The Topeka state journal., 1919-08-02

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What FIRST made me watch th1
woman, in fact. was my accidental OBJ
servation Of her hand movement as
she pressed a bit OF chewing gum un-
der the edge OF the glass showcase.
All the while she was doing this,
noticed. she was engaged in a casual
yet seemingly earnest conversation
with the clerk behind the gen-counter.
She continued to study. apparently,
the array OF unmounted gtones spread
out over the little square Of black vel
vet on the top OF the showcase. But
she seemed hard to satisfy. For just
. moment that patient and punctilious
old salesman turned away to produce
another tray Of jewels for her inspec-
tion. And as I had expected. she took
advantage OF that moment. She quietly
but quickly pressed an unmounted
Mexican opal into the still soft gum
under the case edging.
Tho customer. in this case. was
plainly taking advantage OF that quiet
hammered clerks faith in her appear
ance Of we'll being. She appeared, the
embodiment OF good form. Even the
woman's face, it rather astonished me
10 obEerve. was reiteration OF this
same note. II was not a face to excite
suspicion. There was nothing hard or
crafty or sordid about it. II was a soft
face. but its softness carried no
paraded taint of weakness. II dis
armed suspicion. It was a weapon,
apparently. which in the present case
she was using for all it was worth.
For she wasn't stealing that Mexican
opal as easily as she had imagined.
Tho eye Of that trained salesman had
Ear-. ~ ~ r1F
unmounted stones. II took scarcely a
t,uisebeat Of time to tell him that one
Of them was missing. But he remained
as punctillously courteous and atten-
tive as before.
"None Of these viii do" announced
tho rosy widow as she pushed the
tlaek-yelvet pad back toward the
clerk.
You are taking only one7" the old
clerk mildly inquired, with hand
movement toward the unmounted
stones
DO you mean to say one OF those
opals is missing?" suddenly demanded
the soft-eyod woman in the war-widow
mourning.
1T doesn't seem to De here" the old
clerk half-apologetically Acknowledged,
continuing his search.
Since the opal disappeared when
was standing here beside It, should
like to be searched"
The old clerks smile was almost q
copmiserative one.
Pardon me. but that Is a procedure
VIC never rcsort to. And Il could
scarcely be undertaken in-in such
surroundings"
Then should like to see the man
aVer OF this ulace"
The old clerk seemed altogether oe-
cupied in restoring his Jewels TO their
place inside the case.
You Will md him in the second Of
fee Immediately in the rear" he said
with the impersonality Of the Sphinx.
The war-widow gathered up hef
japanese beaded bag that was easily
worth half-a-dozen Mexican opals, and
her lorgnon set with black pearls
Then she rustled determinediy rear
ward toward the office in question.
Then I could see, out Of the corner
OF my eyes, that a long-legged young
man was already stepping UP to the
showcase where the stolen Jewel was
so cleveriy secreted. Taking advantage
OF the fact that the fastidious- man
nered old clerk was still staring some
what perplexediy after the disappear
ing woman. the newcomer stood close
in beside the showcase and let his
gloved hand drop to its lower edge
The next moment I saw his finger:
pull away the jewel gummed to its hid
ing-plaoe, and promptly drop it in his
pocket.
What made me rather catch my
breath was the discovery that the long
legged young man who had pocketet
the opal was Winkfred Ealand!
stood there. as dazed as a fruit
peddler whose whole apple-cart ha:
gone over. I saw a proprietory-iook
man with an alderTnanic paunch steI
up 20 the old clerk and hold {
whispered consultation with him, and
again disappear into one Of the or.
nately -partitioned ofiiees at the rear
Presently saw my pink and Whit
war-widow marching solemnly and 4
little triumphantly out OF the store.
decidedly TO follow her. When sh'
stood under the dripping awning ant
motioned a taxicab I signaled for IL
successor. When she pulled up at thu
carriage entrance OF the big Fifth
Avenue hotel ISdid the same.
She meandered stolidly on to tn
Palm Room, where she seated hersei
az one OF the double-sided writing
desks and leisurely proceeded to indit'
a note or two on the cream-and- golt
crested writing paper OF the hotel.
followed suit by taking a we'll
sheltered seat next 10 the wall. And
few minutes OF quiet observation con
vinoed. me that my war-widow WASH
giving her entire attention to the cor
respondence in hand. She was. in fact
maintaining a guarded inspection o
that entire room. Then her attention
seemed 20 be discreetly directed towar
the woman on the opposite side Of tn
double-topped desk. She was plainl
an out-of- -towners knew that even be
fore I caught sight OF the old-fashione
gold-mesh bag which she perched be
side her gloves on the rosewood IA
dividing the little desk. Then my At
tentiou went back 70 tho war-widov
for that plump lady's predatory ey
was most Enthusiastically hxed on thi
sane Raudy and glittering bag. The
leaning further forward over the desk
top. as though in tho throes OF lahore