The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-02
The Society Buccanee1

found of the Minor ruby. either in this
country or abroad The stone was well
known to connolsseurs. and might very
well prove n white elephant on the
hands OF any one who could not pro.
duce a clear title to it.
Well weighing all these matters, by
the tune Finney Valentine had reached
the plaza at Fifty-ninth street on
his way down town he had formulated
q plan of campaign Next morning he
sailed for Europe, going from South
ampton TO Hamburg, via London. In
Hamburg he tarried only week, but
that week was sufficient for him to
buy some outrageous German clothes,
a pair of Enthusiastically Teutonic spec
! taclcs, to have some cards and station
cry printed which bore the name Herr
Herman Ritter, and appraised the world
that Herr Ritter with dealer in rare
| gems and objects d art.
Then the defunct Finney Valentine
! sailed from Bremen on Il North Ger
man LLOYD boat, landing in New York
agaln with a three weeks growth Of
beard. so transmognifed that his best
friend would not recognize him, took
the since demolished Belvedere hotel,
a hostelry much frequented by for
eigners.
His next move after ascertaining that
Roslyn Cavanna was in town, was to
write on some Of his new Hamburg sta.
tionery requesting an interview on bust
ness of mutual interest On the second
morning n reply came from the quarry
APPOINTING three o'clock that same after
noon for a meeting at Cavanna S bach
elor rooms at the Alpine, which was
better luck than F'Herr Ritter had
hoped for. Promptly on the minute his
| name was announced over the house
| phone and the supposed expert was
whisked heaveuward in the elevator.
Herr Ritter lost no time in proclaim
ing the object of his call after the first
formal phrases had been rendered on
both sides.
''As YOU will see, Mr.. Cavanna. |
am connoisseur and dealer in rare
gems. have but lately arrived in
this country, Permit me to hand you
my business card. Ny errand here is
to purchase anything rare in precious
stones, and [ have been told that some
of your older American families oc-
casionally possess heirlooms that are
ont of fashion and which may be pur-
chased. These take back to Ham
burg. have them re-cut or reset. and
make my modest profit on the trans,
action.
40 Yes. very good. said Cavanna, fin
gering Herr Ritter S card ''But how
did YOU come TO get my name, Mr.
er-Ritter. I've never been in Eu-
rope in my life. You know
Perfectly simple, my dear sir. Our
mutual friends, Dakin & Meekin, men.
| toned you to ME, and from what I
heard there / inferred that since you
came Of very old New York stock you
might have something in my line. -
All of which was perfectly true,
"Well | don t know said Cavanna
doubtfully. still lingering the card, and
apparently debating how far "Herr
Ritter might be trusted, or rather
how far it would be safe to go with
him ''You see. -
'tPardon me. said the caller. 81
should perhaps have mentioned that
we pay cash. Or, if there is any ques-
tion Of a fair valuation. Messrs. Dakin
& Meekin would ! am sure advise you
and protect your interests
The mention of the magic word
"cash' to the chronically impecunious
Cavanna. and of Dakin g. Meekin s
name, had exactly the effect which Val
entine calculated on. Cavanna rose to
the bait.
"'Oh. l guess that II be all right, Mr.,
Ritter he said, more easily than here
tofore "Fact is, you we come at a
handy time for me. ] m going to be
married shortly, and ] m rather short