The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-11

Flora's immediate possession. Indeed.
Flora had seldom had so much to say
to Harry as at this moment of her
excitement over what he had actually
seen. For the evidence that he had
seen something was vivid In his face.
She had never found him so splendidly'
alive. She had never seen him, it came
to her, quite like this before
She shook the paper at him. Tell
US everything. instantly"
He gayly acknowledged henfT1ght to
make him thus stand and deliver. He
shot his hands into the air with the
Tightening vivacity that was in him
a sort of wit. Not guilty" he grinned
at her
Harry. you know you were in it.
The papers have you the most impor-
tant parsonage"
"oh, not all that" he denied her
allegation. They had the whole lot
of US cooped up together for inves-
LEGATION for as much as two hours. l
thought I shouldn't have time to dressl
I'm as hungry as hawk He rolled
it out with the full gusto with which
he was by this time engaged on his
first course.
Poor dear" said Flora with cooling
mock sympathy, and did they starve
1t? But would 1t mind telling US. now
that it has its food, what is true, and
this afternoon"
We'll" he followed her whimsical
lead, 'the chief detective and 1 were
the star performers. I found the ring
wasn't there, and he found he couldn't
find It."
Don't you know any more than the
paper?" Flora mourned.
Considerably less-if I know the
papers" He grinned with a fine fash
n
me to say?"
why, stupid, the adventures of
Harry Cressy, esquire. How did you
feel?"
Thirsty"
'"oh. Harry" She glanced about.
as if for a missile to threaten him with,
Upon my world But look here
wait a minutep he arrived deliberately
at what was required of him. Never
mind how I felt; but If you want to
know the way 1t happened-here's your
maple room" He began a diagram
with forks on the cloth before him,
and Clara, who had watched their spar
ring from her point of vantage in the
background, now leaned forward, as If
at last they were getting to the point.
This is the case, furthest from the
door" He planted a saltceller In his
silver inclosure II come in very early,
at 2:30 o'clock, before the crowd; fail
to meet you there" He made mischiev-
GUS bows to right and left. II go out
again. But first I see this ring
What was it like?" Flora de-
manded
'Like?" Harry turned a speculative
eye to the dull glow of the candelabrum
as II between its point Of flame he con-
jured UP the vision of the vanished
Jewel. Like bit of an old gold heath
en- god curled around himself, with his
head. which was mostly two yellow
sapphires, between his knees and a big
blue stone on top. Soft, yellow gold. so
fine you could almost dent IT. And
carved! Even through glass every
line of 1t is right" He paused and ran
the tip OF his finger along the silver
outline Of his diagram. as If the nero
memory of the precious eyes of the lit
tie god had power to arrest all other
consideration. We'll, there he was"
he pulled himself up, land I can't re-
member when a thing of that sort has
stayed by me so. couldn't seem to get
away from 1t. I dropped into the club
and talked to Butler about it. He got
keen. and went back with him to have
another look at 1t. Well, at the door
Butler stops to speak TO chap going
out-a crazy Englishman he had picked
UP at the club. l go on. BY this time
there's a crowd inside, but manage to
get up to the case. And first I miss the
spot altogether. And then see the
card with his name. and then under
meath I see the hole in the velvet where
the god has BEEN"
Flora gave out little sigh of sus-
pense, and even Clara showed a CLEAN
of excitement. He looked from one to
the other. Then there were fireworks
Butler came up. The detective came up.
Everybody came up. Npbody'd believe
1t. Lots of EN- thought they had seen
II only few minutes before But there
was the hole in the velvet-and nothing
more to be found"
But does no one know anything?
Has no one an idea?' Clara almost pant
ed in her Impotence.
Not the ghost of glimmer of
ciew. There were upward OF 200 of u.s.
and they let US out like chaingang
one by one. Ny number was 1913, and so
far I can youch there were no discov-
cries. 1t has vanished-sunk out of
sight
Flora sighed. "Oh, poor Bessie Chat
WORTH 1t came out with quick incon-