The Black Tortoise

oss of time. The difficulty lay in getting the old man to speak ou

f him was not so easy. He was possessed of not a little cunning, and his firmness, when it was

to rob him. Besides, we had met each other several times at Frick's, and finally, I had now and then gone, lik

al museum? It has a whole department to itself. Some ti

ings to change clothes I

eived-only a common trick, as you will see; but, as y

ouse in Munkedam Road. He

oom which belonged to the servant-man. Jurgens himself lived in a room looking out on the street, and the remaining three

. There were strong doors provided with patent locks, iron bars before the windows

from one room to another, with much difficulty; but in the street he was obliged to be wheeled in a chair. Otherwise the lawyer was a man of small pretensions, and notwithstanding his

difficulty from his armch

chain, which he wore round his neck, with the

t was difficult to say if these symptoms were a natural consequence of the man

e. May I perhaps have the pleasure of showing you some rare curiosities which I have lately acquired?

had it in a safe hiding place, and of these there were plenty. The old furniture

tly, "but this time I am here on official bu

hair, and taking a pinch of snuff with his shaky hands. "Any snuff? No, youn

. "The fact is, that an audacious robbery has been committed; an unusually costly

pose I buy sto

is hands and shrivelled fingers

that stolen goods have been offered to you for sale, and that you have bee

cannot help you

n't yet heard

a long time; nothing of consequence, or a

e is gone; if only the bracelet is not sent a

ay; was it a bra

h disappeared from Adelina Patti's dressing-room in the theatre yesterday. You know sh

aid, no one has tried to sell an

uch relieved. He took hold of the bell rope and or

g need a good glass of wine, and you'll not get bette

, and I must admit th

e stolen gem, and had begun upon several inte

his own way; I had opened my trenches

ities and costly jewels, which have taken place in the tow

ng again to approach the same theme; and he

ssesses such things should be just as

ld fellow almost jumped out of his

I then burst into long and hearty laughter, which evidentl

e as guests of the house, and some to visit his collection. Old Frick got tired of always having to watch them so carefully, and so he had imitations made of all his most valuable objects,-gilt-brass mounts instead of

e old fellow stretched ou

was a black diamond in gold setting. It was called the 'black tortoise.' We expect the thief has gone

ried to raise himself, gasping for breath. I thought he was going to have

in; he was a tough old bit of

n one of his hiding places. The difficulty was to get him to g

e had got over his little attack, and without su

me into the hall to

ll, I asked hastily,

Monk," answered the man in su

l, but open the door and then shut it, so that

a little and looke

e of the law, but I have no time f

him and went in a

came out soon afterward, sent away by his master, a

the lawyer's room. As I had expected, he had gone into

g any noise I

of one of his iron safes. His shaky hands were busy trying

hich he held close up to his eyes. The next minute my hand lay on his s

y across the room to a chair.

with half-shut eyes, and his withered

wine, and after a little whi

roperty? The diamond is mine-I have honestly bought it

of the authorities. I am sorry I have been obliged to play a trick upon you to get it

nd it is not stolen property; your c

ease, Mr. Jurgens," I said firmly.

rom Miss Frick, and she

throat. Only for a moment, however. I remembered myself, and let g

k himself has given information of the robbery, and now you say that Miss Frick has sold the diamond to you; t

nd, as if to ring; but no bell w

I had nearly frightened the life ou

of course, that you did it in good faith. But it will be necessary that you give a truthful account of how yo

the old man, trembling, while his eyes began to look brighter. "When you say it was not Miss Frick, perhaps, after all, it was not she; but

for I felt a little ashamed of my violent conduct to the old m

s a witness, I gave the lawyer a receipt for

*

im on the table; and when I had given my report, he congratulated me at the r

s's wretched attempt to prove that it wa

y much stress on the part Jur

nd be placed under proper control. He will, of course, be declared irresp

iled account of my visit to Mrs. Reierson, and of how the actor'

endent, "that you have a suspicion that the pre

, I

seek the reason why the unhappy girl h

t only has the best of characters from Miss Frick, as a good and honest girl, but who, after all I have been able to ascertain, also

de those who did not know him take him for a heartless cynic, "do you, after so man

e, in my day seen

the greatest liar, and that a man with a smooth face, who can flatter and deceive,

could not deny that my experiences as a detective in the pol

for women's ideals. But let us return to this affair about the diamond. You shall at once have a warrant, and then you had better arrest

he house. Have you any objection to my waiting until to-morrow? Then she will probably visit her mother, and we can avail ourselves of the opportunity and make a domiciliary visit at the same time. I

e of the time to get the money out of the way, if it

age to leave them in peace to-night. I shall hav

the a

has orders to follow him like a shadow, and ar

us two. If you should meet old Frick to-night, give him my compliments, and tell him I shall keep h

Road, after having given the constable the necessary orders. I knew that

ght not to be known in the house that the diamond had been found-not so long as Evelina was there. Old Frick and Sigrid w

s sensible enough to turn back, and, after having h

f there was any news from the constables who h

s quite safe inside Villa Ballara

ul in everything, and yet I felt far from satisfied; it must have been due to a certain feel

cause-throw their shadows before, you will have to attribute it to such a cause. But enough,-