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 marked to his assistant, Valeska, who had been present at the interview with McGraw. "It is these cases which are apparently so extraordinary that are most easily solved. Given any remarkable variation in the aspect of a crime, and you know immediately where to begin. This will be only play, I fancy. We'll go right down and look the ground over and see the lay of the land. Of course the important thing is to trace the child's route from the basement laundry, in the middle of the block, to the corner."

"Why, the obvious course would be along two sides of the rectangle,—along West Third Street and up Thompson Street to the Square, wouldn't it?" said Valeska.

"Undoubtedly. And yet, if little Elsa went that way, along the sidewalk, it seems impossible that some one wouldn't have noticed her and remarked the surprising playthings she was holding in her hands."

"She might have only just picked them up, near the corner."

"Very true. We must carefully go over all possible routes and then determine the probabilities. But let's go down and look at the exhibits in the case. I confess I'm curious as to that hand."

Astro's green limousine was entered, and he and his assistant drove immediately to the detective bureau on Allen Street. McGraw welcomed them, and taking them into an inner room, displayed the relics.

The opal was nearly an inch long, a perfect ellipse, shot with colored fires. As it was shifted in the light the play of color was mysterious and surprising.