The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1914-08-07
LYONS SHORT STORY
BY FRANK CONDOR.


TWIN on pToAoWay. Scores of men
were clicking ivory balls within hear.
Ing. and Lyon. the man who writes
was talking about something or other,
Ihere sat at the table. beside Lyon.
Chick Miller. the general advertising
man; Bill Miller, the street-car adver,
Using man; Frank Walton. the COM
poser. and the transmitter of this mys-
terry.
III tell you a story" said Lyon.
without preface You can write IL
or not 1t comes straight from a dia-
mond salesman"
Go ahead" rejoined the crowd in
2 critical tone.
This diamond salesman" Lyon
continued. was brought up with Glib.
boney's. You know Gibboney's. Every
diamond ring in the world tries to
pretend that 1t once came from Glib
boney's.
We'll, this boy-mind you, his
name is Ellis-told me the story him.
self, having witnessed 1t with his own
eyes. On a sunny afternoon a motor
car drives up to the front door and out
steps a dignif1ed woman of great
wealth. Judging from her appearance.
Her demands were simple. She
wanted to select a diamond or two.
and Ellis brought forth tray of vel.
vet containing = dozen or more spark
lers. Not stone in the tray was worth
less than thousand. but the dowager
duchess looked them over somewhat
haughtily and pronounced 1t as her
opinion that they were a somewhat In
ferior cluster Of gems.
with a sigh Of disappointment he
prepared to put the tray back in the
case. and, in doing so. he noticed that
one OF the diamonds was missing.
Ellis wriggled his left ear which
is the house signal summoning the
head detective, and in a few moments
conference began which included
young Ellis, the detective. and the
strange lady in black silk
ELLIS explained the circumstances
briefly, being withered meanwhile by
the glances Of the outraged queen.
There were eighteen expensive and un.
set diamonds in the tray before the
lady paved them over, and at the con-
clusion Of her examination there were
seventeen.
Therefore, 1t followed that she
must have been perniciously active.
The strange lady called young Ellis a
low person and froze him into a state
OF speechlessness; but 1t is somewhat
difficult to freeze a head detective at
Gibboney's. This latter person, who
was OF Irish descent, and whose Jaw
protruded some distance, decided that
the society leader must be searched,
and, without further formalities, she
was led away to the ladies' searching
department.
I'm an hour the lady searchers
opened the door and announced to the
officials that II the lady had diamond
about her 1t must be buried in her
heart
There was nothing to do but re-
lease the strange lady In black silk.
Gibboney Company sent downtown to
a detective agency for a man. Detec-
tive Ratty listened gravely. and finally
gave orders.
He explained that no person should
be permitted to enter the aisle upon
which the case Of jewels was located.
For three days nothing happened.
Detective Ratty stood guard, In com.
pany with the head store detective.
On the third day a dapper young man
In light blue suit, wearing gray spats
and carrying a white cane, pushed
open the swinging door and entered.
He walked straight down the forbid
den aisle and paused to converse with
young Ellis.
Five minutes later Detective RattS
walked up to the newcomer, placed his
hand on his shoulder, and arrested
him. The stranger was instantly
searched, and Immediately the expen-
sive diamond was found!
Now" said Lyon. pausing and
casting triumphant glance upon the
group of cynical listeners, how did
the detective know that this strange
young man had the diamond?"
All OF the crowd, except Chick Mil
Ter, looked mystified and inquiring.
During the latter part OF Lyons
sketchy recital Chick Miller had
picked up an evening newspaper and
had scrubbed upon the margin two
words in pencil writing. He tore of
the bit Of margin and handed It to
Frank Walton, who read 1t uncompre-
hendingly.
You don't know, so It's a story"
Lyon went on, after a slight pause
The woman in the black silk lifted
the diamond, rolled it up In a piece OF
gum she had been chewing, and stuck
II under the jewelry-case. The young
man had come to retrieve the piece of
gum and its valuable kernel. Is that
a story or not?"
Frank Walton held up the piece of
paper on which Chick Miller had scrib-
Dled.
"Chewing-gum he read.
Certainly" Chick Miller said. 81
knew the answer when you got half
way through the story. The point is.