Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-13

competition. He said he had suffered 4
considerable loss, and it was only fair
that his competitor should be placed on
even terms with him. was quite young
at that time, and did not dare take up
such proposition as this, for had found
that when things are made easy for you
there is something bad going to happen
to you later on. So would not take q
chance with the diamond merchant. A
year later / was back in st. Louis ana
learned the true state of affairs; how the
competitor was flirting with this mans
wife and how finally the whole matter
went into the divorce court for adjust.
ment. While / was there met the
ieweller, and he told me he would soon
be free from his wife and asked me to
marry him. had to decline.
Some years ago when was summefing
at Nice, had an experience which afforded
me a lot Of satisfaction. / found cut
afterward that / had stolen a march on
Mrs Helen Gardner, alias Lady Temple,
the notorious English swindler and conf.
dence woman.
One of the fine jewelry shops for which
this resort is famous had a diamond
bracelet which 1 coveted more than l
ever did any other piece Of jewelry. 1t
was magnificent thing-but the price
was entirely beyond my means. At last
1 decided that II / could not get it by
fair means would by foul
One morning / was standing in this
store pretending to be looking at some
rings, but really watching for an oppor-
tunity to get my hands on that bracelet.
when the woman who later proved to be
Mrs, Gardner alias Lady Temple, en-
tered. She was tall, beautiful brunette
-gowned in the most expensive fashion.
was attracted not only by her striking
appearance but also by the sly way she
had of taking everything in from the cor
ners of her eyes without seeming to be
looking This, and some other familiar
mannerisms made me jump to the con-
clusion that she was either a high.class
thief or a detective.
This woman took up a position Just be.
hind me, and, although could not see
her, something told me that she was
watching my every movement with more
than passing interest. I was Just on the
point of abandoning my plans for the
bracelet when, to my great relief, she fin
ished her errand and left the store.
AS the door closed behind her my long
awaited opportunity came. The salesman
who was showing me the rings was called
away for a minute, leaving me all alone
in the front of the store.
He had carelessly left the showcase
open. There in full view lay the brace.
let-the bracelet for which my fingers
fairly itched! Could l reach it2
There was not a second to lose.
raised myself on dptoe bent my body for
ward over the broad showcase and
reached my right hand down into the
opening at the back. BY stretching my
arm until the muscles aehed my fingers
barely touched the bracelet
Another mighty stretch, and my hand
closed over it. More quickly than It takes
to tell l drew my arm back and hid the
precious plumber in my sleeve. l was not
an instant too soon, for the salesman re-
turned before l fairly had time to resume
the normal attitude of an honest customer
l was so excited and jubilant that felt
The bracelet was easily worth $4,000, and
l knew that the minute it's loss was dis
covered there would be a great hue and
cry. So hid the costly trinket in a lar
of face cream and prepared to seclude my.
self in my room under pretense of sick
ness until the excitement had time to
blow over.
To my delight no detectives came to
disturb my solitude and the only news
got of the robbery was from the long &C
counts the newspapers printed. Soon l
thought it safe to recover my health and
go out again. On the first day VEN
tured downstairs whom should meet in
the hotel parlors but the same woman /
had seen in the jewelry store
My guilty knowledge Of that bracelet
in the cold cream jar upstairs made me
inclined to avoid her. She, however,
plainly showed her anxiety to make my
acquaintance, and at the first opportunity
fairly forced conversation. | soon saw
that she was no detective, but Just who
she was-where she got her money and
what she was doing at Nice-long re
manned a mystery to me.
But although diamond robberies frequent
ly net big returns, even the most expert
professional criminals who have followed
this line of work have Invariably found
that their success is shortlived-and that
CRIME DOES NOT PAY.