The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-04

here at once! Come right into the shop-neithsll
Harry nor Melnotte will be there. III meet vol
and get 1t from you. can't explain moro r.
Mona mystifed, but Mary's tone coulI
vinced her that it Of the utmost Importance
that she should obey her chum to the letter. ShiI
wrapped up the copy she had made, laughing ell
while at its ridiculous character. It 10 pool
copy, she knew, despite the help Harry hall
given her, that 1t was grotesque, and 1t would mol
deceive anyone who knew tho original picture fol
- single minute. Nevertheless, she decided IS
Mary wanted it, she should have 1t.
But 1t was with even greater inpatiencs thai
she waited at homo, after q momentary taUJ
with Mary, who had, Of course, no time to tell
her what was going on And when Mary camI|
in Mona pounced upon her before she could eye1
take of her hat. II,
"Lookt" cried Mary dramatically. She nfteI
her skirt, and underneath, pinned fast TO b
underskirt, was the precious picture itself-n
copy. but the original masterpiece, the famou
Norma Vannai III
Nary" cried Mona. IN : panic "whatsvs
are you going to do with that?"
"Ah-that I don't know myself, YETI sstI
Mary.
But Mona got the story. bit by BIZ
They came back-Harry and Melnotte-wfu
Watson" said Mary. And they showed him Ii
picture. He tremendously excdted-just Nj
stirred up would have been II some one hal
offered me wonderful diamond necklace Thssl
talked lot about showing up . man callssI
Crogan-"
az can tell you about that" said Mona, an
did
'I see r. said Mary well. anyway. Mr. w.tsosl
said he would take the picture, and Melnotts vel
to send 1t to his house this afternoon He offered
check, but Melnotte said hs would like TO havl||
the cash, and Mr.. Watson told him all right-t@
and get 1t this evening"
II told you Harry the Hun would have . wA2|
of getting rid of the picture r. said Mona n
That enough for me-that was when q
slipped out and telephoned to you," said Mary
Later, after Watson had gone, they told me "a
get the picture ready to send-to put It in box
ly,Nx &C. 1kAv, rp~Iv -l~A..~
for the real Norma Wanna They never thoughfl
to look at 1t again--that tho one big chance
took, Of course' so-the copy you made hal1
gone to Mr.. Watsons house and Melnotte In goinf3
for the money in about an hour"
Mona began to laugh, heplessly.
"And all the MISUNDERSTANDING the or1
iginal!" she said "Mary-Mr Watson will inn
media tely see what an awful copy-rny copy-hasl
been sent him" b
"of course he will And I'm Just wondering
how we had better work this. 1 thought Of just
going there. giving them the original, and telling =
them what we know, quite frankly-as il we had
learned about the theft by accident, and planes
to him from being cheated. think he'd Be
pretty liberal-he could afford to be-"
II think that's the best plan myself" SAID
Mona. Well have to trust to his giving ufs
something worth while-but 1 don't see that
there's anything else do. Honesty ism
just the best policy this time-it's the only one
tool"
And So carrying the precious picture, the
two girls set out for Mr.. Watson's house.
And Melnotte and Harry the Hun, at about
the same time, were making for the same destina'
ton Melnotte was absolutely confident OF suca
he had every reason to be.
We've done ourselves proud this time, Harrya
old boy1" he said. 1--WE never made bette1s
strike than this is going to be
1T looks good" said Harry. But it's . good
idea not to before you've won"
Outside the house they arranged their plan
Melnotte was to go in, get the money, and join
Harry outside. Harry had their two bags, and
thev had he ve n
fight-since the truth would, sooner or later, b
sure to come out. They anticipated no hitch; ~
seemed that all that now remained was to collect
the money. And when Melnotte rang tho butle11
appeared to be expecting him.
Wellington Watson, too, Was expecting Melz
notte He had brought tho president OF the Arr
Museum to his home. expecting to enjoy his dis
comfture when he showed him the original
Norma Wanna. But, when Mona's copy was rol
vealed, 1t was he who discounted. He turned
furously upon Melnotte, denouncing him. and
asking him what he meant by such a bare-facet
fraud. Melnotte, thunderstruck, could only SIAM
mer that there must have been q mistake.
"Ill go back to the shop and get the original
picture" he said.
But the president of the museum WAS not
satisfied.
Let him go back" he advised. ''but With .
policeman. He has good deal to explain, even
If he has the picture-for can tell you, Watson@
that the museum had the original a. late ~
yesterday
And, despite Melnottes frantic protests, The
butler was sent to call policeman. Harry heard
his whistle, and took to flight But . special
policeman. engaged to guard the homes Of the
block. seized him and dragged him to the Watsou
house. And there Melnotte and Harry each began
to accuse tho other Of double dealing. They con-
victcd themselves and ono another In their anger
both were placed under arrest.
The two girls, meanwhile, had arrived, IN
time to see what was going They decided
that they had chosen a bad time for their visit,
and went home. But the next day. after they
had read the stories In the papers, they decided
to 60 back to their original plan. Watson re-
ceived them cordially; Mona told Of the sup
picions Harry's conduct had reused in her. By z
curious chance, she said. her friend Mary was
working for Melnotte, and. learning of the plot,
had decided to prevent him from being victinized
through tho purchase of a stolen picture.
"And here" said Mary, dramatically, ''is the
real Norma Vannaw
There was no doubt this time. Watson and
the president both recognized It,
"You two ladies'" said the president, "were
not only upright. but remarkably clever. I feel
that the museum owes you the deepest gratitude.
A reward Of $1,000 would have been offered for
the return Of the picture-I take great pleasure,
now, In writing my check for that sum- =
fsn'f enouoh said wafeor uArA Ysvvs