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F-Ff' $ ine Jewel Worshiper t BY VARICK Copyright by the Frank But ho was glad when It was over; more pleased still when tho brldo and groom had taken their departure. Nevertheless, Lorn a Beverly found opportunity to say to him hurriedly: "Papa and Jerry both know that some of tho presents aro missing. They liavo not said so, but I can read it In their manner, riease, please, Mr. Morcaux, find them for me." Tho artists smiled down upon her. "I will do tho best I can," ho re plied. "It Is rather out of my line; but possibly I can think of somebody who might find them. There Is a man named Crewe, whom I know, who may bo able to help us. I will appeal to him perhaps." "Oh, do! Is ho a detective?" "Well, no.t exactly. As a matter of fact, he Is on the opposite Bide of the fence. I have n Taney that one of Crewe's ac qualntances was here tonight. It was only a fancy, but I shall satisfy my self on that point later. I am sure. Lorna, that your jewels will be recov ered." A moment later Beverly slipped a card Into the artist's hands, saying hastily as he did so: "Hero is a list, so far as I could determine, of what is missing. Of course, I am not as well Informed as Lorna concerning what was there; but I could not bear to spoil her pleas ures this evening by telling her of tho theft." "You aro quite right, Beverly. Keep It to yourself, if possible, until your return. Then look mo up." "You bet I will," was the hearty response. A moment later the voice of Detective-lieutenant Muchmore broke in upon tho artist's reverie into which he had fallen. "What is that about Crewe, Mr. Moreaux?" he inquired sharply. Morcaux raised his eyes leisurely, and with a slow smile he replied: "Oh; you heard that, did you?" "I could not avoid it. I was just coming to speak to you, and stood, waiting, behind you but without any Intention of overhearing your conver sation with Mrs. Beverly. But now it 13 my duty to ask you what you meant by that reference to Crewe. He la rather a shady character, as you doubtless know." "Oh, yes, I know!" the artist re plied with another of his slow smiles. "Will you answer my question, Mr. Moreaux?" "I very much doubt If I could, even Jf I tried." The lieutenant was silent for a mo ment. Then he said with pointed directness: "Mr. Mortaux, I am going to put It to you straight." "That is surely tho best way to do, lieutenant." They had drawn aside, away from others, and stood in the embrasure of one of the windows. "I suppose the two agency men are on the job in your absence?" "Yes; and an olllcer of the Croydon Safe Deposit Company is superintend ing tho packing of the presents. He Is also taking a careful Inventory of them. That part of the job is off my hands now." "Good. Now, what is it that you were going to put to me straight?" - "This: Mr. Richard Delorme made application to tho department for a man to bo detailed here tonight. I am that dejail. The responsibility of what has occurred rests upon me, "I have been called a capable offi cer, and yet those things were taken under my very nose, and I was none tho wiser. How it was done I have not tho least idea; but if young Bev erly spoke tho truth, or know what lie was talking about, I have a pretty clear Idea as to when tho thefts oc curredor at least ono of them that o! tho lavallier. But never mind that just now. "Tho point Is this. I am responsi ble to the dopartment for it. I will bo called to account for it, and I will bo made to suffer for it unless those missing articles aro found, and speed ily. "In a sense, I am In authority In this houso at tho present moment. I want you to look at my position fair ly. I heard you say to tho brldo I quote your exact words 'I have a fancy that ono of Crowe's acquaintan ces was hero tonight.' I want you to tell mo exactly what you mean by that statement. I think I havo tho right to know." "You have, lieutenant. This 1 what I meant: I am acquainted with Crewo. I havo visited his place in Eoutli Fifth nvenuo. Being an artist, I havo n good memory for faces. "Two or three duys ago, in tho low er part of tho city to bo exact, la tho Bowery, near Houston street I saw a faco which I remembered to havo seen at Crowe's upon tho occasion of ray visit there. Another man was In conversation with him and that other man was hero tonight." "Who was ho? Tell mo that," t VANARDY A. Munsey Company '1VrV' "VW "Oh, no, lieutenant; I won't tell you that." "Why not?" a "Well, for ono thing I ir.'ght bo doing him a great wrong In dolns so. You sco, he might merely have been asking a direction of tho mm I saw at Crewe's. They woro