money he had brought with him in (Ed A Be Tr al i "ALCOHOL 3 PER CENT. | AVegelable PreparationforAs- similating tie Food and Regula ting the Stomachs and Bowels of Xa aE ‘| Promotes Digestion Cheerful I | ness and Rest.Contains neither | Opium Morphine nor Mioeral OT NARCOTIC. § | Recipe of Old Di SAMUELPITCIER Pumpkin Swed Aperfect Remedy for Consfipt fion >» Sour Stomach. Diaries ; Worras Convulsions. 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