The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-31
The DIAMOND THIEVES 949z9H
By ARTHUR STRINGER


4 And IL got his goat all right, for II
suro sent him off IA trance. I wish
YOU would get her he finally plEed
Up. as though he was tattln' 20 INC
lamp post Then again he said I
must inquire just what you wish !
want IA cab. told him. Then by
an means take mine he said, as
smooth as SILK. And | took II. And
It brought me down ia hurry Ana
Then come quick" | said as |
hailed an empty taxi In another two
minutes we were headed for East
Scvcnty-third street
"Toosey." / said as we swung
eastward Off Fifth avenue. Il dpn't
| ike The looks OF Dopey Jones rabbit
! ing about that house. ! can't mako
out what he's after. But II I get In
side that house you begin at those
apartments next door and work your
way up until you've picked up Do
pcy's tran"
/ mounted the broad sandstone
steps with my dcmurest manner, To
my surprise, hoBever / wasn't even
gwen "A chance to ring the bell The
door opened before | could announce
my presence there And IL was
/ Winke himself who opened It
! Wmlc with "A frown OF trouble on
| his Customarisy placid brow and the
! last curve OF humor ironed out OF hts
rather grim looking mouth
rive been waiting for YOU" he
announced as he ushered me into
what was plainly a library One
! glance showed me that II WAS very
ornatcly furnished one,
Whose house 1t this2" / ungra-
| ciouly demanded.
Mrs. Rumball -Shciton's." he cN-
| planned az he placed a chair for me.
''She happens to he my Aunt Hen
riotta." he replied. with iust the
slightest note OF hostility In his voice,
~ once thought you were a thief"
he finally said, with natter Of
tactness which | hadn't exactly eX-
pscted from him.
1--WE had reason 20 think tho same
OF you" | fold him as quietly as /
could
"Of me7" ne echoed. And | could
see that my thrust had gone homo,
II saw YOU work the old gum
trick In that jcwclry store this
morning" | said. straight out from
the shoulder.
II didn't seem to reach him the
way | had expected II to do He
| neither WINGED nor changed color,
lie merely stood thero wagg!ng his
head slowly from side to side, fer all
the world like polar bear I'm "A
zoo
Surely you can realize the stu
alton here he said, with real pain
! In HIS voice
"You1l first have to explain it."
| announced lle looked at me with
a hardening eye.
But YOU know this woman ls a
member OF my own family, practic-
ally--that is. she is my own mothers y
sister And wouldn't II be Unnutur-
al not TO do what YOU could to pro-
tect herr Tho woman Is victim
Of a periodic dehsional tendency
which leaves her almost ns ire
sponsihle as child" WinkIe was
saying. Under ordinary circum-
stances she's "A clear headed and
,harming person. "A woman OF wealth
and position"
DO you mean she's a klcpto-
| maniac2" | demanded / NOTICED
how he WINGED at that ugly and
| threadbare word
81 suppose you'd call II that" he
finally acknowledged.
I've done what | could to pro-
| tect her, he was rather frantiCally
| trying to explain But | couldn't
do everything It's blind spot. OF
course, In her brain Talk and ar
gumont don't count. can't he made
to count, And she is woman who
| isodecidcdly used to having her own
way"
1t wasn't until then that sank
INTO tho chair which Niukie had
placed there for me.
do you mean to say" I asked
him, that you've followed her up
and put things straight as-as she
went alonE?"
That's the hidcous part OF It," he
acknowledged my hclplossness
/ There are things can't stralghtcn
! up Today, for Instance. there was
diamond pendant a very valuable
! one which remains unaccounted for
| And even the more trivial things. the
| things | could have replaced, have
! passed into possession Of somebody
! much baser than that poor woman
| herself 1 mean she's been robbed,
| I'm turn, by some sncakthief OF the
streets
Kept a perfectly straight face.
Have YOU had any suspicion as to
| who this thief could be-" asked
Yes, but irs not a very definite
| one. remember seeing a man. an
! lliogcihoF unattractiyc looking man.
! AZ the different places she visited
! thought at tle time that II was a Sc
! rtcs OF mere condolences BUT |
,hink now he must have been dog
r.ng her steps from shop 10 shop"
Has she explained anything TO
your lie sighed rather despond-
entity.
I've given mp trying 20 get much
help In that direction he admitted
After thc-the last outbreak she
confessed 90 me that she had hidden
q Tiffany bar pin by burying g up on
the roof There's a sort OF arbur and
roof garden up there. with rubber
trees and things The bar pin was
supposed 20 be I'm one Of those boxes
0f earth But could never find a."
And what were you wanting OF |
me'' | inquired
lie stood silent for long time.
Il wanted To know II YOU would |
marry me- ne finally said. I'm a very
1uie' aud deliberate tone of voice.
Il don't think 50. told him In my |
most maitc~-of- fact manner
WHY" he asked
There are several reasons" 7
promptly and firmly announced V.
the next moment confusion rcfgncd
my empty little head. for I vas