together only a short time, for I stopped and watch ed them from a mero sense of curi osity, I assure you. You know l wan der through all parts of the city, seek ing 'types,' as we artists call them." "But great Heavens, man, don't jou sec what I am up against?" "Naturally; and I am going to do my utmost to help you push it over." "Don't you see that I'm going to catch hell when 'lie inspector finds out what has happenrd here torlght?" "No. What I do see is thle: I am quite sure that Mr Delorme vould greatly prefer that nothing should be said about this publicly, I mean. He is a man of power and influence. "I am sure that he will not blame jou for what has occurred. I will ask him to say as much to the lnrpcctor, and to request, at tho same tim-, that you be assigned to the case of find ing the lost Jewels." The lieutenant throw out both hands In a gesture of despair. "A lot of good that will do." he said. Then: "At least, you can tell me who the man was whom you had seen at Crewe's." "I can't tell you his name. He Is a tall, dark, Mephlstophelian looking person. I was told that by vocation he is a sleight-of-hand performer In vaudeville theaters, and a vor clever one: that by vocation ho is a thief. And that is all I can tell you about him. Perhaps you know him." 'No, I don't; but, by jingo, I'll find him, whether I am sent back to the pavements or not, and you can put that in your pipe and smoke It, Mr. Moreaux. And when I do find him I'll make him give up the name of that other party." "If he happens to know what it Is which 1 very much doubt." "Anyhow, I'll see Crewe before 1 go to bed this night." "Do. That is a good idea. Excuse me. I see Mr. Delorme beckoning to me. I think that Mr. Delorme will want us both in consultation with him before wo say good night." Tho evening was young yet. The ceremony had been pet formed at five; tho supper was at eight. Tho bride and groom had just gone to their special train and private car, and It was not yet half past ten. The guests were thinning out rap Idly. In another half-hour there would be none but servants and the mas ter left in tho great house. It had had no mistress, alas! since Lorna was very young; she had only a faint recollection of her mother, and sup posed her to bo dead. The son, Paul, was a globo trot ter never at home and he was the product of a former wife of the steel baron. "Come into the 'den' with me, Dirge," the elder man said, "I have got Mills's Inventory the safe de posit company's man, you know." Then, inside tho small room where Moreaux had been once befoie that evening, he continued: "Have you any idea how man articles are missing?" 'Five possibly six although 1 think that Lorna may not have left that in tho 'exhibit'; one calls it by nc other name. The five ai tides aro tho diamond lavalllere which was one of Jerry's presents; the diamond and emerald bracelet that Paul sent to her from Paris; the tiara of rubles and diamonds that my pi'cr Eunice gave her; a bandeau of peails, almost piiceless in value, the gift of ono of mj business associates, and I hesi tate to tell you about it, Blrge." "I know already, Mr. Delorme. The small bauble that I donated." "Bauble, indeed; Tho wire gold bracelet with tho single but wonder ful ruby that was given to you by homo India raja when you were a joungster, and which you prized so highly. "I recall very well Indeed that day at your studio, nearly ten years ago, when Lorna, when only a child, went into raptures over It, and you told her that when sho grow up nnd was married you would mako her a wed ding present of it. Why, sho woro it vhen you mado tho portrait of her. You painted it on her wrist in tho picture." "So I did, to bo sure. What Is that sixth articlo that may bo mlpslng, Mr. Delorme?" "A present that I mado to hor mother before wo woro married, and which sho loft behind when sho went away. A cameo brooch of exqulsito workmanship which onco belonged to my mother." Tho artist nodded understanding. Ho knew that any subject which re lated to Lorna'a mother waa painful to Richard Delorme. -JLWJjat ehaU I do about It Blrwr the older man asked anxiously. "You must advlso me. I much prefer to keep tho Incident out of tho news papersIf that Is possible" "Then I should advlso that you accompany Lieutenant Muchmoro to police headquarters now. Bo with him when ho makes his report to his superior. Exonerato him as far as possible. Show your belief In him by requesting that ho bo assigned to tho case of running down tho thief. "Give as your reason for that rs qucst tho fact that you do wish to avoid publicity. You havo power and Influence. You will