The Washington times., 1906-11-18

.IG you bad uut -.. aa 10 OFFER
he
-0a. stay, tba5 -..s. .a-d Air.
llhaey abruptly. fas a taat "-i
-I-E.sr something rJ -tr- Eos d.
'Ah what .s taI- cried Eog O..
with second HaruHE Stance 81 i-e
uIllsira speaker.
Gibson had produced from behind the
counter fashionable tan glove, Iadys
size. slightly worn and sougd. As he
nid 10 uI.u the show case lu front ol
Boyd. he quickly reloiled.
''It was dropped bs Jhe woman, sir
while she was Wr.ius the note men-
toned. ] dld u0t discover ii until she
had gone, .hen saw l- living near the
lacquer table y0uder.
'Tou are sare that It was aersP' iu-
qulrcd BOYD.
Absolutely She had both gloves ia
Isr hand while examining lDl tray "
rings
''Al. very IiEe.y- gfoUleu lloyd
Uu.utodiE Possibly soue % the pun
la.rsd rings found ,he.r way iuto the
other -.ove. A pits, TOO, &C. had aot
boon this one. 10 bears no mark bs
which -a track her. Medium size
however and ot French make 1a-
say She sat at raa4sr table while writ
lUG tre uore.
And BOYD glanced again at "a sma-.
highly polished table wlLca stood In
the aisle. with one of tle counter
chairs still beside IT,
"Yes, sir" replied Gibson. she
occupied that chair ] provided her
with a single sheet OF paper which i
happened 10 have here ana loaned her
my pencil She said size did not re-
quire any envelope, as she would send
tie note 20 her husband ance log her
f0otman.'
Boyd did not appear to have heard
the last. Several OF the store CLERKS
had gathered in a group near by. am.
those standing nearest 20 him saw. 1r
thought they saw. one swift inteu-.-
fed gleam. as sharp as an electric
fash. leap lp FROM -.a depths of aS
froWniug. gray eyes.
u was gone iu aga instant. however.
and Boyd then dropped iuto t-e chair
the tllcf had occupied. and proceeded
70 make a closer inspection 0f her tan
elove-the one and only tangible clue
10 tire mysterious pair OF sWiudlerS.
'Fo0man. eag'' be presently EroW-el.
plainly indicating that Ae had heard,
despite appearance "Sbe came IN
carriage. them
80 ! infer" replied Gibson.
You did not see the veaic.e2'
Il did not. sir. Wishing 70 replace
the tray of rings jn the vault as soon
as possible. / did not accompany her
10 tho door"
There was a hrlef period Of silence,
the more strained because OF the oa-
r'ouS mental absorption OF tEe man IN
the chair. Felix Boyd sat l.pp.us t.e
small polished table 10 and fro. with
his orows knit, his lips drawn and his
gaze yacantly fixed upon the dainty
bit Of furniture Through one OF the
broad pIate-class windows near by the
glare of light fen fun upon its polished
surface. and accentuated with its re-
fect.ou Boyds strangely set and force
fuI face.
Presently he started abruptly and
glanced az his watch, finding it TO be
nearly Iaf-uast two.
suppose You bring those twelve
bogus rines into your private Office.
Nr DalUsy. said lac caTelessly. as hc
arose. An examination under "a lens
may reveal something.
Possibly" admitted Dahuey- yet for
Iis life bc could not have told what
advantage was thus 10 be derived.
.YoU may put them in a small box
for me- Mr.. Gibson"
81 VIII take along this tan glove.
a,s0.~ remarked Boyd. saunteriug
away in advance.
As DEE approached the end cot one of
the counters. however, Mt which Terry
Govan was staring idly into a show
cJsp- Boyd-s Indifference suddenly
took wings. His hand closed upon the
lads arm with a grip that betrayed
his suppressed energy, and he bowed
90 whisper rapidly:
'-Find the store telephone. Terry!
Get Coleman at the central office.
Have him meet n,e az the Hotel Trip
oil M 8 O'Clock. Three sharp, mind
yaul Hotel 1ripoIt"
I'm wise. sir!" the lad quickly
nodded. and Immediately elded away.
As Boyd stepped aside for Dabuey
to Drccedc him into the lattcrs private
office. which was at the rear OF tha
store. he took from the jewelers. hand
the small pastehoard box containing
The dozen bogus rings.
III keep these for a spell. Alr Dab
ney," said DE, with curious iud5ner-
ence "By the way. while / think OF
it. what is the price of the lacquer
table ont yon5er. the one at which ]
was seated?'
Forty dollars" cried Dabney. per-
picked and irritated That's a strange
question 10 ask at such a time as
this. Is your interest in that Internal
lIt;lc table more pronounced than in
TIE service YOU are employed 10 rem
der me? If il is. Mr.. Felix Boyd
"0h. stow aH that"' Boyd curtly
interrupted. IN take the table al
the price quoted. set it aside for me
without fail. / shall call here agaiu
before 8. Mr.. Dabuey, and then VIII
report on this case"
But
There are no butts, sir, when I de-
clare myself" gr0wled Boyd. thrust
ing the glove and box of rings into
his pocket 1T now is half-DasU 2
At 3 I have an important engagement
Expect me again within the interval
mentioned Meantime-nOt W0Td!''
why uly-Eot q word,H gasp
Cd D9bney, with an amazed stare.
For Mir. Felix Boyd already had de
parted.