Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-08

woman called Cora had decided to give
| Rdchford the cold shoulder But he hat
said few words and the scene was sud
! denly changed. The three walked off to
gether and turned into a small restaurant
a little way down the street
Moved by feeling which she would have
had some trouble to explain. Mary followed
| In some vague way she felt that Beatrice
was in danger. The restaurant was by NJ
| means fashionable one. and few people
| were there. Mary noticed. too, that the in
old-fashioned way. She stepped into the
! box next the one where the three conspir
ators were seated and ordered cup of tea
| 1t was satisfaction to the girl to know
! that she could hear all that was being SAID
in the other box. She heard the popping OF
| a champagne cork. speedily followed by an
| other. She had only to sit there and listen
She had forgotten all about Beatrice by this
! time
| wine like that puts life into man." she
| heard Richford say
And gives him tongue, too" the man
| called Reggie laughed. Deadly expensive
| turn for your outlay in the near future
Come, Richford. we are both eager to know
| now you propose to put money into our
pockets
/ And yet can put lot" Richford said
"Oh, you need not be afraid Of that crooked
| little devil at Wandsworth for he shall not
know anything about it. What do you say
| to G1OO0O apiece and nobody any the wiser!
1T would if you could show me the way
| Reggie said. But in the most delicate way
| possible, my dear Richford, let me put II
| to you-that you are under cloud at pres
ent. And why do you offer to divide the
plumber in this very irrational way?'
Simply because 1 am under a cloud"
Richford growled. I'm powerless and des-
perate. l don't even know where to turn
for nights lodging. Now look here, the
| matter may take day two, and in the
meantime I've got to put up somewhere.
And as warrant of my good faith, I'm
not going to ask you for any money. All 1
| require is food and bed and shelter and
that you may very well give me at Edward
| street. Sartoris never goes there"
Make it worth while and the things
done" Reggie said. Give it name"
We'll, suppose we call 1t diamonds %
Richford suggested Have you forgotten
those magnificent diamonds that I gave my
wife. bless her, for wedding PRESENT."
A little gasp came from the listeners. 1t
was evident to Richford that he had struck
the right chord for he proceeded with more
confidence.
Il gave my dear wife stones worth nearly,
if not quite 100000" he said Il didn' t
hand over that little lot altogether out of
disinterested affection. A man who takes
risks, as l do. is pretty sure to come up
against a financial crisis sooner or later
only it has been sooner in this case. Though
my wife chose to ignore me, I left the
stones in her possession because being my
wife, no creditor could lay hands upon those
gems. I went to her today and asked for
them. OF course l did not anticipate any
difficulty whatever; l expected that she
would cock that imperially naughty nose of
hers in the air and hand them over to me as
if L were dirt beneath her feet To my as
constituent she utterly refused to do any
thing of the kind"
"Unkind," the woman Cora laughed; land
yet so like modern wife. Had she pawned
them?'
Not she I was fool enough to say some
thing that was not quite complimentary of
my creditors, and she refused to part with
the stones anyhow. Said that they would
go to pay my debts. l threatened violence
and all kinds of things, but 1t was no good
I said that .unless l had money in forty
eight hours 1 should be in Jail, but it was
all to no effect. Did you ever hear anything
SO maddening in all your life?'
You have my deepest sympathy" Reggie
said; but you did not bring here to lis
ten to story that has no point to 1t like
yours. You have got some scheme in your
head for getting hold Of the stones. But
you can't do 1t alone"
IF / could should | be such cursed fool
as to bring you two in?" Richford growled
But I--but l can't appear. All / can do is
to show you the way and trust to your
honor to give me a third Of the plumber
when 1t Is turned into cash."
Hadn't you better get to the point?" Reg