The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-10-15

gen!uI OF lie FIRST order
And so l left him. shaking in the
door. and calling upon Olympus to send
! down his need Of bay-lcaves Incom-
parable 'opinCt of the Golden Moon!
! Shortly before ten o'clock on the
: tenth day or February. walked from
my hotel over to the Jefferson Trust
company in the city Of Richmond
was taken at once into the vault OF
the safety Gerosit boxes, where
found Mss Caroline Pickney and tho
vault officer, Mr.. Montague Thomas
This young ran greeted me courteous
ly. but l had only another stately nod
from Miss Pickney. She would never
come to understand the social order OF
n commercial civilization. One who
took directions from another, no mat
ter in how exalted n sphere that 9th.
er sat. was q variety Of servant II
was the theory of the master bred In
deep. and persisting into commercial
age.
Promptly at ten, Mr. Robert Hender-
son arrived. He wore large checked
ulster, top hat and astonishingly
yellow gloves. He greeted me as q
lost neighbor discovered in distant
country. shook vigorously the rather
limp hand OF Mr. Montague Thomas.
but went back on his heels before Miss
Caroline Plckney. She did not see
him, she never saw him.
appreciated the need to get the
matter speedily over, and requested
Mr.. Henderson TO allow Miss Pickney
| e.
his ulster, revealing a small leather
handbag. secured to his waist by
chain, such as is used by bank mes
sengers. He opened the bag and took
out an ancient black leather case,
which he also opened and held in his
hand. In it, lying coiled up against
the lining Of old purple velvet was a
pyramid pin. two drop earrings and
strand OF oriental pearls. Miss Pick
ney expressed satisfaction to Mr..
Montague Thomas and directed him TO
open the safety deposit box. The
young man fitted the key into the
lock of box number 800, and drew
down the door, showing the little steel
vault packed with banknotes. He took
out the money in packages each en-
losed by printed slip, such as are
commonly used by banks and marked
Two thousand dollars"
Mr.. Robert Henderson handed me
one end of the jewel-case to hold, and,
with his free hand, he slowed these
five packs of bills into the little hand
bag. When he lad the last one safely
L. ha relaxed his grip on the jewel
t.ts-
out of the bank. l handed the case to
Miss Caroline Pickney. She opened II
and caressed the jewels lovingly. But
she said no word, and gave no evil
dence OF the great emotion Juggling at
her except the trembling of her hands.
Then she put the case In her bosom
and went down to her carriage in the
company OF Mr.. Montague Thomas.
went out behind the pair of them.
Not in all my life had been so thor
oughly puzzled. What did this woman
need with Randolph Mason If she In
tended to pay q painted actress the
full value of the jewels. Any police
sergeant could have done as we'll as
he What need was there to send me
scouting, into the Tenderloin and then
here? The thing was idiotic. l had
been waiting to see the iron lid OF
somo hidden trap fall swiftly and
crusn Madame Versay. Instead. I had
carried out Mason's directions to the
final letter. only TO see the money
paid. the incident closed, the thing
ended. For Randolph Mason It was
not q defeat only, 1t was a capitula.
zion, a rout. His standard had been
dragged off the field by a variety &C.
tress and red-light detective. I was
unsDeal;ab!y bitter and depressed.
My train to New York left over the
Southern at twelve o'clock. would
go to the post Office for some letters
sent afte- me. get a little lunch and
hurry out of this city. I went into
the post Office, got my letters, and was
coming out when a deputy marshal
touched me on the elbow and asked
me to come up to the district attor-
ney's Office. ] knew then that Mason's
trap had sprung. and / hurried with
the little man up the iron stairway.
Mr.. Robert Henderson was boiling
In picturesque explosives when / en-
tered the ante-room of the prosecutor
for the government. His collar was
wilted down, his wonderful waistcoat
crumpled, tiny threads of perspiration
lay along the fat folds of his chin. He
broke out louder when he saw me.
That's him. That's one of the gang. -
he shouted. Now get the other one.
Get this Caroline Picllney woman. and
well land them in the penitentiary."
At this moment, tall, gracious man
with a soft. drawing accent that
purred dangerously like a cats, ap-
Deared in the doorway Of the district
attorneys office MAY | INQUIRE" he
said who It is that is about to send
Miss Caroline Pickney to the peniten-
tiary?"
It's mes" said Henderson. Her
and this yegger have been shown the
queer"
Your language is unintelligible. i"
said the man.
why, green goods" growled Hen.
derson. 'Passin' counterfeit money.
that's what ] mean"
It was my turn to be astonished. So
the packs were counterfeit! Surely
Mason could not have made so danger.
Gus blunder. lie knew the laws of
the United States lie could not have
opened the doors OF the penitentiary