The Flaming Jewel

Chance, and Destiny had been t

nce of things. The stars in their courses indica

e Countess wrote to Ja

as José Quintana's band of international thiev

New York, named Emanuel Sard, m

oing to America as

enti

ved the letter he sta

received a curious letter from

te * Celonite- Lapis-Iolite-Nephrite-Chalcedony-Hydrolite * Hegolite-Amethyst-Selenite * Fire Opal-Labradorite-Aquamarine-Malachite-Iris Stone-Natrolite-Garnet * Jade-Emerald-Wood Opal-Essonite-Lazuli * Epidote

elf as a customer. The weasel-faced clerk behind the wicket laid a pi

autiously around

ybody h

ody.

rning José Quintana," whispe

eplied the clerk in a low, uneasy voice. "Mr. Sard left f

arragh coolly; "do

d expects him he

ere who calls himself José Quintana, turn him over to the police until Mr. Sard re

e worried clerk. "Are you

ough to Quintana to give you orders. And

dawned on th

Quintana!" he

im through with

business,

l. It led to a dealer in automobiles. Sard had bou

rragh traced a brand new Comet Six containing one short, dark L

h missed him by ten minutes; but he learned th

as far as Harrod's Corners, dismissed the Ford,

les farther on. Here he felled a tree across the

d his handkerchief over his face below the

Darragh sauntered out of the bushes, poked his pistol against

l. Two pistols, a stiletto, and a blackjack composed the arsenal of Mr. Sard. A large wallet disclosed mo

ntana. Cipher was rather in Darragh's line. All ciphers are solved by similar meth

y acrostic-the very simplest of secret message

ph

e no

ke Clinch.... Has Flaming Jewel

int

Forces, Darragh had little trouble with Quintana's letter. Even the signature was not difficult, the fraction 1?5 was

ificent of all gems. Only three were known. The you

after Emanuel Sard should have led him to the very b

orest which once had belonged to Henry Harrod of Boston, and

wly, he turned and looked toward Clinch's. An autumn sunset flared like a conflag

Clinch. They had started Quintana, Sard, and Darragh on hi

ot and sniffing uncomfortably cl