The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-09-25


voice When the elevator reached the
twentieth floor it was empty.
Il thought Mr.. Robinson was on the
car" said Brown curiously.
The middle aged operator shook his
head negatively.
Henry Robinson, the manager OF the
Diamond interests. was martinez In
discipline. George Brown despised
him accordingly and knew with IN
erring certainty that he could fill Rob
inson's job with. one hand tied behind
him.
Brown argued thus: Henry Robin
son had supervised the building OF the
Diamond b!ock-what-- more natural
than he should connive> to have one OF
the floors sealed to public knowledge.
yea. even the knowledge Of his guile
less employer. and use it to his own
advantage: What sort of work was
carried OF secretly there? George
Brown had it all figured out to a
nicely: counterfeiting. of course.
Robinson. the counterfeiter! What
a morsel for the amateur detective to
roll under his tongue.
But George Brown wanted to be
very sure that he was right before
springing his information upon the un-
suspecting John Diamond. Just at this
time Mr. Diamond was in the west.
So George Brown entered the tall
building across the street and survey
ed the Diamond block from the out
side and studied the Diamond block
from an upper floor whose windows
were on level with the windows OF
the mysterious unnumbered floor OF
the Diamond block.
Counting carefully he found the
nineteenth floor. gold lettered win
dows of the Dover Insurance company
quite distinct-then another set of win
dows unlettered. closely curtained
then above them the wire screened
windows of the Diamond Offices.
known as the twentieth floor.
At last he decided to consult a de-
tective.
So one evening at O'clock the ele-
vator carried up five passengers
George Brown. Allen, the detective,
and two policemen in plain clothes and
a reporter from the Daily Dishup, for
Brown did not want his triumph to
pass unnoticed.
When they had risen several stories
Allen placed his hand on the arm of
the elevator man and showed a re-
volver.
"You are my prisoner" he said cool
ly "Now, my man, no fuss. Just
stop at that unnumbered floor between
the nineteenth and twentieth"
White Of face and with muttered
protests the man brought the car to
standstill before that mysterious, I'M
numbered space that had attracted the
attention of keen young Brown. In
stead of opening the usual door. the
man turned and slid back door In
the rear of the elevator, disclosing
corresponding doorway in the wall
That was the entrance to the I'M
numbered floor.
George Brown was a-tremble with
exultation
The FIVE entered the door and found
themselves at once In narrow pas
sageway. softly lighted and thickly
earpeted As they passed from one lux
uriously furnished room to another
Brown pictured the downfall Of the
guilty manager when his secret ahQQld
be disclosed to Diamond l
Handsome library. luxurious smok
ing room. billiard room and then the
murmur Of voices from an adjoining
room brought the five to standstill
before closed door.
Then with one movement the five
pushed into a small, lighted study.
where sat Robinson, the manager, In
intimate conversation with-John Dia-
mond himself!
The millionaire sprang to his feet
and stared angrily at the invaders.
what does this mean" he de-
manded.
The detective, Allen. was quite un-
willing to share the honor alone. He
grasped George Brown by his coat col
lar and pushed him to the front In
picturesque words he explained the
situation
"And this young pinhead"-he ended
in a gasp of rage as he shook George
Brown as terrier shakes rat
Mr.. Diamond was smiling austerely.
"Gentlemen," he said at last, this
private suit of rooms is the only ref
uge of man weary Of the noise and
cIatter of the world and the hollow
thing called society Here l can hide
for weeks at time. absorbed in my
books and In my experimental work
in the laboratory yonder. Now that
you have spied me out can no longer
remain unless 1 have your word Of
honor that my secret shall remain un-
published"
Freely they gave the promise, all
save George Brown, who was too
crushed for utterance. He merely nod
ded bis head in broken hearted way
and was glad that he knew of another
job that he might have for the asking.
job where there was so much work
to be done that there was no time for
the development Of the detective in
stinct.
But the reporter of the Daily Dishup
yielded to temptation one day and
published the whole story. and to the
end of it he appended the announce
ment of the engagement Of Miss Helen
Diamond to Henry Robinson. general
manager of the Diamond interests.
And George Brown, sticking manful-
" to his new job. smiled bitterly when
he read the announcement and took
to his breast the one crumb Of consola-
ton it afforded him.
He had been right in his argument
that millionaire's daughter sometimes
marries her fathers general manager.