With Links of Steel | Page 6

woman of
rare qualities."
"That is perfectly correct, sir. She is a woman of rare qualities."
"What did she decide to do about the diamonds, Mr. Venner?"
"She gave me an order for the cross, Detective Carter, to be made and
delivered as soon as possible."
"This was during your call upon her this morning?"
"Certainly."
"You had previously sent no order to Hafferman for the stones?"
"Surely not."
"Yet a written order was received by him, or he would not have
delivered the goods."
"In which case, then, it was a forgery."
"No doubt of it," Nick readily admitted. "Chick."
"Yes, Nick."
"Take a carriage and go at once and interview Hafferman. See what
you can learn from him. Get the written order received by him, and
bring it here. Have a look at young Boyden, and see what you make of
him. Also get the written signature of Mr. Hafferman, and that of each
person employed in his store. Understand?"
"Sure thing!" nodded Chick, already seeing clearly the line Nick's
investigation was taking, though neither Venner nor his partner yet

perceived it. "I will return as quickly as possible."
"You will find me here," nodded Nick. "Wait a moment!"
"Well?"
"Also get a description of the party who delivered the written order at
Hafferman's store. Inquire what he said at the time, and why he did not
attempt securing the diamonds then and there."
"Probably he was not known there, and knew he could not get them,"
observed Venner, by way of explanation.
Nick made no reply to this, however, and Chick hurriedly departed.
CHAPTER III.
THE KILGORE DIAMOND GANG.
"Now, gentlemen, only a few more questions, and I then shall be ready
to go at this case in a more energetic fashion," said Nick Carter,
immediately after Chick's departure. "Were any of your clerks absent
from the store, Mr. Venner, at the time of this robbery?"
"As I was absent myself, I cannot say," replied Venner, rather dryly.
"How about it, Garside?--you were here."
"Only one clerk, a young man named Spaulding, was out of the store."
"Was he out on business?"
"Yes, under my instructions," Venner quickly explained. "We have
numerous old accounts on our books, and just before I went uptown I
sent Spaulding out to try to make a few collections. I think he has
returned by this time."
"It does not matter, since he was out under your instructions," said Nick,
closing his notebook. "Now, Mr. Venner, who among your employees
knew you thought of buying this lot of diamonds from Hafferman, or

that you had called at his store to examine them?"
"Not a soul," was the prompt reply.
"Are you sure of that?"
"Absolutely. I had said nothing of the matter, even to my partner, there
being nothing definite about it before I saw Señora Cervera this
morning. I am sure that none of my clerks had any idea of my
intentions."
Nick was not so sure of it, yet he did not say so. He arose and took
from Venner's desk a block of plain paper, which he laid upon the
table.
"Gentlemen," said he, "I want the signature of your firm, in the
handwriting of each of you. Kindly let me have this."
"What's that for?" demanded Venner, abruptly.
"I wish to make a comparison with the forged order which my assistant
will presently bring from Mr. Hafferman," Nick coolly explained. "I
would suggest that you do not delay me."
Venner made no reply, but took a pen and signed the firm's name upon
the blank paper.
"Now yours, Mr. Garside."
"Mine also, Detective Carter?" queried Garside, with a look of surprise.
"If you please."
"Surely," cried Venner, with some resentment, "you do not suspect that
Mr. Garside or myself--"
"Pardon me!" Nick bluntly interrupted. "I am not in the habit of
discussing my suspicions. That I should suspect either of you, however,
is utterly absurd."

"I should say so!"
"Therefore do not argue with me over an absurdity. If I am to continue
this investigation, gentlemen, I must do it in my own way. Either that,
or I shall drop the case at once. Your signature, Mr. Garside."
Garside hastened to take the pen, and dashed off the firm's signature
below that of his partner. Nick tore the page from the block, then
handed the latter to Venner.
"Now, Mr. Venner," said he, "have each of your employees, from first
to last, write his name with pen and ink upon this paper. Don't overlook
one of them, not one, from your bookkeeper down to your office boy. If
Spaulding is still out, get his signature later, and send it to me by mail. I
will wait here while you are thus engaged."
Venner now vaguely perceived Nick's suspicions and design, and