The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-03

Ziola almost iainted---her whole rent
GIVE me the money quick. and will give
you the glass;"
Salvador took off his shoe and carefully
extracted an indescribablc two-dollar bill /;
he had lived many years on the avenue and
had profound distrust Of money drawers.
Ziola gave him the stone and took the bill !;
she felt of it carefully, deity inserted it in
her stocking and fled. She was afraid to
stay 1t was impossible that, in saner mo-
ments, Salvador would not repent; she felt
that she had robbed him and her heart
quaked Outside an Italian was grinding
wheezy organ while half-grown girl sang
0 sole mio,' at the top of high soprano
But Ziola did not pause; she continued her
mad flight.
Meanwhile Salvador mad snatched up
Beppo''s paper and was reading again an
advertisement that had caught his eye. He
read slowly, with painstaking care, following
each line with a stubby forefinger Then he
opened his left hand and peeped cautiously
at the sparkling stone Could it be? He
was dazed at the thought and clasped it
tightly in the dirty folds OF his fat palm.
He glanced furtively at the window, half
expecting to surprise Peeping Tom, but
instead he saw going past the broad-toed,
shining boots and blue trousers of American
Law and Order mounted on the legs of
Michael O'Flannigan. The fact that he
only saw the underpinning of the Law made
it none the less awful. Salvatore heart pull
sated two beats faster; he was contempat-
ing a transaction that made the sight OF
those blue trousers and those terrible boots
send thrill down his spine. For the adver-
tisement he read was this:
Lost, on Little Orange or Crown Streets,
one large, white, unset diamond. One nun
dred dollars reward and no questions asked
if returned at once to III Temple"
With trembling hand Salvador cut out the
advertisement and folded it around Ziola's
two-dollar stone he put both into remote
pocket; then he took his hat down from its
peg, locked the front door and emerged into
the sunshine
His was curious little figure, for he
bought his clothes at the Yale Secondhand
Shop, and as they were built square and he
was built oblong the miracle was that they
stayed together.
He lost no time in reaching Temple Street,
though his knees shook under him, and he
could scarcely believe the evidence of his
senses when he found thenumber and keen
faced man who briefly examined the adver-
tisement and narrowly examined Ziolas
stone. 1t proved to be the lost diamond,
and with strange sensation of burning in
his throat Salvador watched him count out
one hundred dollars in tens and twenties;
then he signed a receipt and stumbled down
stairs from the Office with swimming head
1t was surely the most glorious of night
mares! He had meant to go straight home,
but twenty minutes later he found himself
on College Street wandering about like
blind man. One hundred dollars for nothing
but bit OF glass that Ziola had picked up
out Of the gutter on Little Orange Street-it
was incredible! He thrust his hand into his
pocket and felt the wad there, large and
round and solid He was not mad he was
not asleep, he was not drunk then surely he
had ono hundred dollars in his pocket, the
only one, too, that had no hole in the lining.
Just at that moment the motor-car came
around the corner. 1t was big, it was red,
md instead OF honking it played a tune like
he song of dying swan. Salvador gazed,
fascinated. Thus does Fate pursue us. Jim
Grady was driving it, he was lanky youth
With red nose He was taking it back to
he garage, for Jim was not regular chauf-
eur, only substitute learning the trade.
But his keen eye lighted upon Salvador; the
ingularity OF Salvator's clothes and the
liant OF his hat had destinations; Jim grinneA
vickedly.
Hi. Wanter ride?"'
The blood rushed TO Salvators head he
vas Knocked, but he could turn that mockery
nto amazement he felt the vast initiation
# money. 81, sil" he shrieked. 'To
;avin Rock, sal"
Sure What'll you pay2 It'll cost you
tenner."
The Italian hesitated he was stunned
zen dollars? Yet, to 60 in an automobile to
avin Rock How few of us realize dreaml
SiiV he cried, and clambered into the car.
"Holy CATS" Jim Grady muttered, "if
int sure got tn old clothes shop in tn
What'll do il I'm caught? See
ere, Dago, you show up your chink or you
itsp
"Scasi2"
"lour chink-your wad-your money, .
ee?" -
With great reluctance Salvador dragged
ut a ten-dollar bill. Grady took it and
yed the Italian suspciously; then he whis-
ed. You're a rum go-but here goes! J
avin Rock, you say1" {
Salvador ruminated. 81, but-but goa t
own to de Grand Avenue first, way round 7
p Sii" e
Il see Wanter make the inmates of the v
oorhouse jealous1"
Salvador grinned; then he folded his arms h
cross his breast, and leaning back with tie S