find that tho In spector will respect your wishes. And 4show jour confldenco In Muchmoro himself by making him a substantial present before you leave the houso to gether." "But you will go with me, won't you?" "No. Unfortunately I cannot. I htve another engagement still to night." There was an odd little smile about tho corners of Birgo Moreaux's mouth when a moment later he left tho small room and found Muchmoro impa tiently awaiting him. "Mr. Delorme wants to see you, lieutenant," he said. "He is going to headquarters with you. Don't stop to tfclk with me. Go right In and find out what the old gentleman has to say to you." Moreaux drove directly to the tall building In Blank street where he had his studio. Oddly enough, less than halt an hour after he arrived there tho man called Crewe he of the blemished face and unsavory reputation left the same building by the rear door, for the building runs through from street to street. As he stepped outside and turned to lock the door after him a limouslno car drove rnpidly through the street directly behind him. He did not turn his head to look toward it. Had he done so he would have recognized the car as one of Richard Delorme's and he would have seen the face of Lieutenant Muchmore peering out at him from the window In the limousine door. CHAPTER III. That Same Night at Crewe's. Crewe stood with both arms out stretched, his strong but delicate hands gripping the inner edge of the bar of ills famous place In South Fifth avenue. It was his customary attitude when he was not wiping glasses or other wise engaged. The ugly, almost hideous blemish on one side of his face, which shaded from red to a hue that was nearly purple, seemed more pronounced than ever, although if he turned his head so that It did not show, and one c6uld see only the smooth side of his face, one would unhesitatingly have pro nounced him a handsome man. There were possibly a score of "regulars" seated at the tables, whit u were many, for the saloon was both wide and deep; but Crewe's I rusted assistant, Christy, was attending to their wants, so that he was himself unoccupied. The hands of the clock above the back bar pointed at five minutes to midnight. The front door opened and a tall, darkman of the elder Hermann type came swiftly toward the bar where Crewe was standing. He moved with a peculiar grace and erse that suggested both lithness and great reserve strength, and his black eyes under their heavy brows were remarkably soft In their expred-! sion. Women would have admlied him at a distance. I Men would have shrugged their ' Ehoulders and shook their heads if his good looks were mentioned. j Crewe maintained his familiar atti tude until the newcomer was directly in front of him; then he said, still vithout moving from his position: "How are you,. Sindahr? What aie you going to have?" But, as if he had known before he asked Hid ques tion, he reached Into one of the re ceptacles behlhd him and brought forth a bottle that was never called foi save by this particular customer. It contained some kind of an East ern cordial, which must be name'ess hero for the reason that it is unpro nounceable. "Thank you, Mr. Ciewe," Sindahr said in a low voice that wa.s soft as velvet and in perfect English, al though one could see that ho was a foieigner, and doubtless of Hindu origin, notwithstanding tho lnkv-black mustache and Imperial ho wore. "Well, were you there?" Crowe asked as he helped himself to a glass of vichy. "Surely! Did I not say that I would be there? I was tho Italian Count Suclnl I much resemble I had no dllllculty in obtaining the .nvl tation, Mr. Crewe." "Don't 'Mister' me, count." nnd Crewo showed his white teeth In a half smile. "I am just plain Crewe. I have no other name. Did you oboy my orders?" "Most assuredly." "You aro lying, Sindahr," Crewo announced coolly. And when the man in front of tho bar took a step backward away fro:ii It and shot a gleam from his eyes that was half hatred and half fear, tho Proprietor added as coolly as bofore: "lou East Indians think that you are tho only wlso guys on earth, but ycu will find when you know mo better that I am gifted with something of tho occult myself. Shell out, count." "What do you mean by that expres sion, Crowe," tho Oriental demanded, and there was no mistaking tho ha tred in his eyes then. "I sent you up there, Sindahr, to watch, not to 'lift.' I told yon ex pressly that you wero not to pinch a 'thing, even If tho opportunity ofcrcd. You disobeyed mo. Shell out!" "I havo nothing. I stole not a thing." 