The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-27
BOOK III
Aboard the K0hinur.-
CHAPTER /.
BOOK Ill

-
alone in Van Vechten's huge six-cylin-
der car, made his way to Maiden Lane
in search of Mr.. Brownlow. The low
state Of his feelings was in large
measure owing to a condition that had
grown really imminent and personal
only during the last few minutes; one
that meant remuneration Of all his past
mode of living and realization of
necessary readjustment to an uncer-
| tain future; he had turned over new
leaf, foresworR idleness and frivolity,
and was going to work!
Gloomy meditations darkened his
handsome face, and in his preoccupa-
| ton he wasted a good quarter of an
hour searching for Brownlow's num-
Der. In harmony with a fancied por-
| trait of the latter's establishment, he
directed his attention to the smarter,
more modern structures; and it was
quite by accident that his eye alighted
upon the right place-an indescribably
shabby building, age-worn and de-
crepit, pinched between two sky
| scrapers. He stopped the motor and
viewed the entrance with doubt and
disfavor. But there was no mistaking
| it; from the curb, Brownlow's name
could be seen on the directory board
just inside the entrance.
| There was not even an elevator, so
Tom was obliged to climb two flights
of stairs, dark and dirty, to a suite of
dingy Offices, in the outer of which two
old, white-haired clerks bent over pom
derous iedgers without so much as
deigning him a glance, and a trim
young lady, affording a sharp note of
! contrast to her surroundings, pounded
upon typewriter. 1t was she who
recognized his presence with a bright.
smiling regard, who took his card
and disappeared into another room,
and who returned presently to say
| that Mr.. Brownlow would see him at
once in his private Office.
| The farther Tom went, the more in
credible it became that this could be
! the business habitat of the Kohinurs
owner-for Tom was familiar with
every private craft that acknowledged
! New York as its home portland far
| from being daZzled by bewildering
display Of precious stones, the sparkle
of diamond here would have been so
conspicuous as to be startling.
| To his unobservant eye there was
nothing to indicate what manner of
! business might be carried on here.
Brownlow's private room was even
dingier and more uninviting than the
outer office-for all the world like the
husk of a frost bitten nut of which
i Brownlow was the wrinkled kernel.
| But could Tom have been present
while the importer as entertaining a
prospective customer, he would have
! obtained an insight into Brownlow's
methods. In front of the only window
! that was scrupulously clean stood
wide table. Across the polished top
! two comfortable leathern chairs faced
| each other. Two or three dark pur-
pie velvet pads and a couple of jewel
er's lenses lay here and there upon
the top itself. At these two places the
| importer and the customer would have
been sitting tete-a-tete, the latter bark
ening while the former discoursed at
length upon any subject save the one
that had brought them together, until
one of the bent figures in the outer Of
| flee returned from Brownlow's safe-de-
! post box in nearby bank, bearing
! beneath his arm small leather case.
| After this had been deposited at
| Brownlow's elbow ard the bent figure
| had retired to re-attach himself to his
own particular ponderOus ledger, the
case would have been opened and its
! glittering contents poured out upon
the velvet pads. Then the little mans
! garrulity would have ceased, and he
would have uncovered a minute knoEl
edge Of gems and values against V Eic!.
the sharpest bargainer knew that i
was useless to contend. UnrLr: Dered
millions of dollars worth OF precious
stones had passed through his claw
like fingers, each adding its quota to
his wealth; and thus it was that he
could indulge in a luxury like the
| kohinur.
The importer was alone, however,
| when Tom entered. He rose nimbly
from his desk and greeted his caller
| with an effusiveness that left the lat
ter tongue-tied.
MY dear Mr.. Phinney!" cried the
little man, beaming, the while he Wig
orously pumped Toms unresponsive
right hand. MY dear Mr.. Phinney!
Almost literally you have arrived at
the eleventh hour. 1t is impossible for
me to express my qualification at see
ing you. So you didn't forget the re-
quest l made so bold as to proffer at
Mrs. Payne-French's!" He stopped
with surprising abruptness, then went
on in a tone expressive of consterna-
ton: Don't y that you have
failed! Don't tell me you have come
here only to bring disappointment! 1t
would be a cruel act of kindness on
your part, but Ahem! Sit
down."
Tom dropped into the chair which
the other thrust at him as if he meant
to knock his legs from under him.