Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-11-26

/ N-AN oAdAipt1 anu tlltI inlO u Siut
street and around a block until we
were out of earshot of other pedes-
TRANS; then 1 said: BILLY. I've got a
bunch that I've been robbed while we
were at that show. You've got to
come up with me-"
Jaw, row--don't go worrying" he
began so )thingly. Lots of people
have huncres that never come to any
thing. But Of course I'll go up with
you-call the police afterward. too, If
you want"
Don't joke" l begged. "rve got
| five hundred dollars in the hOuse-it
would be just my luck" This was as
good an explanation as any, and 1t was
true. l didn't dare to tell him about
the diamonds and my afternoons ad-
| venture.
| Billy whistled. "GoOd chance for
me-if you haven't been burgled al
ready. Three months In Paris for
yours truly"
BILLY, listen" begged, Ignoring his
attempt to be funny and cheer me up.
'If George has gone off the elevator,
all right--we walk up; but If George
is still on-nOw listen, Billy, and play
your part. for If I've been robbed
George mustn't know Il: IL George is
on I'll tell him, you're from the office
and have come up for some papers"
George has his virtues and the de-
! fects of his virtues-he keeps tab on
! everybody In the house. who their
! friends are, how often they call and
never did such thng-to bring an
/ apple-cheeked young man to my fiat
after midnight would he nothing short
of an adventure in Georges eyes-a
| thing to be told through the house for
month of Sundays afterward. So
got out quarter-to be ready with
my thanks. in case he'd stayed on,
waiting for me, as he often did; and
| there he was. smiling
| l slipped the quarter into his palm
and told him how glad l was that l
| didn't have to walk up-and this gen
tleman, too, who had come up from
the office to get some papers, didn't
say what Office.
The car slid up--my heart slid down !:
monsieur was In that fiat waiting for
me and l knew it. Don't ask me to
explain how | knew it--I knew it
and l knew that he was in the kitchen
or would be In the kitchen. when the
car stopped at the sixth; that he
meant to let me come in, close the
door on myself. and then appear; that
! he had the kitchen window open ready
to retreat by the fire-escape If l should
| happen not to come alone.
l say knew this. At the same time
| | knew that | must give him the chance
! to get away must let him know
was not alone.
The car stopped. George asked If
he should wait. and l replied. in Il
rather loud voice that II might take
some little time to find the papers for
Mr. Rivers; better go down again. for
the front door was still open and some
body might slip in. fumbled with my
key To let the ear descend, and when
the noise had grown faint. so that
monsieur could hear every word said.
| opened the door a crack and held II
while l drew out the key, saying. so
the words would carry through the
hall, BILLY, have you got a match ?
Won't you strike 1t before we go in
the fiat is dark"
Billy struck a match and the kitchen
door slammed as | opened the front
door | knew by that that the kitchen
window was open.
The hall. by the outside gas let.
showed nothing out of the wny-that
had been rearranged 10 let me get in
side and shut the door without suspi.
cion. As to the rest OF the fiat =
words lAii me, Ii was literally turned
inside out and upside down. Drawers
had been emptied out on the floor.
then piled up and retilled with other
Even the bookcases had been moved
and searched behind and hundreds of
books were heRped on the door. helter-
SHELTER Pictures had been taken
from the walls and pillow cushions
cut open; actually, the breakfast food
in boxes. the butter and food in the
refrigerator had been searched
And in the midst of the disorder
one thing alone had apparently not
been touched-the bunch Of hyacinths
| saw it the moment got the dining.
room light turned on There il stood
on the table, just as l had left it when
I had crowded the diamonds down
among the stems. But were the dia.
mondS there
was in the act Of making dash IA
find out when I remembered RjlIv-
D. Billy mustn't know.
He had calculated. Love and pota.
toes You did have a bunch ="
pulled on my gloves must see
Il the diamonds We're safe-just a