'Count, do you want mo to send you up tho river?" "No, no, no! Not even If you could do so," was tho hasty but half uncertain reply. "Then dig down In your jeans and cough up that cameo brooch that you lifted tonight." SIndahr's expressive eyes grew wide with fear. Then, without a word of reply, ho thrust ono hand Insido his waistcoat and brought forth an article wrapped In tissue-paper. He passed it across tho bar to Crewe, who opened tho wrapping enough to seo what it contained, then turned and dropped It into a drawer behind him, which ho locked. Tho Oriental's expression was mur derous when Crewe confronted him again; but it changed to fear once more as he murmured: "You are a devil yes, a devil another Siva! How could you know about that?" "I knew. That Is enough. Wero both of your pupils there?" "Yes." "Did they get busy? Did they pinch anything?" "I think not. If so, I did not de tect them." "Was anything stolen - besides the cameo?" "I do not think so. I came away Immediately after the supper. If there were things missing I did not hear of It. I was" The front door opened, and Crewe Interrupted him sharply: "Here comes a man who may ques tion you. Be careful what you say." Lieutenant Muchmore strode swift ly to the bar. Another plain-clothes man was with him. "Hello, Crewe!" he said. Tnen: "Who's your friend?" "Good evening, Muchmoro. How are you, Bunting?" Crewe replied easily. "My friend is the celebrated and justly renowned Professor Sin oahr, known to tho puolic as the 'Worker of Miracles." "And known to the police as the slickest 'dip' that ever happened," Muchmore snapped out, whirling up on tho Oriental savagely. Sindahr, however, remained appar ently unmoved by the statement or the attitude of the officer. Indeed, his tr:'"' gleamed and his soft eyes shone In a smile that might have been ap preciation of the compliment. "That is, unfortunately, a reputa tion that fell upon me because I bfve given exhibitions of pocketpick lng on the stage," he said In his vel 1 voice. "But I have done that merely to teach my audiences how to avoid the dips, as you call them. You havn no charge against me, I know." 'No; I wish to Heaven I had one! But, all the same, you are the man I want to see. I had a description of you tonight, and I remembered then that I knew you. He turned sharply to the man behind the bar. "Crewe," he demanded, "you havo some ac quaintance with Moreaux, the artist, haven't you?" "A slight one." "He has visited your place this place?" "Possibly. I have a wretched mem ory, lieutenant." "Well, I am going to speak to you presently about something that you will remember, because it happened so recently not much more than an hour ago. Just now I want to know who the new pupil was that you in troduced to this miracle worker the night, or one of the nights not very long ago, when Moreaux, the artist islted this place." "Really, lieutenant " Crewe be gan, but Muchmore wheeled again fpon Sindahr. "You know the occasion to which I refer," he snapped out. "Tell rae the name of that man. You met him in tile street on the Bowery less than a week ago and talked with him. It was near Houston street. Who was he?" "My dear lieutenant, I mpet so very many people. How should I re member? And I have so very many pupils from time to time, HW should I recall them?" Sindahr shrugged his shoulders with a gesture so inso lent that it angered both the officers. As if with one impulse, they acted. Bunting seized his arms from bo hind. Muchmoro snapped handcuffs on his wrists before ho suspected their intention. Crewo looked on without moving, having reassumed his favorite posi tion with arms extended; but ho man aged to catch SIndahr's cyo in a meaning look. Tho other occupants of tho room paid no attention what ever. It was none of their affair, what ever else It might be. "I'll take you anyhow as a sus picious character, and hold you forty elrht hours for Investigation," tho lieutenant said shortly. "I can ques tion you better over at headquarter?. Tako him aside, Bunting. Put him In that chair over thero and corao back here. "I am going to ask Crewo a few ouestlons about something that hap pened tonight, and I want you to hear them nnd his answers to them. Chris tj, you beat it to tho other end of tho room and stay thero till you're want ed. I'll take charge of this place for the next few minutes," Crewo did not move. Tho cxprcs Bion of his faco did not change. But he asked his assistant a question thnt founded odd under tho clrcumstnn oes. "Christy," ho said In a tono that was entirely calm and half-amused, "did you feed tho pigeons tonight?" "Yes. sir," Christy replied. "Guying me, nro you?" Much more demanded. "Dear me, no, lieutenant," Crewo returned smilingly. "But I am very fond of my pigeons." 