The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-12-12

commented on II freely remember
his speaking OF miss Mt one end of
the sextette as "sweet bunch Of pet
ticoats' and ! wondered what his
mother would say 10 that. But the
thing dragged along In its meaningless
changes, and sat there trying TO find
some Conference In It's plot--or at least
some CLEAN OF real humor besides
horseplay. and all the while there kept
running through my head the words.
''Your fiat is being robbed-robbed--
robbedp
Billy and I came home on a local
that dumped IT'S passengers at One
Hundred and Thirty-seyenth and
said, Lets walk up" and pulled him
out of the station and then into side
street and around block until we
were out of earshot of other pedes-
trlans; then said: "Bllly, 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, now--don't 80 worrying" he
began soothingly. Lots Of people
have lunches that never come to any
| thing. But Of course I'll go up with
you--call the police afterward, too, II
| you want"
'Don't joke" / begged. 'Tve got
Ave hundred dollars In the house-it
would be just my luck" This was as
good an explanation as any, and 1t was
true. didn't dare to tell him about
ttxa .ataxanndo nnd MN o@farDanufu al.
venture.
Billy whistled. "Good chance fol
me-if you haven't been burgled al
ready. Three months in Paris fol-
yours truly"
"Bllly. listen" begged, ignoring his
attempt to be funny and cheer me up
"If George has gone on the elevator
all right--we walk up: but IL Georg'
is stlll on--now listen, Billy, and pla,
your part. for IL rye been robbed
George mustn't know It.: II George Il
on I'll tell him you're from the otfic'
and have come up for some papers"
George has his virtues and the de
fects OF his virtues--he keeps tab OF
everybody Ia the house. who thel
friends are, how often they call an,
how late they stay. For me-wh
never did such thing-to bring al
apple-cheeked young man to my fla
after midnight would be nothing shor
OF an adventure In Georges eyes
thing to be told through the house 70
a month OF Sundays afterward. So
got out quarter--to be ready wit
my thanks, in case he'd stayed OF
waiting for me, as he often did; an
there he was. smiling.
slipped the quarter Into his palI
: and told him how glad | was that
didn't have to walk up-and this ger
tleman, too, who chad come up froI
the office TO get some papers, didn
say what office.
The car slid up-my heart slid down
= monsieur was In that fiat waiting Il
9 me and / knew II. Don't ask me |
; explain how l knew it'll knew It
g aud knew that he was In the kitchC
4 -or would be In the kitchen, when Il
d car stopped at the sixth; that !
meant to lot me come In, close Il
Z door on myself. anu then appear; thu
Is he had the kitchen window open reat
to retreat by the fire-eseape II shou
l happen not to come alone.
say knew this. At the same tin
sr knew that 1 must give him the chan
h to get away---I must let him know
In was not alone.
lie The car stopped, George asked
Of he should wait, and l replied, In
~ rather loud voice, that 1t might tai
e. some little time to find the papers (
rt Mr.. Rivers; better go down again, I
ld I the front door was still open and son
body might slip in. fumbled with l
to key to let the car descend, and VIII
the noise had grown faint, so ii
he monsieur could hear every word sa
as / opened the door crack and held
go while / drew out the key, saying,
to- the words would carry through
hall, 'Billy, have you got mate
MT Won't you strike it before we go II
Dst the flat is dark"
in Billy struck match and the kitcl
mt. door slammed as 1 opened the fir
ali door. / knew by that that the kitcl
cal window was open.
er. The hall. by the outside gqs