The Diamond Master

e case may be, they are wont to rise up and run around in a circle. The case of Red Haney and the diamonds, blared to the world at large in the news

city of the United States; in fact, diamonds, as a commodity in crime, had not figured in police records for several weeks-not even an actress had mislaid a priceles

was Mr. Schultze, and a third was Mr. Birnes. The fourth was Mr. E. van Cortlandt Wynne. In the seclusion of his home in Thirty-seventh Street, Mr. Wynne read the story with puckered brows, then re

ropped into a chair at his desk, and wrote in duplicate,

Is all well?

lin-but he seemed to consider the matter of no consequence, for he paid not the slightest attention. Instead he went straight to a cage beside the pigeon-cote, whe

nt, and flashed off to the west, straight as an arrow flies. Mr. Wynne watched it thoughtfully until it had disappeared; and Claflin's interest was so int

ed the second strip of tissue to the leg of another bird. Th

ly to the detective on the other house, "that if you ever put your foot on

swer to those questions in two hours, three hours at the most. If there was no answer within that time he would despatc

woman who had turned in from Park Avenue, and was coming rapidly toward him, on the opposite side of the street. She was young, with the elasticity of per

laimed the detec

he street, watching her with keen interest, fixing her every detail in his mind. She did not hesitate, she glanced neither to right nor left, but went straight to

d girl entered the room where he sat. "Dor

eil impatiently, and lifted her moist eyes to his. The

from him-out the

he responded. "Why

assionately. "I'm worried to death. I can

at her gravely for an instant, then turned, crumpled up the section of

y," he sa

dingly, "and once last night and again this morning. There

ephone bell," he assured her. But her steadfast, accusing eyes r

he declared desperately. "Suppose

to laugh off her uneasiness. "Wh

diamonds, Gene," she reminded him, "and

ngly, "not one living soul, except you and I, knows that they are there. There's no incentive t

so feeble, simple as a child, and utterly helpless if anything should happen. Then, when I didn't hear from

came, and she buried he

with narrowed,

And evidently she had not seen that! It wa

f it was when I took them back out there and left them. And now when I think that something may have happened to him!" She paused, then raised her tear-dimmed eyes to his face. "He is all I

Wynne led her to a chair, and she dropped

ut there in duplicate only a few minutes ago. In a couple of hours, now, we

't get an answe

ecoming very grave, "you will see how unwise, how dangerous even, it was for you to come here this way. I know it's hard, dear,"

away? I was very careful to veil myself when I came-no

ength of the room twi

I'm followed wherever I go- to my office, to luncheon, to the theater, everywhere; and day and night, day and night, there are two men watching this house, and two other

all this?" she asked cur

ly until now. This is why it was necessary for me to keep away from out there as it was for you to keep away from here; why we could not afford to take chances by an interchange of letters or by telephone calls. When I left you in the cab I kn

ngly. On the opposite side of the st

e. He saw you enter, and you couldn't escape him going out. There's another on the roof of the house next door. His name is Claflin. These men, or others from the same agency, are here all the time. There are two more at my of

slowly. "I knew, of course, that-Gene, I shouldn't

e supply is unlimited, as I told them, that the diamond market is on the verge of collapse, anyway; and as they look at it they are compelled to know where they came from. As a matter of fact, if they did know, or if the public got one inkling of the truth, the diamond market would be wrecked, and all the di