Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-12-17
CHAPTER V-Continued.


s.
"Haven't you some way of hiding
them? Really I don't see how / can
take the ponsibility-suppose I'm
robbedw
''You won't be-"
''But you don't know. I may have
been followed home last night"
''You were not-that man was work
ing alone"
1t was on the tip Of my tongue to
tell her my real reason was that I
didn't like being mixed up in q snug
Cling affair; but out of pity-and COM
mon human decency for a woman in
trouble-I refrained, and, she hurried
on, "You needn't fear about losing
them-I see the word safe in yellow
letters over your head and I know,
absolutely-they'l be safe with you"
To me that wasn't convincing, and
I made a last effort to rid myself of
the incubus ard suggested, "Your SON
couldn't he find means to hide them?'
"Eugene!" Her face clouded with
fear. 81 don't even know where he is
this morning-he hasn't telephoned
me, or anything, since I telephoned
him last night to hide-and every time
l think of him I get the impression Of
trouble There isn't a living soul
I can appeal to now but you. Oh,
please-a day-two days-until can
decide what to do. Help me now, and
I swear to you that will explain ev-
erything-"
The telephone bell suddenly rang
out from the upper hall. Her hands
flew to her heart, as they had the
night before when the house bell rang;
but without a word she fastened up
stairs to answer the call.
While she was gone I had a few min
utes to think, and / took my stand,
once for all: I'd help her through
thick and thin. / therefore slipped the
box back where I'd taken it from, and
was preparing to leave with 1t as soon
as could say goodby to her, when she
reeled into the room, looking as if
she'd had the shock of dreadful news.
Eugene. My son!' she gasped, al
most with q scream. Hes been kid
naped!' and with that she tainted.
/ caught her as she fell and let her
slide to the floor as gently as my
strength would allow, and / was con-
sidering whether to try to find the
bathroom upstairs and get some water,
or to search the lower regions for the
wild-eyed Swede and send her for the
nearest doctor, when I heard Mrs.
Delario's voice: "Save my diamonds
save my son. Coco at once!"
/ didn't go-in fact she held me so
[ couldn't-and somehow, between us,
she managed to get up on the sofa,
where she released my hands, implor-
ing me to save the diamonds.
seThose men are coming" she urged.
ssIn five minutes it may be too late
you'll be caught-I'll lose everything
nv future-Lila's future-you're safe
If you go instantly"
It was incoherent, but rapid; terri
bly, earnest. She gave me a feeble
push, and, hardly knowing what l did,
7 fled the house-for the second time
in twenty-four hours with million
dollars worth of diamonds in my
stocking.
had dashed down the steps expect
ing to encounter-and escape from
a pair of dark-browed villains; l actu-
ally did encounter delivery boy hop
ping off his wagon, who almost
knocked me over with his basket and
then berated me soundly for getting In
his road and not looking where was
! going.
NV humping into the grocery boy
| dislocated the alarm in which L mad
| left Mrs. Delario, and it didn't seem TO
| occur TO me on the returL trip that
might be followed, or that | should
T! fake ut least some small precautions
to elude a possible shadow. My nina
was so engrossed with Mrs. Delario
and what had happened to her son that
I really quite forgot | had the dia-
monds myself ] bought a buncn OF
hyacinths at florists and left an or
der at the grocer's, and it wasn't till
I was inside my fiat that the thought
really struck me, "Tm the one VINO Is
In danger-I have the diamonds! ana
It was too late for me to IND out IL
] I'd been Swallowed home or not.
However. my depression was pres
emily succeeded by 6 mood of elation-
at last was living things! was en-
Toying the game foc its own sake. On
| with the dance, Mr.. Robbers-iet's see
| II you AN get the diamonds! Wnicn
| -. .,.s =, chow what fools some