An Unusual History
Upon reaching the mainland in the motor boat, Madge instructed the sailor
who had piloted her from the yacht to return for her in an hour. She then
made her way toward the Dewitt and Prager Jewelry store, walking
hurriedly, for her wrist watch warned her that it was nearly closing
time.
As she entered the shop, she observed that already the salesmen were
removing trays from the windows and returning expensive jewelry to the
vaults.
“Is Mr. Dewitt in?” she questioned anxiously.
“You are the owner of the jade pin?” the clerk inquired, and as she
assented, added: “Mr. Dewitt is expecting you. Right this way, please.”
He led her to the rear of the store and opened the door of a private
office. Mr. Dewitt, an elderly man with gray hair and keen, alert eyes,
arose and politely offered Madge a chair opposite his desk.
“I shouldn’t have taken your time,” Madge began apologetically, “but one
of your salesmen said he thought you might be interested in my pin. I
don’t suppose it is really jade.”
“Indeed it is,” the jeweler assured her. “A small stone but one of the
most perfect I have ever seen. May I ask how it came into your
possession?”
Madge explained that the pin had been found but did not mention under
what circumstance.
“You have made no attempt to find the owner?”
“I thought I’d come to you first.”
“You did quite right,” he assured her. “In fact, I intended to warn you
against advertising in the paper. This pin is valuable and you must be
very cautious in seeking its owner. Perhaps you are acquainted with the
stone’s history.”
“No,” Madge responded eagerly, “what can you tell me of it?”
“It is the carven symbol upon the stone which makes it so interesting. I
believe it to be the mark of a fanatical religious sect which at one time
was known to exist in India.”
“Not—Zudi worshipers?” Madge questioned.
“Yes,” the jeweler acknowledged, surprised, “the sect is no longer
active, to all accounts. It is odd that the pin which years ago
doubtlessly belonged to one of the members, should turn up in this
country. If the owner is located I should like very much to question
him.”
“You may be sure I’ll not leave a stone unturned in attempting to find
the person who lost it,” Madge declared. “I think perhaps I know who it
was.”
She opened her purse and took out the paper upon which she had made a
rough sketch of the symbol used on the Zudi Drum Bowl. She offered it to
the jeweler.
“Would you say that the two symbols are alike?” she asked.
“There is a striking similarity. Yes, in my opinion they are the same.”
Madge nodded in satisfaction. She now had all the information that she
required for her case. There no longer was any doubt in her mind as to
the owner of the jade pin. She was of the opinion that it belonged either
to the boatman who had rowed her to The Flora on the day of her arrival
at Cheltham Bay, or else to a fellow member of the fanatical Zudi sect.
In only one particular did she feel that her theory fell short. Mr.
Dewitt had said that the sect no longer existed, and Enid held the same
opinion.
“They both may be mistaken,” she thought. As soon as she reached the
yacht she planned to lay all the facts before her chum, confident that
she would then see the folly of trying to deal single handed with her
father’s abductors.
Madge divined that Mr. Dewitt intended to ask questions concerning her
knowledge of the strange Zudi symbols. Since she was not ready to answer
them, she hastily arose.
“If you wish, we will keep the stone here in our vaults until you claim
it,” the jeweler offered.
Madge was glad to accept the offer for she had no immediate use for the
jade pin, and hesitated to be responsible for its safety. She thanked the
jeweler for his kindness and left the store.
As she walked slowly toward the waterfront she considered the information
gleaned from the interview. Had she felt free to do so, she would have
gone directly to the police with her findings.
“I promised I wouldn’t bring them into it again,” she thought, “so before
doing anything I must consult Enid. I’m sure she’ll see my viewpoint
now.”
Aboard The Flora an hour later, she reported in detail her talk with Mr.
Dewitt. And to her deep chagrin, she encountered stubborn resistance from
Enid.
“No, I don’t feel that it’s a case for the police,” she insisted. “What
have they done so far? Nothing at all.”
“But the situation is different now,” Madge explained patiently. “Do you
realize that you’re not dealing with an ordinary band of kidnappers?
You’re negotiating with a group of fanatics—or at least that’s my
opinion. You can’t trust them.”
“You may be right,” Enid admitted wearily, “but at any rate they’re only
after the Zudi Drum. When I turn it over to them, they’ll be satisfied.”
Madge realized that her arguments were making not the slightest
impression upon her chum. In her intense desire to aid her father, Enid
had lost sight of everything save the main objective.
“If you won’t give up the idea of going to Cedar Point, then at least
permit Rex or me to go with you,” Madge pleaded.
Enid grasped her friend’s hand and squeezed it gratefully.
“It’s noble of you to offer, but of course I shan’t accept.”
Madge gave up. Until now she had hoped that she could find some means of
convincing Enid of the mistake she was making. She considered ignoring
her promise and taking the matter to the police, but loyalty would
scarcely permit that. She told herself she must find some other way.
“I wish Jack French would hurry and arrive if he’s actually decided to
come,” she thought. “He would know what to do.”
Since she had sent off her telegram to Loon Lake, she had received no
reply and she knew that in the present situation she must depend upon her
own ingenuity. In vain she cudgeled her brain for some scheme which would
secure Mr. Burnett’s release and at the same time not endanger Enid.
“It’s a shame to hand over the Zudi Drum Bowl without making the
slightest attempt to save it,” she mused. “Mr. Burnett must value it
highly or he would have given it to the kidnappers of his own accord.”
Supper time found her still turning the matter over in her mind. She was
unusually quiet during the meal, but Enid did not notice. Neither ate a
great deal although Jose had made a special effort to serve appetizing
dishes. After they had finished, they sat out on the deck, watching the
sunset.
Later in the evening, Rex drew alongside the yacht in his motor boat and
was invited to come aboard. He had no news to report, and after Madge had
talked with him a few minutes, she left him alone with Enid and went back
to her deck chair.
For some time she sat there, staring intently toward the city, and yet
completely unaware of the twinkling lights or the orchestra music which
came faintly over the water from a beach front hotel. Then suddenly she
straightened.
“Why didn’t I think of it before?” she asked herself jubilantly. “Rex
will help me I’m sure! If only I can manage to talk with him when Enid
isn’t around!”
She immediately sought her two friends, but the opportunity she awaited
did not come. Madge had begun to fear that she would never have a chance
to speak privately with Rex when Enid announced that she was cold.
Excusing herself, she went to her cabin for a coat.
In a few brief sentences, Madge explained the situation to Rex but there
was no time to tell him of her plan, for they could hear Enid returning.
“I’ll tell you more tomorrow!” Madge whispered. “There’s just one thing
you must do. Get another bowl the same size as the Zudi Drum and smuggle
it aboard before nightfall. Remember how much is at stake, and don’t
fail!”