The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-27

the way. ne proceeded 10 pose with great
impressfyeness as an authority on the IN
tricacies of put UP yobs, the great bank
haul of Ell 900. and how all these affairs
were worked on the conjuror's principle OF
''de quickness OF de hand dat deceives de
eye"
Once, after the opening of a second bot
tie, when Cornelius the lesser had grown
extra communicative, he impaired to his
kinsman the episode of the lost pocket
book. and the tenacity with which his
wife had stuck to the f3. 500 she had found
/ in the hall, refusing to give 1t up except
on its urgent demand, for the application
OF the sum strictly to business purposes.
The American, who had been lolling al
the bar with characteristic languor, grew
suddenly interested He stltfened himself
up, listened attentively, became distracted
| for a minute or two. then hastily for such
deliberate gentleman, tossed of his glass,
pleaded forgotten engagement, got into
his phaeton, and was driven off by the dis
| Greet looking groom, with whom he might
| afterward have been noticed In earnest
conversation, in the direction OF his hotel.
1 he following morning the Yankee VAN
derstroom was again IN Hatton Garden,
and almost as soon as the other Cornelius
had arrived at business.
More news: wonderful wire from Pot
| shot Gulchl "Blarmed" if he didn't
think the mine was going to turn out a
| second tombstone.
They were '-ladIing it out" of two more
| reefs and the wife must have more dIa-
monds. Better finish her off once for all,
while he was about it, with necklace
and stars. Those, with what he had al
! ready ordered, ought" he declared, ito
make her shine like the fgurehead OF
| Liberty at the entrance of New York har-
| bor''
| This time stones to the value of $4,000
NJ oAIAC tod ox1I har 1nto "a
| handed over Just as the American put it,
| "by way of cover for the fixings."
The diamond merchant was perfectly
| satisfied, and at his friends urgent solicit
| tation promised to hurry up" and have
the entire suite complete that day three
| weeks, so that the silver king could catch
| the American mail on the following Fri
| day, as he was anxious to lose no time
| In getting back to that wonderful Tom
| Tiddler's ground of his in Arizona All
/ reason for anxiety was furthermore re-
! lieved by the American promising to bring
/ the f3, 800 with him and plank down,
/ fair and square" before the jewels were
/ handed over
| At last the eventful day arrived when
| the setting was finished and the magnifi-
cent suite of jewels was ready, in their
/ great velvet-lined case, for delivery.
The colonel was punctuality itself He
was driven up to the office, as usual, by
that eminently respectable groom of his,
and he came in smoking a great, green
! cigar, as cool and collected as ever.
! The suite was pronounced superb. 1t
surpassed the colonel's expectation.
! Would Vanderstroom the lesser mind
/ putting the diamonds back in their case
| and handing them to his man below while
| he. the colonel, counted out the notes?
The merchant was about to do as he was
bid when his habitual caution got the bet
tor ut n 10 knrN N hf.iE an ha
case and didn't bulge an inch.
/ The colonel evidently didn't see his hes
itation. He was feeling as well as he
| could with his one hand in his pockets,
! and seemed rather disconnected at not
! finding what he was searching for.
| Would his namesake mind lust going
| over hIm?" He was so helpless with his
| one hand.
There was no pocketbook to be found.
After moments reflection the colonel
| slapped his leg, laughed and said he had
| it. He remembered now his wife took his
| bill case out of his pocket at the hotel that
morning to get some money to pay for
| some frocks.
Guess she forgot to put it back. It's a
| way they've got, eh, Van?" laughingly
| CALCULATED the American.
| The coloners open, hearty manner reas-
sured the little diamond merchant, who
was growing just a llttle-the merest shade
| of trifie suspicious.
The sharp eyes of the colonel noticed it
| at once.
| well soon fix that up he said, with
| his usual calm drawl ON stop right
| here and get the money all the same
every cent of it. But | must ask you to
| act as my secretary. NV left fist amt no
| good nohow with pen. Here, any paper
will do. Take this memo. form of yours
and scribble few lines for me; my wife
| knows | came right here, and your bill
| head will recall the business, and why |
want the dollars"
Nothing unreasonable in that! Little
| Vanderstroom had penciied memoranda
| for his manned namesake several times be-
| fore. He sat down and wrote to the COL
| onel's dictation:
my Dear Wife: Send me by bearer the
| pocketbook you have of mine, with its
| contents. | require it for an immediate
and important payment Don't keep the
messenger waiting Make him give you
receipt for it.
Your affectionate husband.
CORNELIUS VANDERsTRooM"
bully for you'll" cried the American,
| when the Dutchman had written, signed
| and sealed the letter. Now then, you
| just run down and give it TO my man. Tell
| him to drive to the hotel, get his answer
| from my wife and he'll be back with the
| dollars before we've time TO finish a
| cigar"
| The diamond merchant executed this
| commission with such alacrity and dis
| patch that he was back in the office
almost before the colonel had taken a Sec
ond puff at fresh Villar-y-Villar.
The American held the closed jewel case
in his hand
Lock 1t up" he cried, jestingly, "or
might be tempted to run away with it,"
The little Dutchman hardly relished that
form of joking, He opened his safe with
surprising promptitude, and the colonel
himself placed the case within its fastness
The merchant turned the key and returned
it to his pocket.
They sat down and smoked. Time
passed and it grew dusk. The colonel be-
came hdgety. Nanderstroom was also get
ting restless. 1t was time for him to be
getting home to dinner.
After they had sat thus for more than
an hour the colonel rose from his chair
and put his watch to his cart must have
stopped? No, it was going. Thirty-three
hundred pounds was large sum to in
trust servant with. He wished he had
gone to the hotel for the money himself;
but-pshaw! nonsense, he'd trusted the
man with larger sums before. His wife
had gone out, and the groom was waiting
for her-yes, no doubt, that was what it
wasl
Six o'clock and nearly dark! An hour
past closing timel
The colonel no longer disguised his anx-
iety. Something unusual must have hap
pened. He would return to his hotel at
once. His wife must have got home by
that time. Would Vanderstroom come
with him? Or-how silly he was! tomor-
row morning would do equally well. Even
if his man had gone wrong. he could easily
ut f-.ua L. - lNnsN