'Well, I" The electric lights in tho placo "winked." That is, they went out and flashed on again Instant ly. "What tho bla2cs was that?" tho lieutenant exclaimed. "Did you do that, Crewo?" "I? How could I do It? They've been winking like that a good deal litely. Just about this time, too." Crewo glanced about the room. What he saw seemed to satisfy him. Christy was at the far end of It. Two or three of the patrons were unosten tatiously taking their departure. Sindahr was seated at a tablo not far away with the irons still on his wrists. Bunting had returned to the bar beside Muchmore. Tho lights winked pgain. "You were going to ask me some questions, lieutenant," Crewe re marked. "What were they?" 'This is ono of them, Crewe. I Baw you tonight when you left the building where the artist Moreaux has his studio. You had a key that fitted the lock on the door, too. What were you doing there?" "I had been passing tho evening with some friends." 'You He! You had been waiting for Moreaux. Now I " "Stop." Crewe's voice was sharp, Incisive, but was not raised; and he added coldly: "It isn't safe to use that expression in addressing me. Lieu-, tenant Muchmore. Don't do It again." "You dare to threaten me?" Much more demanded angrily. "I have more than half a mind to servo you the same way I have served the mira cle worker." e "I don't think I would attempt that If I Were you," Crewo said mildly, and yet there was something In the very mildness of it that compelled the lieutenant to hesitate. "You've got something in common with the artist, Crewe," he said cross ly. "You are hand in glovo with him. I want to know what It Is all about." Crewe made no reply. "Things happened tonight at a house where I was present and where that artist was present also. Articles of value were stolen. I am pretty cer tain that you know something about it, too. "Anyhow, I'm going to invite you to walk down to headquarters with me where you can tell tho Inspector all about it. You're not under arrest, understand," ho added with a grim smile. "This is merely a courteous Invitation." "Thanks," said Crewe; and at that instant the lights went out and stayed out. For a moment there was silence while all present seemed to wait for them to flash on again. Then the front door was heard to close with a bang, and something metallic fell to the floor beside the two officers. Another moment passed and the lights flashed on again and the two officers found themselves looking wildly about them, and then staring blankly Into each other's faces. The place was deserted savo for themselves and Christy, who was placidly wiping glasses behind the tar. The chair that Sindahr had occu pied was vacant. .He was gone, and on the floor at their feet was the pair of handcuffs which had bound him, still locked. Even Crewe himself had disap peared. "Well, I'll be" Muchmore began and stopped. "Christy, come here!" CHAPTER IV. The Many-Sided Crewe. "Where is Crewe, Christy?" Much moro asked with extreme but dan gerous mildness. He was quite con scious that he had gone a step too fni with the man of the blemished face that night. Christy ceased wiping the glass, raised his chin and his eyes gazed thoughtfully toward the ceiling before he replied. Then he said: "Seems to me that I heard him say something about a date that he had at ten minutes to one. It's about that now, ain't it, lute?" Bunting had picked up tho hand cuffs and was examining them. He held them out toward his side-part-nei with tho remark:. "That miracle-worker slipped them all right. They were a snug fit, too." "Never mind that now," Muchmoro replied. 'Now, Christy, where Is that switch, and how do you work it?" "What switch, lute?" "I want to know how thoso lights weie turned on and off so neatly," the lieutenant Insisted, still In the samo dangerously mild tone of voice. "Lord love you, lute, that thing happens every now and then, and al ways 'long between twelve and ono o'clock. I guess thero must bo some thing wrong with tho wiring or something." "Very likely. All tho same I'll go aiound behind the bar and havo a look for myself." "Sure. Come ahead. Say, what'll youso havo to drink?" Neither man paid the slightest at tention to tho Invitation. Muchmoro passed around tho end of tho bar and spent five fruitless minutes search ing for an electric switch and gava it up; but ho remained behind the bar, facing Christy. "I want to know how Crewo loft this place," ho said shortly. "Well, lute, I guess you'll havo to ask him about that. I'm blowed It I know. Why, I'vo ,known him before now to disappear