The Riddle of the Purple Emperor

owners. Superintendent Narkom, Cleek learned to his extreme relief, was engaged on a special case involving his working at the Yard to a late hour. In the

s of the man with whom he had worked so long and so faithfully. It could not have been more than a minute, but the time seemed endless till he at length, after a preliminary tap, threw open the door of the room a

ght sight of the intruder, he leaped from

was praying for! Come along in and lock th

ve his help to the Yard, and the very fact that Mr. Maverick Narkom s

d, Mr. Narkom. What's in the wind? It's a case,

t, falling limply into his lately vacated chai

"No, it's quite simple, my dear fellow. At your side you have a book, 'Famous Stones and Their History.' In fr

ght. It is a jewel theft. As a matter of fact, it's a series of thefts, al

w. There's the French gang, headed by our old friend Margot; the Viennese gang, by Mr.

other, jewels stolen from travellers at railway stations, jewels from shops, jewels at balls. There is a constant inrush of fresh cases, and I

rom the Greek pente, five, like a pentagram, or pentagon, but as applied to a magical figure it is probably a corruption of pendre, to hang, and that is a very appropriate sign for our friends to have chosen. This gang, too, if I remember rightly, used to be led by a man

ing murder in broad daylight within an ace of Bond Street Police Station itself, it is a bit too thick. Why

attached to the theatre has been killed? Or-no-no, let me see,

e old dame for is past comprehension. There wasn't an article worth ten shillings in the place and yet they took the trouble, to s

ew 'old clo'? Why, Mr. Narkom, the thieves must have been mad. When did this p

oman can be and spoke with a brogue that you could cut with a knife, had lived in this little court in the lane, and carried on business for nearly ten years. She was known, I believe, to be a tough customer as we understand the term, but no crook. No 'Fence' business; just the buyin

her, had an appointment with some man who wanted to fit up a small touring com

ebrows. "How did Mrs. Ma

and at the same time, said she didn't expect the deal to come off

r, "and she did 'die for it,' poor soul. That looks suspiciou

we know is that a man

nterposed Cl

as a stand opposite the shop. He says a man went in, stayed ever so long, and came out

d him," threw in Cleek with a little gesture of desp

out of the house with the news that Madame was murdered, having been stabbed to the heart w

ith a little laugh. "If it is not too late I wouldn't mi

ty. "For what with these jewel thefts and now this murder, I am almost bes

a moment and I

r about a disguise, though. It's as dark as pitch and there's nobody now to

them as he made use of his peculiar birth-gift. An instant later the only likeness which remained of the dapper Lieutenant who had entered the room was his clothing, for the

into Mr. Narkom's eyes. "But it's as well to be careful. And Mr.

were safely seated in the limousine and heading swiftly fo

corpse did this evening," he said with just a tinge of whimsical hu

f the night, with the utmost detail, from the moment when the shot attracted his attention outs

was dead?" said Mr. Narkom, mopping

ss Cheyne who drove us out of the house an hour later, is quite another matter. The thing is not supernatural, it is simply a trick. Once, in the old days that lie behind, when I was amongst those who are hun

e and what her object was, but even if we knew it woul

o not forget the fact that the jewels belonging to the house of Cheyne are historic, and worth untold wealth. All are or will be shortly in the power of the poor little girl I drove home and who stands a very good chance of being the target of every jewel t

and I don't fancy there's any chance of their playing any tricks on him. He was telling me about a young client of his who comes into her kingdom of jewels in a week or so's time. He did not mention any names, but in the light of what you say, it must be this

ied for the fifth time, and a search warrant is a search

out of the window of the limousi

and I promise you poor Ma

ek gave a little sigh as he turned away from the gruesome sight. Except for the fact that every wig and article of woman's clothing had been removed, there was no evidence o

ng on the mantelshelf. It was no less than a photo of the Honourable Miss Cheyne, in a red dress and he