Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-12-10
CHAPTER Ix-contlnued.

The third queer thing was that there
was no business Of mine he could be
needing to see me about, and II II were
business of his, he'd ask 1t as raVor'
II was then that my eye slid up to the
date and | saw 1t had been sent from
New York. Well, II he were In New
York, why hadn't he telephoned me or
come up TO the housef
| wish | could say 1t flashed over me
Instantly that this was a decoy de-
signed TO get me into monsleurs
clutches, but II didn't flash at ALL
thought It queer, and | was puzzled
but / am free to confess that If II had
been an ordinary business mans mes
sage, / should have packed my SUIT
case, put the diamonds in my stocking,
and taken the train specified. Bu'
while | was still wondering what my
brother could be wanting me for in this
peremptory way. Mrs. Jlmmson
brought me the special delivery letter
which, with triumph and pleasure In
her face. she said she had found I'M
der the set tubs.
| pulled 1t out of the envelope and
read
MADAME was seen by two witnesses
to carry away the package containing
the Jewels referred to. If madame de-
sires TO return them To their owner,
telephone Hotel Imperial at o a. IN.
The owner gives madame this one OPP
portunity TO rectlfy her mistake with
out further trouble or publicity. Fail
ure to comply with the request to tele
phone will prove madame's intentions
and necessitate active measures for
the recovery of the jewels"
"Oh, you don't sayw | sneered
"Wen. l wonder what nextT And by
that letter knew l still had the dia-
monds
SO was to telephone Mt nine
o'clock by rights-and monsieur''
calculatlons-I should have received
the letter before the first delivery; in
stend II had come after and by acct
dent | hadn't read It till noon. The
telegram was timed nine forty-tive.
1t was then that began TO Sc,
| through a hoe I'm stone. : had no
telcphoned--which proved | meant I,
keep the diamonds. My next move
| obviously. would be to get them out o
the clty-to my brothers. of course
| The telegram gave me the excuse fo'
doing K. also told him Ivy what trail
| and station should leave, for he has
| set them himself Bul Why mad he Sc
| day truin2 Why not one ut night?
| puzzled me at first until | saw his rea
son--I could disappear out of day
| light crowd about four times eaSie
than out of night crowd. Who woul
notice among hundreds of women &c
| ing through the Pennsylvania station
woman us simply dressed as l, carry
ing common suitcaSe7 Probably n
one
confess | was SO much disturbed n
l thought what might So easily hay
| happened had l acted on the Telegram
| that II was some time before | got m
wits together. one thing was clear t
| me. howevcr-~monsieur was going {
act with great rapidity and secrecy
| Secrecy-that was the main point 70
| If he were sure had the stones. h
| had only 10 get search warrant an
! he'd have the stones.
! Mrs. Jimmsou came To my stud
while l was bordering all this an
asked me: what about lunchf"
sent her round to the delicateS~en an
told her 10 buy everything she though
| she'd like to have
The moment she was out of tn
| place. / tore open the bunch Of hyg
cinths The diamonds were there.
Good Lord :" said as saw then
The things were calamity.
l rolled them up again, hut | mus
| get new bunch Of hyaclnthS; I INNS
| do Something must act-I must g
| the stones home 10 Mrs. pelario-
must AZ least ask her what she waute
| done with them and tell her how ur
! safe they were with me.
tried the telephone. hut got M az
swer, and while | was clackiug M
Mrs. Jlmmsou came home from an
delicateSSen and had 10 hang up.
While I ate. my mind went like
harpr'er How could get the Ill.