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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.
“By the way, what's the name of that steward who took my daughter's sapphires?”
“His monacker is Webb,” said Haggerty; “Thomas Webb, Esquire; an' believe me, he's some smooth guy. Thomas Webb.”
