The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1919-12-25

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by JANE BUNKER

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UR the steamer, for instance, shr
had twice caught Claire turning ovei
things in her-MrS. Dearlo's-suit.
case. Claire excused 1t once by say
Ing she'd accidentally put some of her
own toilet articles In 1t by mistake
while she "was too sick to notice"
But what finally brought about the
crisis was this: A sitter had given
Mrs. Delarlo a ten-dolIar bill in pay.
ment for reading. and she had gone
hastily to her room for change, and
returning had left her bedroom door
ajar and a quantity of bills lying on
the bureau which she hadn't stopped to
put hack into her purse. The moment
she had shown the sitter out she went
back to replace her purse and found
Claire in her room. Claire was In the
act Of closing the wardrobe door and
said she was looking for her muff
And why her muff In Mrs. Delarlo's
wardrobe1
"But did she steal any money! I
demanded, almost In fear of the reply.
Mrs. Delario took some time to an
swer, and this is what she said: "You
know I'm so fond Of the child I'd
rather think made a mistake than
that she robbed me. had two fve-
dollar bills--a lot Of twOs and ones and
several tens-and what think l did
was to take a FIVE and two--seven
dollars--and rush downstairs. But
what I might have done was taken the
two fves--a five instead Of a two
and give them to the lady. She didn't
look at them. Anyway, the other five
was gone"
II was this sort Of thing about her
tha: made me like Mrs. Delario so
much--her willingness to excuse and
TO wait for final proofs Of peoples de-
linquencies. She hadn't even men,
toned her suspicion to Claire; at the
same time the incident decided her
that she could on no account keep the
child longer In the house, the worry
of looking after her was too great, and
she had told Claire this and that II her
father didn't arrive by Monday Claire
would have to go to a boarding school
for safekeeplng till he did. Monsieur
lie pere opportunely arrived next
morning and took Claire away. That
was Thursday--the day before she
called on me-and Claire had been
with Mrs. Delarlo just since Monday.
Very naturally, then, In all the story
l never once thought Of the slipper and
thst Mrs Delarlo might be suspecting
Claire Of taking It also. But having,
so to speak, settled Claire in saying
that she had left on Thursday after
noon, Mrs. Delario quickly switched
the conversation on the real subject of
my visit. She introduced II by saying
that Llla--who was still In boarding
school near Philadelphla-was break
ing down and might shave to be sent
abroad for treatment--she seemed to
be developing spinal trouble, though
the doctors here really didn't seem to
know what allied the child; and then
the sentence clearly remember was,
"I'm very greatly In need Of money"
I fear must have drawn back sud
denly--T actually thought she was try
ing TO borrow Of r1e--for she smiled
and answered my unspoken words: II
don't mean want to borrow anything.
I have some property want TO dis
pose Of. I want to sell some rubies."
"Why, Mrs. Delarlo, I'm not a
dealer" I replied quickly.
II know you're not--that's why ]
thought you could help me better than
anyone else. The stones were left me
by a great.uncle IN France, and may
as we'll confess It nOw--they came In
duty free"
Struggled I" lnteriected.
"well, q friend brought them over
and they weren't found when the bag
gage was examined. But don't you see
that was why could sell them at a
bargaln7"
"I don't know anybody who deals in
smuggled gems"
"Of course---but you needn't tell
that---y0u don't actually know how
they got ln--you are selling them for
friend. IT'S because you don't know
that that you can sell them better
than I can At least you wouldn't mind
looking at the stones and telling me
what they're worth so I'll have some
thing to 60 on7 haven't an idea how
valuable they are.'
"Take them to Tlffany's," sug
gested.
"T'rn afraid 20 take them anywhere
to tell you the truth. Eugene tool
them to a place on Maiden lane yes
terdny and the people acted so Queefy
Eugene-he's very rsychlc-got tht
impression that they were going to &C
cuse him of smuggling them or some
thing of the klnd--stealing the rubies
perhaps from them-and he put then
] In btl pQskst spd rap out. He thpkI