Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West

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He called for the police, but when they arrived the messenger

had expired. The fate of the pearls has always remained a mystery,

although a large reward has been offered for their recovery."

"Oh; a reward."

"Naturally, sir. Four months later Princess Lemoine lost her wonderful

pearl necklace while sitting in a box at the Grand Opera in Paris. This

was one of the cleverest thefts that ever baffled the police, for the

necklace was never recovered. We know, however, that Jack Andrews

occupied the box next to that of the princess. A coincidence--perhaps. We

now come to the robbery of the Countess Ahmberg, the third on the list.

Jack Andrews was a guest at her house, as I have explained to you. No

blame has ever attached to this youthful adventurer, yet my firm, always

interested in the pearls they have sold, advised me to keep an eye on him

when he returned to America. I did so.

"Now, Mr. Merrick, I will add to the tale I told you the other night.

Andrews behaved very well for a few weeks after he landed at New York;

then he disposed of seven fine pearls and--disappeared. They were not

notable pearls, especially, but two of them I was able to trace to the

necklace of Princess Lemoine. I cabled my firm. They called attention to

the various rewards offered and urged me to follow Andrews. That was

impossible; he had left no clue. But chance favored me. Coming here to

Los Angeles on business, I suddenly ran across my quarry: Jack Andrews.

He has changed a bit. The mustache is gone, he is in poor health, and I

am told he was nearly drowned in the ocean the other day. So at first I

was not sure of my man. I registered at this hotel and watched him

carefully. Sometimes I became positive he was Andrews; at other times I

doubted. But when he began distributing pearls to you, his new friends,

all doubt vanished. There, gentlemen, is my story in a nutshell. What do

you think of it?"

Both Mr. Merrick and young Weldon had listened with rapt interest, but

their interpretation of the tale, which amounted to a positive

accusation of A.

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