Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-15
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thought you We're. Inc SOlu DTlck you SOlQ
He put out his hand to touch my chin.
l sidestepped, and he turned laughing to
the stage.
But he called after me.
rs a beauty success going to content
you, Olden?"
We'll, we'll wait and see 1 drawled
back at him in his own throaty bass.
oh, l was drunk, Mag, drunk with think
ing about that diamond! l didn't care even
to please Obermuller. l just wanted the
feel of that diamond In my hand l wanted
it lying on my own neck-the lovely, cool.
shining, rosy thing. It's like the sunrise,
Mag, that beauty stone. 1t s just a tiny
pool of water blushing. It's
flow to get it! How to get away with it!
and when his time is up-coud live
for all lives and whoop it up besides.
We could live in Paris, where great graft
got wit and fifty thousand COLLARS, and
happen to be darn sight prettier.' you
can just spin the world around your little
finger.
bear to think of selling the pretty thing?
1t hurt to think of anybody having it
but just Nance Olden.
But hadn't got it yet.
Gray has dressing room to herself. And
on her tabe-Which is big box, open end
down-just where the three-sided big mirror
can multiply the jewels and make you want
EN- three times bad, her big Russia
leather, silver-mounted box lies open. while
she's dressing and undressing. Other times
It's locked tight. and his lordship himself
has it tight in his own right hand. or his
iordships man, Topham, has it just as
tight.
How to get that diamond! There was
hard nut for Nance Oldens sharp teeth to
crack. / only wanted that-never say I'm
greedy, Mag-Gray could keep all the rest
of the things-the pigeon in rub!es and
pearls, the tiara all in diamonds, the chain
of pearls, and the blazing rings, and the
triy I'M ,ltr II Of i lu q;
mond stars But that diamond that huge
rose diamond, l couldn't l just couldn't let
her have it.
And yet l didn't know the first step to
take toward getting it. till Beryl Black
burn helped me out. She's one of the
Charities. like me-a tall bleached blonde
with pretty. pale face and goldgray eyes.
And, if you'd believe her. there's not a
man in the audience. afternoon or evening,
that isn't dead gone on her.
Guess who's my latest" she said to me
TINS afternoon. while we four Charities
stood In the wings waiting. "Topham-old
Topnam.'
Il all got clear to me then in a minute
"Topham-nothingi" l sneered. Berry,
Bignead, Topham thinks OF only one thing
Miladys jewel box. Don't you fool your
self
oh, does he, miss! Well, just to prove
it, he let me try on the rose diamond last
night. THERE"
ITS easy to say so, but 1 don't see the
proof, He'd lose his job so quickly It'd
ma ke MS hedQ SPIN II ne dld IL.
Not If he did. but if they know he did.
You'll not tell?'
Not me- Why would 1? don't believe
it, and l wouldn't expect anybody else to.
| don't believe you could get Topham to
bulge from his chair in Gray's dressing
room if you'd"
"WhatH you bet?'
IN bet you the biggest box of chocolate
Done! I'll send for him tonight, just
before Gray and her lord come, and you
see
How'll 1 see? Where'n I be?'
well. you be waiting in the little hail,
right off Gray's dressing room at 30 to-
night, and-you might as well bring the
creams with you"
Catch on, Mag? At 7:3O in the evening 1
was waiting; but not in the little hall off
Gray's dressing room. L hadn't gone home
at all after the afternoon performance
you know we play al and again at $50.
| had just hidden me away till the rest
were gone, and as soon as the coast was
clear l got into Grays dressing room, push
ed aside the chintz curtains of the big box
that makes her dressing table-and waited.
Lord, how the hours dragged! hadn
had anything to eat since lunch. and 1t got
darker and darker In there, and hot and
close and cramped. l put in the time, much
as | could, thinking of Tom. The very
first thing I'd do after cashing in would
be to get up to Sing Sing to see him. m
crazy to see him. I'd tell him the news
and if he couldn't bride guard, or
Afrald-rne? What of? If they found
me under that box ID just give EN- the
Beryl story about the bet. How do You
know they wouldn't believe it? ON,
! / don't care you've got to take chances.
Mag Monahan. if you go in for big Things
And this was big-huge. Do you know
how much that diamonds worth? And do
YOU know how to spend fifty thousand?
l spent it all therein the box-every
, penny of it. When 1 got tired spending
money 1 dozed bit and, in my dream;
spent it over again. And then walked and
tried to fancy new ways of getting rid OF
it, but my head ached, and my back ached;
and my whole body so strained and
cramped that was on the point OF giving
it ali up when-that blessed old Topham
came in. 49,
He set the big box down with bang
that nearly cracked my head. He turned
on the lights, and stood whistling Tommy
Atkins. And then suddenly there came
soft call, "Topham! Topham!'
l leaned back and bit my fingers TILL l
knew l wouldn't Shrek. The Englishman
listened minute. Then the call came
nSain and Topham creaked to the door and
out.
In a twinklng I was out too, you bet. -,
Mag! He hadn't opened the box at all.
There it stood in the middle al the space G.
framed by the three glasses. l pulled al
the lid Locked. l could have screamed
with rage But the sound OF his step out
side the door sobered me. He was coming
back In a frantic hurry 1 turned toward
the window which 1 had unlocked when l
came in four hours ago. But ! hadn't
time to make it, l heard the OLD
fellows hand on the door, ana L
tumbled back into the box IN such a rush
that the curtains were still waving when
he came in.
Slowly he began to place the jewels, one
by one in the order her ladyship puts them
on. We Charity girls had often watched
him from the door-he never let one OF US
put foot inside. He was method and or
der itself He never changed the order IN
which he lifted the glitterng things out.
nor the places he put them back in. put
my hand up against the top of the box.
| tracing the spot where each piece would
| be lying. Think. Mag just half an inch
| between me and quarter of a million!
Oh, l was sore as l lay there! And l
! wasn't so cock sure either that I'd get out
of it straight. tried the Beryl story lots of
ways on myself, but somehow, every time
| l fancied myself telling it to Obermuller,
| it got tangled up and lay dumb and heavy
| inside of me.
| But at least it would be better to appear
! of my own will before the old Englshman
| than be discovered by Lord Gray and his
| lady. l had my fingers on the curtains, and
| in another second I'd been out when
| Miss Beryl Blackburn's compliments, Mi.
| Tophanl, and would you step to the door,
as there's something most Important she