Meanwhile Killigrew arrived in New York, went to the bank and deposited
Kitty's opal, and sought his office.
"There's a Mr. Haggerty in your office, Mr. Killigrew. I told him to
wait."
"Haggerty, the detective?"
"Yes. He said you'd be glad to see him. Has news of some sort."
Killigrew hurried into his private office. "Hello, Haggerty! What's
the trouble this morning?"
"Got some news for you." Haggerty accepted a cigar. "I've a hunch
that I can find Miss Killigrew's sapphires."
"No! I thought they had been sold over the other side."
"Seems not."
"Got your man?"
"Nope. Funny kind of a job, though. Fooled th' customs inspectors.
Sapphires 'r here in New York, somewheres."
"A thousand to you, Haggerty, if you recover them."
"A row between two stewards on th' Celtic gave me th' clue."
"Why, that's the boat I came over on."
"Sure thing."
"And the thief was on board all the time?"
"Don't think he was when you crossed. I've got t' wait till th' boat
docks before I can get particulars. It's like this. Th' chap who took
th' sapphires engaged passage as a steward. His cabin-mate saw him
lookin' over th' stones. He'd taken 'em out o' their settings. This
man Jameson pinches 'em, but his mate follows him up an' has it out
with him in a waterfront groggery. Got 'em back. Cool customer. I
went on board th' next morning an' quizzed him. An' say, he done me up
brown. As unblinkin' a liar 's I ever met. Took me t' his cabin an'
showed me what he professed Jameson had swiped. Nothing but a pearl
an' coral brooch. He did it so natural that I swallowed th' bull,
horns an' hoofs. I've had every pawnshop in New York looked over, but
they ain't there. I've been busy on the maharajah's emeralds. There's
a case. Cleverest ever. Some drug, atomized through a keyhole, which
puts y' t' by-by."
"A drug? Why, say, two of my neighbors have been robbed within the
past three days, and they all complained of violent headaches."
"Well, what y' know about that! Say, Mr. Killigrew, any place where I
could hang out down there for a couple o' days?"
"Come as my guest, Haggerty. I can tell the folks that you're from the
office."
"Fumes! I'll bet a hat it's my maharajah's man. When do you go back?"
"About half-past two, on my yacht. You'll find it at the New York
Yacht Club pier. Some old friends of yours will be on board.
Crawford, his wife, and Forbes, the artist."
"Fine an' dandy! Forbes is clever at guessing, an' we'll work
t'gether. All right I'll hike up t' Bronx an' get some duds. Tell th'
chef that corn-beef an' cabbage is my speed-limit," jested the
detective as he reached the door.