while my back was turned In broad daylight, too. That miracle worker ain't got nothln' on him if anybody should ask you." "You will show mo tho way ho went out if you know what is good for you, Christy," tho lieutenant said sharply. His quick temper was as serting itself again. "Gee, I trlsht I knew it. I wouldn't havo waited here, either with you that mad that you wanted to fight. Say, lute, don't you know that you can ketch more flies with merlasses that you can with vinegar? That aint no way to stack up against Crewe, the way you done it." "Well, Christy, ono thing is quite certain. You and Crewe both aided a prisoner to escape, and so I'm going to take you down to headquartera with me, just to find out If your knowledge nnd memory of things won't improve on the way " 'Now, wouldn't that jar you?" Christy exclaimed without excite ment. He was midway of tho length of the bar, facing Muchmore, who stood in the opening at the end of It. "I wasn't anywhere near the miracle worker, and I heard Bunting nay Just now that tho guy slipped the Irons off'n him. Anyhow, he wasn't any prisoner. You didn't have any war rant for him. He was only a suspi cious character, as you call It and I ain't one of them. I guess, maybe, If you take mo In for what happened here tonight I'll go an' see my lawyer tomorrow. How about that, lute?" Christy was too "wise" to the game to bo frightened. Muchmore realized that? with a grlro smile. The only way to take him In would bo to plant something on him, or frame him up, and Muchmore and Bunting were above that sort of thing. "Do you think you could find a way to ask Crew to return here, Christy?" Muchmore asked him and as he finished the question the electric light winked again. "There they go again," the bar tender chuckled. "Why, lemme see. I don't think he meant to be gone but a few minutes when ho went oui. You see, he was In his shirt sleeves, end ho hadn't no hat, and " Christy stopped, gazing directly ahead of him, past the lieutenant, to ward the hear of the room. Borh offi cers had their eyes upon Mm and liaiS not heard nor seen a door as it open ed suddenly at that end of the place. But they turned their heads quickly to follow Christy's gaze and discover ed Crewe advancing toward them with the swift motion that was hhr chief characteristic. And he seemed not in the least disturbed. "I can't find it, Chris Hello! Where is the professor? Oh, I see, Muchmore; you decided to let him go. I think you did right, too. It Is closing time, boys. What will you have before I lock up?" and ho step ped behind the bar and stretched out his arms in the customary gesture, thus drawing the two officers around In front of him again. "We didn't let him go; he let him self go, Crewe," Eaid Bunting. He had said very little since he en tered the place; now, for some reas on perhaps Muchmore had signaled) tu him he took up the conversation! and, had he but known it, Crewe likeci him, and respected him above the av erage. "He slipped out of the cuffs and) chuckled them on the floor at our feet while the lights were out. Oh, he's a miracle worker all right; take it fron me." "Well, well!" said Crewe, and put out bottle and glasses, and a siphon of vichy. He had never been known to drink anything stronger than vichy In his own place. "But we don't care anything about that, now, Crewe," Bunting went ors quietly. "The thing that we aro cu rious about is, how and when you got out?" "I? Why, I just walked out--to tee If I could find out what was the matter with the lights." 'Aw, say, Crewe, do we look as; easy as that?" Crewo shrugged his shoulders. "Ob, well, I won't try to convince' you. Havo another? No? Well, it's after closing time, now, and I don't want to get into trouble with tho in spector of this district. And say, Muchmore, if you btill insist, and will wait, I'll take a walk down with you for that talk with your chief. How about it?" "Go ahead and close up," Much moro replied, still a bit unsettled as to temper. "Then come into the back; room where Bunting and I ran h ive a taik with you. That will do qulto as well." (To Be Continued.) Weakness of Moors. A traveler says that a curious weakness of grown-up Moors Is tho love of eating newly baked bread. Tho cald of Azemmoor, in Morocco, discovered that old bread was thrown away as waste. To waste food Is a serious offense In tho eyes of a Moslem. Tho cald of Azem moor therefore issued a bylaw pro hibiting tho baking of bread upon ono day in each weok. Tho citizens, ho declared, must eat up tho breadi already bakcd.and he fixed Wednes day as" the "bltalah," or holiday. wjwissBiafc: Uj..wr,,,