Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-03

aloud 1t is Stephen hlChtOrd IN dtSRulse' he
has been to see his wife. | should like to know
what they talking about"
The trio were talking very earnestly indeed
now. just for the moment IL had looked as if
the man called Reggie and the woman called
Cora had decided to give Richford the cold shoul-
der But he had said few words, and the scene
was suddenly changed The three walked off
together and turned into small restaurant
little way down the street.
Moved by a 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 no means a fashionable
one, and few people were there. Mary noticed,
too that the inside was divided into compart-
mcnts in the old-fashioned way. She stepped in
to the box next the one where the three con-
spirators were seated and ordered cup of tea.
1t was satisfaction to the girl to know that
'he could hear all that was being said in the
other box. She heard the popping of a cham
payne cork, speedily followed by another. She
had only to sit there and listen. She had for
gotten 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 stuff unless
you can some reasonable return for your out
both eager to know how you propose to put mon
ey into our pockets"
And yet ! can put lot" Richford said.
oh, you need not be afraid of that crooked lit
tie devil at Wordsworth, for he shall not know
ANYTHING about it. What do you say to f10,-
600 apiece and nobody any the wiser? Doesn't
that make your mouth water?"
1t would if you could show the way"
Reggie said. "But in the most delicate way pos
sble, my dear Richford, let me put it to you
that you under cloud at present. And
why do you offer to divide the plumber in this
very irrational way?"
Simply because / am under cloud" Richford
growled I'm powerless and desperate. I don't
even know where to turn for a nights lodging
Now look here, the matter may take day or
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. Ali
require is food and bed and shelter, and
that you may very we'll give me at Edward street
Sartoris never goes there"
Make it worth while and the things DONE"
Reggie said Give it a name"
well, suppose we call it diamonds?' Rich
ford suggested 'Have you forgotten those mag
nihcent 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
gave my dear wife stones worth nearly
IT. not quite, 100000 he said. 81 didn't hand
over that little lot altogether out of disnterested
anection. A man who takes risks, as do is
pretty sure to come up against financial crisis
sooner or later only it has been sooner in this
case. Though my wife chose to ignore me.
lett the stones Ill her possession because beino
my wife, no creditor could lay hands unon those
gems. | went to her today and asked for them
ot course, did not anticipate any difficulty what
ever; | expected that she would cock that inn
nenaIlV laUnhtV of harS in 4
them over to me as if I We're dirt beneath her
feet. To my astonshment she utterly refused to
do anything of the kind
"Unkind, the woman Cora laughed; "and vet
so like modern wife. Had she pawned them %
Not she! l was fool enough to say something
that was not quite complimentary of INV cred.
itors, and she refused to part with the stones
anyhow. Said that they would go to nav nv
debts. threatened violence and all kinds Of
things, but 1t was no good. / said that unless
had money in forty-eight hours 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" Reppie said
but you did not bring us here to listen to a
story that has no point to it like yours You
have got some scheme in your head for Getting
hold of the stones But you can't do IL alone ,
'If l could should / be such cursed fool as
to bring you two in!" Richford growled. ''But
but | can't appear. All | can do is To show
you the way and trust to your honor to rive me-
third of the plunder when it is turned into
cash."
Hadn't you better get to the pointw Repoie
suggested with undisgused eagerness
I'm coming to that After my interview with
my wife L sat in the hall trying to pull myself
together Presently I saw her ladysbip come
down and go to the office. Those diamonds had
been deposited in the hotel safe for obvious rea.
sons My wife came out of the office presently
with the case in her hand. Then / recognized
what had happened She was afraid of some
move of mine, and she was going to deposit the
stones elsewhere. 1t did not take me long to
make up my mind where she was going. She
was about to take the plunder to Hilton in Bond
street."
How long ago." the woman called Cora asked
eagerly. THAT is important"
"Well, not more than an hour, anyway" Rich.
ford replied. ''Why do you ask?'
Because Hilton closes at FIVE, the woman said
"I know that, because the firm has done sew.
eraI little jobs for me lately. You NAV be
pretty sure that your wife did not deposit those
stones at Hilton's today; therefore she still has
them in her pocket, That being So what we have
to do now is to discover where she has gone If
you like I'll go round to the hotel at once and
see If she has returned. I'll ask the clerk in
the Office and if he says she has returned YOU
NAV safely bet that those stones are back in
the hotel safe again. If she has not returned,
they are still on her person"
The woman fitted away and came back soon
with a smile on her face
$50 far so good" she said "The lady has not
returned to the hotel. Now Mr.. Richford, if YOU
can only put us on the track of the timid little
hare, then"
"Done with the greatest possible ease" Rich.
I -. -. l.