Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 157: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

HOW MANY CARDS? “T’ve instructions from headquarters, ma’am.” McCarty’s tone was respectful, but he shook his head firmly. ‘ What I have to say must be said to you alone, but of course, you’re free to use your own discretion afterward.” Mrs. Waverley had made no move to rise and was listening with a supercilious amuse- ment to the little tilt, but Mrs. Creveling’s eyes met those of McCarty in sudden ques- tion and then she turned to her companion. ““ If you don’t mind, Stella— You see we are in the hands of the authorities now—”’ “* Quite so.” Mrs. Waverley laughed and rose. ‘‘ Send Yvonne for me when the dark secret has been disclosed. I’m going to take a@ nap.” = Without deigning to notice the presence of McCarty she moved to the door and when it had closed behind her McCarty advanced to the table beside which Mrs. Creveling had thalted and drew from his pocket a leather case. “For one thing, Mrs. Creveling,” he said. “I’ve come to bring you these!”’ Before her amazed eyes he opened the case and poured out upon the table a stream of huge, unset emeralds which glowed with a rich but almost sinister vernal light. _ “ My emeralds!” she gasped. “I read in the papers that Ilsa had given herself up, but I did not know that these had been recovered! She had pried them from their settings—”’ “‘ She never touched them, ma’am. She never even saw them.” There was a stern note in McCarty’s tones. cent of theft as you are yourself.” “Then who—” Mrs. Creveling’s eyes met his and the flash of green fire from the jewels-upon the table seemed for an instant reflected in their depths. As though some premonition of the truth came to her she shank back and sank slowly into the nearest chair. ‘‘ It must have been IIsa, and I am determined that she shall be pun- ished! The mere restitution of these jewels is not enough; she must be made an ex- ample—” “The thief who stole them is beyond reach of your punishment, ma’am.” “ Tlsa is as inno-- 123 Mrs. Creveling’s breath came pantingly. ‘““How do you know? What have you learned?”” she demanded, and then as though afraid to hear his answer she added hurriedly: “ But it is absurd! No one else could have taken them, no one could have entered my dressing-room during my ab- sence. Mr. Creveling himself testified to that! I had seen them with my own eyes when I closed the case not five minutes be- fore—”’ “Twas these you saw, ma’am.” Mc- Carty produced another case, the replica of the first and opened it, disclosing a neck- lace and stomacher of antique gold set with small diamonds, and large, deep-gre stones, whose color seemed dead and fl beside the warm glow of those lying loose upon the table. ‘“ They’re a good imitation put back in your own old settings, and ’twas done between the time you got the real ones from the vault and the night you meant to wear them.” - ‘ Do you mean that they were taken from my husband’s safe?” Her voice was a mere whisper. “Yes, ma’am, and by the only one who knew the combination; the same who en- tered your dressing-room after Ilsa had left . it for a minute, and took the fakes after he learned that you meant to have them reset almost at once and knew that. you’d find out -the truth.” ‘What do you mean?” she cried. you daring to insinuate—”’ “Tm not insinuating anything, ma’am, but I'll speak plainer if you like,”” McCarty said grimly. ‘ We’ve found the man who made the fakes and he can testify that ‘twas Mr. Creveling himself who brought the original set to him to have the emeralds prized out and copied. We've got the fence ——the receiver of stolen goods—who bought the real stones from Mr. Creveling for “ Are - twenty thousand dollars, and he can prove who his customer was. Mr. Creveling saw his chance and threw the blame on IIsa, but he never meanf to ‘have her prosecuted for it, I'll say that for him; he only. thought to gain time. “T'was your husband himself who was the thief, Mrs. Creveling!”’ ‘This story will be concluded in next week’s issue of the ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, the consolidated title under which both magazines will appear hereafter as one, PG (C(O) 6)(0)©) S (C(O) nn