Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-11
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@ ers, gone into his small office, and
lsz2kSe twice had he come out
MY dear fellow" said he, trying
to be calm, nobody would be deceived by those
stones for the millionth fraction of second y
He directed his gances scornfully towards an
open silver casket lying upon the counter,
and refused to respond TO his companions smile
you needn't grim" he went on 6ercely.
"Those diamonds, as You are pleased to style
them, wouldn't take in a child. They're pal
pably, unmistaksbly, hideously faxed And you
know it."
The round, fat man behind the glass counter
chuckled. With practiced fingers he arrang-
ing a sparkling necklace against the lining of
the quaint casket. When he had finished he
held the stones so that the daylight caught
them. They burned duly then, but yet with
a good deal of fire.
''Fake-obviouslyl' repeated the junior part
ner with contempt.
Suppose 1 were to tell you these are real"
began the other gently.
eff you were to tell it to me for the rest
of the day." interrupted the junior partner
heatedly, "it wouldn't make any difference.
hate imitations-copies; anything that's false"
Excellent sentiment" replied the other, clos.
ing the casket with a snap. "When do we
lunch today?"
'T don't like that fellow, either" went on
the younger man. did you notice his finicking
little hands? He was trying to alter his voice
too. Well have his cheque before we deliver"
Again am I heartily with you dear William"
agreed the senior partner, with eyes that still
danced Mr. Wexford's casket does very well
for Mr.. Wexford, and for these most marvellous
gems, which you have eloquently decided to call
fake. We shall have his cheque this morning
As matter of fact, he has promised it."
Don't leave those things in his beastIy box"
grumbled the other.
Haven't you said that they wouldn't deceive
childt' demanded Worthy amiably. as he
reopened the casket and lifted out the offending
necklace He smiled irritatingly once more as
the stones smmered and cleaned with a thou
sand fires He was very pleased with his re-
cent purchase from Paris in imitation of the
best model and was deriving huge pleasure from
his partners wrath. 1t pleased Worthy to ruff
fe the expert Morris; and, positively this neck
lace was admirable. "When do we lunch. dear
William he again inquired, playing with the
paste diamonds provokingly.
Morris couldn't trust himself to speak In
stead he bounced back to his office, and there
remained until / o'clock. PunctualIy at that
hour he issued forth.
I'm lunching at an A. B. Co." he grunted
uninvitingly.
"Let me tell you," said Worthy. who had
now put away the casket and the rest of the
paste, "let me instruct you, dear William, that
all Is not false that gtters. Those diamonds
may be from Paris, but l assured that they
are crystallized carbon They cut glass;
Morris had not stopped to listen, he was
already in the street.
As matter of fact, and quite apart from
the diamond necklace, he had perceived a rather
nice girl staring in at the shop window. He
peeped sideways at her on his exit and she
favored him with slightly indulgent glance in
return Morris walked along Bond street feel
ing somewhat futtered. He was young enough
to be still impressed by nice girls
In the A. B. G. depot this adventure tool, nro
portions. He had hardly been sitting there
five minutes when in walked the Nice Girl. He
had by this time imaginatively promoted her to
capitals.
She seated herself demurely at a table near
him, and arranged herself and her small belong.
ings with faint nervousness both perplexno
and entertaining. Morris began to persuade him
self that he knew her-he was sure he had
met her somewhere.
just then she blushed, and he became con.
scious that he had perhaps been scrutinizing
her rather fxedly. He returned to his own
concerns with embarrassment. He was dimIy
aware presently that the Nice Girl had produced
crumpled novelette, from her little handbag
she was evidently tremendously interested in the
story, but, as o'clock drew nigh anticinated
Morris by fraction of a second. She gatber.
ed up her bag, crushed her novelette, into r and
In her amuslngly staccato manner found her V,av
to the pay box. There she stood a moment
"a sudden awful expression coming into her pret
ty face.
She hastily returned to the table and with
trembling hands lifted up the dish of cakes