The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-04
BELOW THE DEAD LINE.

4
AT precisely that time Mr. Gerry"
smiled Boyd. II was there seeking an
antique Moorish simitar, which 1 wished
TO add 20 my collection. 1 observed
you only by chance"
Well, Well, you must have an excel
lent memory. Mr.. Boyd. to- have re-
called the date so readily"
'Tolerably good. yes What's the
news, Delmore?"
And Felix Boyd bowed and smiled to
the one, turned conventionally to the
other, and then relapsed into his former
| indifference much as if the episode had
ended
Nothing new, Boyd replied Del
more. by the way. Gerry. let's see
that stone. Wen ask Mr.. Boyd's opin-
ion of it,"
Delighted, 1 am sure" cried Gerry,
Fastening to produce the wad of cot
ton.
Have look at this, Mr. Boyd will
you? You are said to be Judge Of
such things. and we'd like to know
what you make Of it. 1 call it a dia-
mond, and very good one"
| Mr.. Felix Boyd accepted the
proffered gem, and studied it
| for several moments in the palm of
! his hand. Presently he looked up and
said:
Where did you get this stone, Mr.
Gerry colored deeply. then covered
his momentary embarrassment with
! laugh
well. to tell the truth, Mr. Boyd,
I loaned an acquaintance forty dollars
| last night. and accepted that stone as
collateral
He was a bit hard I'D. eh?" smiled
Boyd. with a sharper CLINT in his lifted
eyes.
so il appeared"
"A friend of yours?"
'Well-nO-not exactly faltered
! Gerry. Merely an acquaintance"
Been long acquainted with him?"
Gerry laughed again, rather half
heartedly.
LAS a matter of fact, Mr.. Boyd, 1
never saw him until last evening"
said he. Il ran across him while doing
| the town in a rather rakish fashion
, and we travelled a bit in company. In
cidentally he complained of being
temporarily strapped, and 1 made the
loan mentioned"
Naturally you learned his manner"
THE name he gave me- in return for
| my card, was Peterson. Yet / cannot
say it was reliable, nor where he now
may be found
THAT is very much TO be regretted,S'
said Boyd. with curious intonation.
"Why so, sir? rs there any doubt
| about the Stone?"
Boyd rolled the glistening bauble
across the damask table toward his
questioner.
THE stone is a production of art,
Mr.. Gerry. not of nature" said he with
quiet significance 1T is one of the best
artificial diamonds / ever saw"
Artificial"
Precisely Yet ii is so good that it
might deceive even a practised eye. As
/ remarked Mr. Gerry. it is much 10
be regretted that you cannot locate
your friend of last evening. Should you
again encounter him. I would suggest
that you have him detained by the
police"
'T'n do that. at least!" exclaimed
| Gerry quito red and heated. Come,
| Delmore. I feel the need of stimu-
liant Will YOU join us. Mr.. Boyd?'
Il think not now. thank you" said
! Boyd, smiling. Some other time, #
agreeable to YOU"
Charmed at any time. L assure you"
Boyd gazed after the two men as
they left the room. Only his eyes be-
trayed his quickened interest. They had
! taken on a CLEAN like that reflected
from polished blade in the moonlight.
! Presently he drew out a leather note
book. and with a pencil jotted down
/ the name of Mr.. Talbot Gerry
What do YOU make of that, Felix
inquired Cole nan curiously.
1T is another of those paste diamonds
Jimmie. of which I told you." he re-
piled. This is the second / have seen
yet I plainly could have learned no
more than before concerning the ma
ker He must be found-loca ted-anni-
hilated. His art is dangerous. His skill
| is a menace. Such limitations threaten
the financial safety of every jewelry-
dealer in the country if not in the
world. / again must warn my clients
in that line of the existence Of these
remarkable counterfeits- Are you
through, Jimmie2 Come. then. III at
tend 10 it this very day
Coleman had merely nodded in re-
Spouse to the question, and the two
men left the restaurant in company.
AS they emerged to the sunlit street,
thronged at that hour with hurrying
people, Boyd briefly paused and asked
Where now. Jimmie?''
! Pm going UP to headquarters for a
SPELL replied Coleman. II have re-
port to turn in, and two letters to
write"
Shall I see you later?"
"Pn drop into your office about five -
80 long, then"
The central office man bowed and de-
parted.
4
in the restaurant doorway, with his
brows knit in thought. He had in mind
the artificial gem he had just seen, a
most remarkable imitation of a genu-
inc diamond. and no man was quicker
, to discern the alarming possibilities
such count erfeits afford.
Boyd had on his list of clients sew
eral wealthy diamond importers and
brokers of Maiden Lane, as we'll as
two large retail jewelry houses; and OF
them, too, he was thinking, and of the
/. warning with which he might serve
= them
Thus coming events at times cas-,
their shadows before. For as BOYD pre-
. sently turned to depart, he suddenly
observed his office boy, Terence Gowan
: bOlting across the street toward him.
Gosh. I'm just in the nick of time, >
gasped Terry. flushed and well-nigl
+; breathless. You're wanted at once, Mr.
Boyd
Boyd's clean-cut. attractive face
changed like flash, instantly taking
Il