Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-11

spoke the words as he wrote them. "Or was
u guineas?'
Pounds" said Morris briefly. He was won.
derng vaguely where he had seen Mr. Wex.
ford before. apart altogether from the transac-
ton. There something indefinitely familiar
about the quick little man.
80 much the better for me-" murmured Mr.
Wexford tearing out the check "Send me
your receipt here; and be so good as to deliver
the necklace at your earliest convenience AL
low me to wish you good.nornngi"
He rose, and with a rather overdone courtesy
walked with the jeweler TO the hall Of the ho.
tel.
The night was fresh even for spring, and when
Morris had returned to Bond street he was glad
that he had made the porter light his fire. He
placed the sealed casket in the safe with an
odd memory Of Worthys remark rising in him.
'T suppose Wexford told him in that note"
thought the junior partner, remembering that
he had barely read it.
Morris made himself comfortable, then finished
his accounts It was his own wish to sleep on
the premises; besides, it very comfortable
this small den at the back Of the shop, and
very convenient. He could go and come as he
liked. The lock on the front door was Yale,
and the shop this room, and the office were
absolutely shut of. from the rest of the house.
He sat before the fire after supper reading
until he began to dream, when he fanced that he
heard slight noise at the shop door
He crossed the shop and listened. He step.
ped tenderly to the door and drew back the
bolts. The noise ceased.
Morris raised the latch and opened the door
suddenly. Nobody near; only few belated
folks were in Bond street. A cold thin rain
was descending. Morris shiveringly stepped back
into the dark shop.
At once he knew that he was no longer alone.
Someone had entered the shop like a shadow,
grey against the blacl1ness. Morris dimly espied
binl-a small thin man.
The shadow leaped vehemently forward, clutch
ed him. pressed a soft, horrible thing against
his mouth and nose. AS Morris struck out he
was aware of sitting feeling-felt his senses
flying from him pelmell. He reeled backward,
stumbled-stil gripping his assailant. The two
fought briefly, hideousy; then, in a shrill whis-
per, came a gaspng cry for mercy. Morris got
back to his feet, dazed. and breathing heavily;
the shadow lay very still at his feet.
Morris closed the shop door and drew the top
bolt. The smell of chloroform became overpow-
ering now He switched on the lights and
gazed down upon the white face OF Mr.. Wex-
ford
The small convulsive fingers of his left hand
held a sponge. Morris, snatching it away, fur
iously pitched it into corner. Then, as Mr..
Wexford declined to move, Morris lifted him
bodily and carried him into his den. AS he
roughly flung his protesting burden into the
depths of the armchair Mr.. Wexford was be-
trayed utterly. His wig fell off
The sunior partner stared dumfoundly at his
prisoner. She essayed to SMILE
"Sorry!" she confessed.
Then she sat up, if primly aware of her
masculine attire.
"Please don't look so ferce," she faltered,
her blue eyes very wide '"You have 4,early
broken nv little finger as it is" She held it
out for his regard. "And-would you mind?-I
should be so grateful for your rug
He plucked it off the bed and handed it to
her in stony silence. She covered herself cir
cumspectly.
as I limited to you this morning. That's the
long and short of it."
"Excuse me, Miss Tremaine-"
"You understand, don't you? It's all so sim
ple. I'm doing series Modern Methods
in Crime This is one way of obtaining copy"
"And Mr.. Wexford is another?"
"Well, / had to get a notion of the shop,
for my first article. I think I'll be going,
if you'll kindly lend me an overcoat have lost
my nerve little"
Morris regarded her gravely.
'T suppose, Miss Tremaine," he said slowly,
"I may take your word-as a journalist that
you only contemplated copy in this visit?"
She flushed then and her blue eyes wavered
But the spirit of hers indimitable.
81 shall send back your overcoat tomorrow"
she calmly announced "In the ticket pocket
1 shall put the shilling you lent me-
He accompanied her to the shop door. "An
he suggested ironically
mo, no; think not. People never return
umbrellas, do they? Thank you so much all
the same Goodnight"
And she was gone
In the morning, soon as his partner had
arrived, Morris told him of Mr.. Wexfords re-