New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-17
Mr.. STEMS GRANDMOTHER.

best thing you can do is to act upon the following
advice: AS to the strong room at your office,
keep your watch chain bunch Of dummy
keys for ornament (so to speak, and deposit the
true keys at your bankers every afternoOn put
good safe in your study at home. but any dia-
monds you may take to that house may be kept
in a dummy champagne bottle in your cellar
there get a secret electric nlarm-push designed
and fixed in your private residence and another at
your ofice-both Of them communicating with
the nearest police station and lastly, never, on
any account take q revolver about with you
or you're dead man before you get it out further
than the flap of your pocket
Mr.. Stein thanked the detective, and promised T.
act upon his advice in every particular.
The circumstances which gave rise to this con-
versaton were these Mr. Stein diamond mer-
chant of high standing, was expecting the arrival
of a large parcel Of valuable cut gems from
Amsterdam. lie had been warned several times
by friends and even by the authorities at Scotland
Yard that his precautions against being robbed
were absurdly inadequate. No man in his senses
would allow it TO become notorious that he often
carried parcels Of valuable gems on his person.
and sometimes merely locked them up in
trumpery little od-fashioned safe in the study OF
his villa at Norwood-a house standing alone IN
its own grounds and at considerable distance
from the nearest police station-a home shared
with him by no one but old housekeeper
Mr. Stein concluded, after while, that these
circumstances were not altogether idle. and ne
therefore consulted the best authority upon tne
subiect-namey, Inspector Rurleigh. whose advice
opens this story.
IF you make sound, III shoot"
Such was the pleasant intmation that fell
upon Mr. STEMS ears as he awoke one mgho ITO"
his beauty sleep.
T. was stormy winter night and the rain beau
snitefuy upon the window panes. Mr. Stein might
have shouted himself hoarse and no one could
possibly have heard him. His housekeeper was
absant having been called TO the sick-bed OF
relative.
Mr.. Stein tried to realize the SITUATION 40
quickly as his sleepy senses would permit io
could see very little around him, put ne was
soon aware that the voice was that OF mashea
man. leaning over him, revolver In hahd'
second man was examining the room rapldiy' oy
the aid of bulseye lantern. a..
We've got you fairly at last, Ell, old stein
what do YOU want?' inquired the diamond
What do we want? That's good Now, look
here Stein when you stt y9ur OF o'f Wo r and
Won asked for registered packet ana tney nanue"
you fat parcel o diamonds You put eni ~ SUo.
been out since so the diamonds aren't far OH. 30
much for your little business. Cat. "a o,,
How on EARTH gasped Mr.. Stein, 90 you
That's at our our little busness. And now, If you
please. where's the diamonds ?'
"Gcntemen. replied Mr.. Stein, you nave
caught me very clevery You insist on nas lug i,S
diamonds or my life. have no particular Wish a
70 die vet. and resistance on my part can see
would be perfectly useless / will agree 70 neiP
You: that is 10 say, VIII engage 10 put ~ Which
%. b.a aka OF
l. carefully hidden, and of anything else VI @
which you may require In my house-up0n QUO
condition"
NV condition is that you promise to give to
me- and not TO take away, q miniature, WHICH -
hanging in my safe. 1t is the portrait OF my dcaf
aOh /! is that allp You can keep the old lady.
She'd only be in our way ~. 49,. s,,.
Thank YOU. Then here Is the key OF the sale
in nv study: but You won't find anything there
the portrait of my grandmother. ,, A..
burglar.in-chief. well soon see what's in the
safe And. mind first sign OF any nonsense ana
mi shoot-sure as my name IS
Mr. Stein huddled on some clothes, ana an tnree
descended TO the study The safe was in front OF
tbcm The KEY was soon applied 70 the lock, and
the safe was opened As Mr. Stein had SAID,
there was absolutely nothing whatever inside'
told you so7 said Mr.. Stein. reproaaS,h,fully.
The two robbers cursed and swore. Bill took
ond mr. IL in his pocket Stein shouldn't have the
nortrait. he said till he fulfilled his promise about
the diamonds. .o~;.. ~ .o,a NJ
Stein Follow me, ana Will sho" you "neie 'Aie
diamonds are. -, -, A. Was, =.
the cellar. The cellar door was unlocked ana they
all entered. ,,s 81.
Don't see any diamonds here, complained the
cbief villain "Out with them Stein, aud look
smart about IL, . .h hal,
Of a bin and drew forth. apparently, magnum OF
Meet X Chandons Imperial sec. ;s MATCHMAKING
Here you are. gentlemenl" he SAID, unscrewlng
tho neck Of the false bottle, and disclosing 10 tner
astonshcd gaze the packet OF diamonds within'
Did not promise p o CT. hou
you're a trump Are all the otner masnunS Ne'0
Tha merchant laughed. There are no more
d,omonds he said You can see for yourselves
But if you will bring up magnum 81 cnaInipasnc
with YOU we'll breach il 10 your good health.
The men agreed, and they took glasses out OF the
P' Haven't you a friend in the garden outside -
manfred Mr. Stein with a laugh. Call him IN
we NAV as well all drink together Ana ne
opened the Moet and began pouring 1t out -,
Bill went TO the front door, ana passed sg D,i,,
ioinod the party and took his glass, as lnvleu'
Xii rho three wore masks: they were safe from the
chancr Of recognition The maenum Of champagne
was soon disposed of. and M o'esh s1mer Tsysy
offered to stand announcer iho o"ei' n'''
No Stein, my boy That little game won't
do We like your tz, but We like your dlamsnuS
Besides, we've got to. tie you up, interpeSed
Bill
mst y little prrcaution, Stein. only a bit q
rona round your wrists. and another bit rouno
vowr ankles, and n handkerchief over your mouth.
We're sorry to Inconvenience you. but business
business And they proceeded accordingly. -,
Having tied and gagged the unfortunate dia,
mond merchant they bade him goodnight. ana
wished him luck in, future: They wem on TN. me
rtictin was greatly distressed about something.
Why hang it all if we weren't going to take
oa his grandmother. after all. Bill, you THIEF, put
nh did So and Mr.. STEMS distress came to an
end . ru s J.. HIM ora