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Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 404, 4 February 1904, Page 2

to a wobUi the trimming of whose oloak had. as the tried to pass him, become entangled in some trinkets hanging from his watch chain. As she attempted to extricate herself, the cloak half-slipped from her shoulders, and the inspector's eye was caught by the sparkle of a jewel at her throat, He looked and looked again, more intently; and then, in another moment, the trimming was disentangled, and with a bow and amidst apologies from the man who had iaTolbntarily detained her, the woman passed on. • "-*.,* She moved up the room, and the inspector followed her, and when she stopped at the further end of the table, he came and stood by her side. 'I beg your*pardon/ he said,* I was close to you when thatij little accident happened' just now. May I ask yon a question f* The woman hesitated. 'lt depends—' ' When your cloak was dragged apart just now,' Willow went on, 'I Baw that you were weiring a remarkably fine emerald. Would you mind telling me if you have it long P'J ' Eeally— * the woraw began. 'lt sounds an extraordinary request, I know,' said Willow, 'but the emerald ia remarkably like one which belonged to my family, and which for family reasons was obliged to be sold. If I could think that this is indeed the same jewel, I should, naturally, Bo extremely interested.' / The woman unbent,* a little. 'lt is a present,' she said. 'l've only had it a couple of days.* * Then you don't know where it came fromf

'No, I—' The woman hesitated; then she bent forward and touched the shoulder of a man who was intent on the play. 'Ted,' she said, 'where did you get thiflF and she touched the jewel with her finger. 'Do you mind telling me P Was it in Vienna P* The man half-turned. 'Vienna, yes; Beiohenbach's. I'm winning, Madge—shall be able to get you another soon;' and he turned to the table again. <lt might be the same,* said Willow, ' and it is very life in shape and size and brilliancy. In any case lam extremely obliged to you.' He bowed, and turning away, walked out o! the Casino. He wanted to think and he could not think properly amidst the crowd and noise and glare. Outside it was cool and comparatively quiet, and Willow, walking to and fro, was able to give his-mind undisturbed to the question which puzzled Mm; for the jewel he had just serai was, he felt sure, identical with the Btone, or the facsimile of a stone, which he had observed in Mr Binnie's private room a fortnight ago; and the question he asked himself was: How and why had it reached Vienna, and who had taken it there P

CHAPTER XIL—THE EMEBALD AND THE PE4BL. j. Inspector Willow sat at the counter in the spacious shop of Wilhelm Beichenbach, Vienna, and examined with apparent interest the various brooches, pendants, and rings spread out before him. *lt must be as emerald,' he said, 'and yon have none quite of the sue I require. The friend for whom I am buying—or wish to buy—is particular as to bibs as well as quality: he must have both.' •A rare combination,' said Herr Beiohenbach, who had himself undertaken to serve the English customer, for the inspector, among his many accomplishments, had learned how to play the gentleman, and also to assume the airs of wealth; and the jeweller was considerably impressed by his demeanour. •Now, this,' said Willow, who knew something about afconea, taking up a pendant and holding it to the light, ' this stone in the centre ia a fine stone, bnt it ia not big enough. Have you no more of the kind that—l met a lady the other day with a brooch containing just such a stone as I want, and she told me it had been bought here, and, as I understand, recently.' \ 'Do you mean a little round brooch with a setting of brilliants P' 'Yes, that is the one I mean.j Have you any more stones of that kind t] The jeweller smiled. *Ach Gottl no. We do not have many of that kind. The sua and quality together make it very rare. I had it only a day when one of your countrymen—a milord—l know not —but rich, as so many of the English, see it and want it. I set it for him at once—my own design-and so I part with it again immediately.' 'At a profit, I suppose P» Willow said, with a smile. Herr Beiohenbach answered the smile. 'We must live, we jewellers, as well aa the other people.' ' And the stone P You got it through a dealer, I suppose P I wonder if I should have a better chance if I '

'With a wholesale rsanP No, unless you know well and understand the stones.' 'I know a little about stones; and I know a dealer—or rather I should say, the man who travels for him. I wonder, by the way, if yon have ever done business with him. He comes to Vienna, I know. A tall man—with a beard and moustache—speaks German almost like a native.'

'I believe,' exclaimed Herr Baichenbach,' it is the same man who brought me the emerald. He has a look what you call, I think, devil's love—hein P, The inspector was quick of perception. 'D.«n-•nay-care/ he replied, 'Yes, that ia so. I believe it must be the man I mean. What a curious coincidence!' ' Indeed, yes,' returned Herr Beiohenbach. 'He have come here before. He travel he say for—l remember no more the name/ 'Binnie 1b the firm,' said Willow,' boldly. The jeweller shook his head. 'No, that not the name. A Calcutta firm it was—two namee. No, I cannot remember. English names axe difficult/ ' I daresay he has changed since I saw him,' Bald Willow. '!*■' me time since I came across a,. D \& be bring you much b eisitP • Tea, diamonds, pear la—some very fine pearls, and ene or two opals, i bought little; I have plenty stock just now, and the trade is not good lately. Finance unsettled, and so the people do not buy, He had some beautiful gems though, and there was one pearl that I could not resist. See,' the jeweller opened a drawer at the back of the counter,«l will show it you.' (To be continued.)