The Diamond Master

he front door for him to pass out. Once on the sidewalk the self-styled diamond master of the world paused long enough to pull on his gloves, carelessly chucking t

d him with one furtive glance, then went

directly across the street, strolling along idly, the most purposeless of all in the hurrying, well-dressed throng; another-Steve Birnes, chief of the Birnes Detective Agency-appeared from the hallway

ft as he replaced it in his pocket. Claflin, across the street, understood from that that he was to go on up Fifth Avenue to Thirty-fourth Street, the next intersection, and turn west to board any crosstown car w

, Jerry Malone approached and passed Mr. Wynne without

t looking around. "I'll walk on ahead and turn east in Thirty-fourth

by and turned into the cross street, after a quick, business-like glance at an approaching car. Then Mr. Wynne smiled. He paused on the edge of the curb long enough for an automobile to pass, then wen

d the cab drew up beside him. He said something to the driver, opened the door and stepped in. Mr. Birnes smiled confidently. So that was

Mr. Birnes, as he stepped in. "Keep that

between the other vehicles, the while Mr. Birnes regarded it with thoughtful gaze. I

tation, I'll bet

till on uptown. It was not hurrying- it merely moved steadily; but once free of the snarl which culminates at the Fifty-ninth Street entrance to Central Park, it

oor, Jimmy," directed

y, the while he regarded Mr. Wynne, who had also alighted and was paying the driver. The small sole-leather grip was on the ground between his feet

he wouldn't have paid him," the detective reason

dispute with Jimmy as to just how much the fare should be. They played the scene admirably; had Mr. Wynne been listening he might even have heard part of the vigo

and turned to go up the steps of the house. He

till stood on the corner, Mr. Birnes had to go on up the steps. But as he placed his foot on the third step he knew-though he had not looked, apparently, yet

tended as such-it would be a confession that he was following Mr. Wynne, and realizing this he took two more steps up. Mr. Wynne waved the envelope again, a

steps and walked rapidly on to Sixty-seventh Street, pausing to peer around the corner before he turned. Mr. Wynne was idling along, half a block away, without the slightest apparent inte

itten in pencil, his mouth opened in undignified astonishment. It was addressed to him-Steve Birnes, Chief of the Birnes Detective Agency

- East Thirty-seven

see me please call th

after

CORTLAN

to find himself suddenly taken into the confidence of the person he is shadowing. But was he being taken into Mr. Wynne's confidence? Ah! That was the question! Admitting that

. Mr. Birnes scuttled across the street, and by a dexterous jump swung on the car as it fled past. Mr. Wynne had gone forward and was taking a seat; Mr. Birnes remained on the back platfor

Birnes was curious to see what came out of it. Nothing came out of it-it was empty! There was no question of this, for Mr. Wynne opened it wide and turned

d as he did so he smiled a little-a very little. He walked on up Park Avenue to Thirty-seventh Street, turned in there and entered a house about the middle of the block, with a latch-key. The detective glanc

ss, why did he go so far out of his way? Mr. Birnes couldn't say. As he pondered these questions he saw a maid

rented it furnished. No, Mr. Wynne didn't have a family. He lived there alone except for two servants, a cook and a housemaid. She had never noticed anything unusual about Mr. Wynne

and down Fifth Avenue to the establishment of the H. Latham Company. Mr. Latham would see him-yes. In fact, Mr. Latham, harried by the events of the past two hours, bewildered by a h

oasted, in the beginning. Of course it was against

nted Mr. Latham with keen

he had received from the maid, adding ther

marveled

t out," Mr. Birnes went on to explain, "but

Street, the trip across to a downtown car, and, as a matter of convi

. Latham, startled.

ive assured him complacently. "He

e of them?" dema

me of

an-what became o

ded him coldly. "Your instructions were to find out all about this man-who he is, what he do

ascibly. "That empty gripsack, man-when he left here he ca

an; and then he sat up straight in his cha

u see that he got rid of the diamonds somehow from the time he left here until you saw that the gr

ce-in detective parlance the second person is always an accomplice-in that closed cab! It had all been prearranged; Mr. Wynne had deliberately made a monkey of him-Steven Birnes! Reluctantly the detecti

the light of a great d

ds were they?

far as we know,"

were the

oked him over

e are a great number of them, and they are worth-they are worth a large su

uite enough for M

er to report this evening," he told Mr. Lat

records there showed that the license for the particular cab he had followed had been issued to one Will