The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-09

But there were fouT special ON
GERS and three reporters watching the
house. as a result Of Max Reeds
idiocy. once. after trying all the
other windows and finding them
guarded, We discovered a little bit of
a hole In an Out-of-the-way corner
that looked like a y%entiiator n was
covered with a heavy wire screen. No
prisoners ever dug their way out ~ a
dungeon with more energy than tnat
with which we attacked that screen.
hacking at 1t with kitchen knives,
whispering Ike conspiratoTs, being
scratched with the ragged edges OF
the wire. frozen with the cold air II
minute and boiling with excitement
the next And when the wire was
cut. and Bella had rolled her coat
up and thrust It through, and was
standing on a chair ready TO follow,
something outside hat had looked
like a barrel moved and said. "Oh. /
wouldn't do that II l were you. 1t
would be certain to be undignitird,
and probably 1t would be unpleasant
later"
We coaxed and pleaded and tried
to bride, and that happened, as II
ettt. fo be oftr of the worst
things we had to endure. For the
whole conversation came out the next
afternoon in the paper. with the most
awful drawings. and the reporter said
IT was the flashing of the Jewels We
wore that first attracted his atten-
ton. And that brings me back 10
the robbery.
For when we had crept back TO the
kitchen. and Bella was fumbling for
her handkerchief to cry into and the
HARRISON man was trying to apollo
Rize for the language he had used to
the reporter, and ] was on the verge
of a nervous chill-weil, II was then
that Bella forgot all about crying
and jumped and held out her arm.
My diamond bracelet" she
screeched. Look, I've lost It."
Well. we went ove every inch of
that basement. Until / knew every
crack In the flooring. every spot on
the cement. And Bella was nasty,
and said that she had never seen
that part of the house in sue con-
ditlon, and that If had acted Ike
q san person and put her out, when
she had no business there at all,
she would have had her freedom and
her bracelet. and that If We were
Dlaying a joke on her (as If we felt
like jokingD we would please give
her the bracelet and let her go and
die In a corner she felt very queer.
At half-past Jour O'Clock We gave
up.
ITS gone" | said. Il don't be-
: lteye you wore II here. No one could
have taken II. There wasn't a soul
In this part OF the house, except the
policeman and he's locked In
At Eve o'clock we put her TO sleep
In the Sden. She was In a fearful
temper, and I was glad enough TO be
able to 81. ut the door on her. Tom
Harhison-that was hts name-help-
ed me TO creep upstairs, and wanted
to get me 8 glass Of are TO make me
sleep. But / said II would be Of no
use, as / had to get UP and get the
breakfast. h last ming he said
was that the policeman seemed above
the average in intelligence, and per
hans we could train him to do plain
cooking and dish-washing.
did not go to sleep at once. =
.1ay on the chintz-covered divan in
Heila's dressing room and stared at
the picture of her with the violets
underneath. / couldn't see what there
was about Bella to inspire such an
diving devotion. but l had 20 admit
that she had looked handsome that
night, and that the HARRISON man
had certainly been impressed.
At seven O'Clock Jimmy Wilson
pounded at my door. and ! could
have choked him joyfully, I dragged
myself TO the door and opened it, and
then / heard excited voices. Every
body seemed TO be up but Aunt selma
and they were all talking at once.
If he-Aetft+r-e
the group, waving her hands. while
Dallas was trying to nook the back
OF her gown with one hand and hold
a blanket around himself with the
other. No one was dressed except