Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West

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Jones gave you, not later than to-morrow morning. He wants

them as evidence, and to compare privately with Le Drieux's list,

although he will likely have the expert at his elbow. So I can't promise

that you will ever get your jewels back again."

"Oh. You think, then, that Mr. Jones is guilty?" said Maud coldly.

"No, indeed; I believe he is innocent. A lawyer should never suspect his

client, you know. But to win I must prove my case, and opposed to me is

that terrible Le Drieux, who insists he is never mistaken."

"Arthur--Mr. Weldon--says you understand pearls as well as Mr. Le Drieux

does," suggested Patsy.

"I thank him; but he is in error. I chattered to the judge about

pearls, it is true, because I found he couldn't tell a pearl from a

glass bead; and I believe I even perplexed Le Drieux by hinting at a

broad knowledge on the subject which I do not possess. It was all a bit

of bluff on my part. But by to-morrow morning this knowledge will be a

fact, for I've bought a lot of books on pearls and intend to sit up all

night reading them."

"That was a clever idea," said Uncle John, nodding approval.

"So my mission here this evening is to get the pearls, that I may study

them as I read," continued Colby. "Heretofore I've only seen the things

through a plate glass window, or a show case. The success of our defense

depends upon our refuting Le Drieux's assertion that the pearls found in

Jones' possession are a part of the Countess Ahmberg's collection. He has

a full description of the stolen gems and I must be prepared to show

that none of the Jones' pearls is on the list."

"Can you do that?" asked Maud.

She was gazing seriously into the young man's eyes and this caused him to

blush and stammer a little as he replied:

"I--I hope to, Miss Stanton."

"And are you following no other line of defense?" she inquired.

He sat back and regarded the girl curiously for a moment.

"I would like you to suggest some other line of defense," he replied.

"I've tried to find one--and failed.

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