The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-10-20

"1nside job" he said terseiy.
''You mean the servants"' demanded

while the detective stared at the safe.
''You didn't ought to KEEP 'em In the
house." he said severely.
I'VE are aware of that fact-now."
remarked Jim impatiently. Give us
fresh information If you cant"
Il can," snapped MIR. Bump ominOus
~. Then his voice went on rapidly.
without pause: There was two men
on the job; they knew the combinn-
ton, had keys to the cupboard and
cash box; 1t was a cinch for 'em,
gents! One man was tall and fair.
with scar on his temple like Mr.
Haswell here, and the other feller was
the very spit of yourself. Mr.. Dray-
ton" He smiled impudently into our
astonished faces.
what do you mean" sputtered
Jimmy threateningly.
II mean when firm of architects Is
pressed for $4,000 and they hold its
worth in trust for relative it's an
easy matter to raise the money and
call In the central office to cook up a
robbery yarn" he said brutally. Now.
gents. I'll give you till tomorrow after
noon to produce that necklace"
The door closed behind his shrinking
form. and Jim and l tottered into op-
posite chairs and stared aghast at each
other
Fool idea. that, your calling up
headquarters" muttered angrily.
you've got us in no end of mess!'
"How the devil did he learn we need
ed $1O.OOO?' groaned Jimmy. "Must
have snooped around a lot on his way
up here"
"It's his business to snoop. That's
what you hired him for" I remarked
coldly
At dinner that night Jim and were
sunk into an abyss Of melancholy.
Mary was the very spirit Of joyous
anticipation. She talked and laughed
and merrily rallied us on our silence.
Afterward she played and sang until
the clock struck II. Then she turned
on the piano bench and rose to her
graceful height
Boys" she said tremulously. ''Im
1
you in the library at II O'clock"
In the library we smoked drearily
until the hail clock rang twelve dread
ed chimes.
The door opened slowly. and Mary.
resplendent in white satin. entered.
Jim knelt before the safe and open
ed it. Silently he handed me the tin
box. and as silently opened it.
"Mary. dear. these securities will be
transferred to you tomorrow-today
mean." l said lamely. Their value
now is about $4,000 and you may do
as you please about
Bother the old securities. Peter in
terrupted Mary. Il want the neck
lace"
held the jewel case in my hand.
"Dear," / said. "can you bear q
shocky'
"What is 1t. Peter?" she half whis
pered.
Dear, the necklace has disap
pearedw blurted out suddenly.
"Since wheng' demanded Mary.
l
noon-I mean yesterday at 4 o'clock
II it does not show up. Jim and will
make up its loss to YOU"
"Fiddlesticks! Open the caser' com
manded Mary.
l snapped open the cover and ther
on its white satin bed lay the diamond
necklace!
"Jover' yelled Jimmy. prancing ex
citedly about.
"a foolish joke" commented m
wife as clasped the necklace aroun'
her graceful neck. She kissed me sof,
ly and then reached and drew Jimm
into the triangular embrace.
"Dears." my wife exclaimed. forge,
ting all about the necklace. "you'v
; been in trouble over your stupid bus
ness. You needn't deny 1t. heard 20
talking one night! You needed JUS
$4,000 to set you on your feet-no
ten thousand borrowed dollars tina
would have to be paid back. but tha
: amount for your very own-and Nv
got it for your
"Whatv' we roared increduously.
Eyes, sirs," she smiled happily. "I'v
, committed all sorts of crimes to gal
, my ends. and I'm not bit repentan
!, although I've been dreadfully afrai
you would find me out-especially ye!
!, terday afternoon-you acted so quee
! Now listen. l stole the combinatio
> to the safe from Peters desk. and
I took his key when he was sick tw
! weeks ago and had duplicate mad
of it. so that early this week ! too
my necklace and raised $4,000 on it.
She paused dramatically.
! II took the money to fathers ol
friend. Colonel Muldoon. and aske
!. him If he wouldn't please invest It 5
a it would be doubled at once. hay
: heard that everything he touched turl
= ed to gold"
= "He said he liked my nerve in askin
3 him to do such thing, but he said |
d was going to stir up Prairie Limite'
t SO he put it in that
|. Lord of love! Prairie Limited
h solid goldr' burst out.
o "Don't interrupt. Peter. Yesterda
i he telephoned me to come down to b
d Office and receive the proceeds. an
dears, there was enough to redeem Il
e necklace and ten thousand over-here
i the bank draft. Am not fina
d cier?"
7. You're a darlingw crietl her broth
8 when | had released her. "But. Mar
e dear. you. er-speculated: it's again
e your principles You should not ha'