Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/26

 and even nations, have vanished, leaving no trace, plowed under by Time.

"Then the chances are you'll never find those gems?" Urleigh asked,

"Looks like!" Grost admitted. "I tell you, there's something pretty bad in that double robbery. You just don't know whom to suspect, or which way to turn!"

Other stories, other things gradually crowded the Goles diamond case into the background. It seemed as though no new phase could enter into the matter now; but an astonishing word reached Manager Grost in the routine mail one morning. From the New York office arrived a letter relating to Case J-1416—the Goles case.

In matter of Obert Goles, missing with diamonds and rubies belonging to firm of Ofsten & Groner (see files) Goles arrived at office of the firm to-day bringing a black fishing tackle box containing a large number of diamonds. Putting the box on the counter, he said:

"There're those diamonds!"

Immediately he turned and left the store, every one too astonished to stop him. He was very seedy, clothes badly worn, hat a dirty gray. Face very haggard and unshaven. When the diamonds were examined, they were found to exceed in value those with which he disappeared, but only a few of them were the same as those in the selection which he carried away. No rubies in this lot.