Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-06

Then came faint rafting sound and
a sigh of relief from the STOPPING
child. The next moment she had
placed the tin box in my hands.
Then I myself took a deep breath. a
breath of relief and breath Of tri-
umph. For in that tin. tangled up
together like earthworms in a bait
can, l saw what l had Travelled so
far to find. l saw the sparkle Of
diamonds, the glow Of pearls. the
glimmer Of rubies. the flash Of en-
eralds, inextricably mixed up with
the simmer OF gold and platinum,
careless tumble of glory, bewildering
the eye with its contrasting tones and
colors and tints.
But I didn't take time to mediate
over them. I snapped out my light
again. scarcely conscious, until did
so, that this glimmering weller Of
beauty had drawn the face Of the
child down to it as lark mirror draws
bird. Then / slipped off my under
skirt and spread it fiat on the ground
Kneeling beside it. I promptly emp
tied the tin box of it's waffle of care
lessly interviewer metal and stones.
l tied them carefully up in my skirt
Then into the tin box I thrust my
penciled message and screwed down
the cover.
Now, Serena" / said to my tiny
accomplice. I'VE must find the but
tonwood log"
Serena whispered back to me that
1t wouldn't be hard. And in the end
she found her buttonwood
l made her sit down on one end of it
and take off her shoes and stockings
Then I placed the tin box in her
hands and told her to go on TO the
exact spot where she had first found
1T, and bury it again. For some time
during the next twelve hours, knew
Angelo Pareto would come to that
bucolic fence" He would exhume
that message and read it. There was
fighting chance that he would ac-
cept it as genuine. even though a fea-
ture or two of the situation might
mystify him. And il that decoy did
what I expected of it, there was also
a chance that Pareto would come
where the arm Of the law would reach
out and gather him in.
I was brought back to reality by
Serena timorousfy cropping about for
my hand. A screech owl somewhere
deeper in the woods. was sounding
it's dolorous call. I'm afraid" said
the child. in q whisper.
You need never be afraid Of any
thing. of anybody. And you're not
afraid of me. now. are you?"
ha nd ., \
in hand. confidently. through the
blackness of the night.
And would you do what I wanted
you to do:"
YES, ma'am." was the childs an
swer.
And would you come away with
me il asked you to-
I'D go anywheres with you" I
heard a small and tremulous voice
whisper up out of the darkness
Together we tiptoed up through that
squalid house Of slumber Then I
bolted my door. and re-lit my lamp,
and explained to Serena that she'd
better lie down on my bed until
morning came. But I noticed that
she watched me as I took out the
official Alliance list OF the missing
jewels and. spreading out my under
skirt, carefully inventoried what it
held.
They were all there, I saw. except
two pieces. So took the faded news
papers from the bottom of the bu-
reau drawers and carefully wrapped
each piece, tied them together, and
locked them in my handbag. Then
I slipped my automatic under the
pillow. and with a sigh OF satisfac-
ton lay down beside the tired child.
When | opened my eyes. it was to