"Sardius -- Tourmaline -- Aragonite -- Rhodonite * Porphyry -- Obsidian -- Nugget Gold -- Diaspore * Novaculite * Yu * Nugget Silver -- Amber -- Matrix Turquoise -- Elaeolite * Ivory -- Sardonyx * Moonstone -- Iceland Spar -- Kalpa Zircon -- Eye Agate * Celonite -- Lapis -- Iolite -- Nephrite -- Chalcedony -- Hydrolite * Hegolite -- Amethyst -- Selenite * Fire Opal -- Labradorite -- Garnet * Jade -- Emerald -- Wood Opal -- Essonite -- Lazuli * Epidote -- Ruby -- Onyx -- Sapphire -- Indicolite -- Topaz -- Euclase * Indian Diamond * Star Sapphire -- African Diamond -- Iceland Spar -- Lapis Crucifer * Abalone -- Turkish Turquoise * Old Mine Stone -- Natrolite -- Cats Eye -- Electrum * * * 1/5 a a." That afternoon young Darragh located Sard's office and presented himself as a customer. The weasel-faced clerk behind the wicket laid a pistol handy and informed Darragh that Sard was away on a business trip. Darragh looked cautiously around the small office: "Can anybody hear us?" "Nobody. Why?" "I have important news concerning Jose Quintana," whispered Darragh; "Where is Sard?" "Why, he had a letter from Quintana this very morning," replied the clerk in a low, uneasy voice. "Mr. Sard left for Albany on the one o'clock train. Is there any trouble?" "Plenty," replied Darragh coolly; "do you know Quintana?" "No. But Mr. Sard expects him here any day now." Darragh leaned closer against the grille: "Listen very carefully; if a man comes here who calls himself Jose Quintana, turn him over to the police until Mr. Sard returns. No matter what he tells you, turn him over to the police. Do you understand?" "Who are you?" demanded the worried clerk. "Are you one of Quintana's people?" "Young man," said Darragh, "I'm close enough to Quintana to give _you_ orders. And give Sard orders. ... And Quintana, too!" A great light dawned on the scared clerk: "_You_ are Jose Quintana!" he said hoarsely. Darragh bored him through with his dark stare: "Mind your business," he said. * * * * * That night in Albany Darragh picked up Sard's trail. It led to a dealer in automobiles. Sard had bought a Comet Six, paying cash, and had started north. Through Schenectady, Fonda, and Mayfield, the following day, Darragh traced a brand new Comet Six containing one short, dark Levantine with a parrot nose. In Northville Darragh hired a Ford. At Lake Pleasant Sard's car went wrong. Darragh missed him by ten minutes; but he learned that Sard had inquired the way to Ghost Lake Inn. That was sufficient. Darragh bought an axe, drove as far as Harrod's Corners, dismissed the Ford, and walked into a forest entirely familiar to him. He emerged in half an hour on a wood road two miles farther on. Here he felled a tree across the road and sat down in the bushes to await events. Toward sunset, hearing a car coming, he tied his handkerchief over his face below the eyes, and took an automatic from his pocket.