The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-03
THE GOLDEN IDOL.
-hY FERGUS HUME-

'T fail altogether to understand you.
sir. So far what you have said is I'M
true"
''IndeedI" replied Teddy, dryly. How
ever. If you don't mind. I'd like to finish.
This woman Jael, 1 learn. was always
prying and pol1ing about the house. Why2
Because she was searching for that
thingl And at the risk of your knock
ing me down-if you can-I say it was
at your bidding. AIS soon as she heard it
was stolen by Burnley's murderer she
took precious good care to get herself
sacked"
You had better take care, Mr. Vyse, :"
stammered the Jew. II don't choose to
resort to force with you, but you'll have
to prove all this
Teddy looked round the shop with an
ironical smile you will find your posi-
ton q bit awkward for that lay fan
cy if only because you've no witness.
Besides, 1 don't think when you come to
run things over in your own mind you'll
feel like trying It. However, I've said
enough for the present, perhaps Let s
have look at the jar, and if it's all
right may buy It"
Marks thought 1t best to hold his
tongue. Business was in the air, and
nothing must be allowed to interfere with
business Teddy, selling the jar, rolled
it sideways into the light. fitting It on
to its side he looked into it. The cotton
wool had been removed, and at the bot
tom were now only few old newspapers.
These he fished out with his stick
What are you after?" asked the jew,
suspiciously.
''Just seeing that it's all sound" re-
piled the boy rapping the inside CT 1t
with his stick Then he pesred down into
it. by Gumr' he said: its gomez
Gone! What's gomez"
For the life Of him he could not have
held his tongue. The boy was all inn
better of discretion. The idol-the
golden
Ell made a frantic dash ct the jar,
looked into 1t, shook it. WHAT" he ex-
claimed WAS the idol in here?"
ut was. That was why I wanted it."
Not for one instant did it occur to
Marks to inquire how it had come to be
there All that he could think Of was the
CALLING fact that it had actually been In
his possession and that now it was goneI
Mrs. Isaacs! Mrs. Isaacs!'' he yelled.
A dark woman of the Hebrew -negroid
type came out from the back Of the shop
and stared in surprise at her employer.
AS her eye fell on the jar she looked
uneasy.
who has been meddling with thfs?"
cried Marks, furiously. There was some
thing in U-SOmetn1nS OF great value.
1t has been taken. Where is
Abr shrfeked Mrs. Isaacs. 1.-THE
young wretch. He took 1t. On Mr..
Marks-Mr. Marks! That Nebbyl Well.
I never. Oh Mr.. Marksi"
Now that Eli Marks knew the worst,
he recovered his equanimity. Whats
done can't be undone," said he, with a
glance at Teddy. Come Mrs Isaacs,
tell me how Nebby came to steal it,
The woman looked at him with her
great eyes full of curiosity. What Is
it he has stolen?' she asked, eagerly.
Something I valued that was in that
JAR" replied Marks, quietly Something
that has nothing to do with you. By the
way, since you don't even know what it
was, how are you so certain Nebby stole
it?'' ~
81 can't be certain, If 1t comes to that
1 conclude he did because you say-what-
ever it is-was in the jar" She paused
and said, aggressively: That brat was
in the jar too -;
Marks and Teddy simultaneously look
ed at the great porcelain vase. 1t was
exceptionally large, and had wide
mouth, so that lean urehfn Ike Nebby
could easily have slipped inside. But the
story was not such as Marks could Swal-
low off-hand.
''Rubbishr's he said 81 What would
Nebby be doing there2 3You are either
talking nonsense or''-he looked directly
at her-"screening yourself with lie
Mrs. Isaaes cringed for the moment,
then her. temper got the better Of her,
and she let out furiously.
II don't talk nonsense, nor do I tel