Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/184

 her out and endeavoured to worm another fragment from her.

It was just as plain to him, now, that White Collar Dan was hunting down the river for the lost Goles diamonds, and he knew from the girl's veiled statement to Dan that she had captured the diamonds when she seized the motorboat. Macrado's ejaculation had seemed to clear up that phrase. Now he wanted to know if those diamonds had really been thrown overboard. Already he had gathered material for the greatest two-page gem story he had ever seen or heard of, and he lacked but some few hints about this mysterious young woman who taunted her pursuer with the information that she had tossed his loot—a hundred thousand dollars' worth of gems—into the Mississippi.

So Urleigli set about getting an interview, willy-nilly, from the young woman. He prided himself with his fine manner and his irresistible craft. He had the stage all ready and he was sipping coffee with her, but he hesitated as to how he should frame his opening questions.

At that point, as he hesitated, she rolled her eyes up and asked:

"When did you leave Cincinnati, Mr. Urleigh?"

"Eh—about three-four weeks ago."

"I was surprised when you pulled into the eddy