The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-07-08
LYONS SHORT STORY
BY FRANK CONDOR.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
(Copyrlght)

ing, ana Lyon, lHe man VINO writes
was talking about something or other
There 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.
I'll tell you a story" said Lyon
without preface. "You can write it
or not 1t comes straight from a dia
mond salesman"
GO ahead rejoined the crowd in
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
boneys.
well, this boy-mind you, his
name Is Ellis-told me the story him
self, having witnessed it with his own
eyes. On sunny afternoon a motor
car drives up to the front door and out
steps dignified 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 a 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 it 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 few moments
q 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 we're
seventeen.
Therefore, it followed that she
must have been perniciously active.
The strange lady called young Ellis a
low person and froze him into state
of speechlessness; but it is somewhat
difficult to freeze 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.
In an hour the lady searchers
opened the door and announced to the
officials that If the lady had diamond
about her 1t must be buried In her
heart. :. A,,..a!,,,
There was nothing to do but re-
tease the strange lady in black silk.
Gibboney Company sent downtown to
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 unon
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 white cane, pushed
open the swinging door and entered.
He walked straight down the forbid.
den aisle and paused to converse with
young Ellis.
p FIVE minutes later Detective Ratty
walked up to the newcomer, placed his |
hand on his shoulder, and arrested
him. The stranger was instantly
searched, and Immediately the expen.
siye diamond was found!
Now" said Lyon, pausing and
casting a 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 mystitied and inuuiring.
During the latter part of Lyons I
sketchy recital Chick Miller had
picked up an evening newspaper and /
had scrubbed upon the margin two
words in pencil writing. He tore off
the bit Of margin and handed it to
Frank Walton, who read 1t uncompre-
hendingly.
You don't know, SO it's 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
it 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 serb.
bled
"Chewing-gum," he read.
Certainly" Chick Miller said 81