The Ordway new era., 1920-04-02
CHAPTER XII.
The Capture.

alarming than when he was boldly at
tncklng. You may imagine. II you can,
what 1 went through on Saturday! My
one diversion was to rehIde the dia-
monds. This time-after 1 had taken
them out of the hyacinths and poked
thimble among the stems-I sealed
them in an envelope and thumb-tacked
II to the bottom of sideboard drawer.
The drawers siedded in and out on run
ners deep enough to allow the enve-
dope to pass. All day long kept think
ing. what Will happen IL monsieur
doesn't take the bait7" 1t seems
strange to me now. but I never once
asked myself, "What will happen II he
tioesf"
The last half hour before Billy came
was positively the longest in my life.
nnd when the bell did finally ring
was shot through the heart and ready
to die.
came to life Immediately. whis-
pered through the door. who's
there?" and heard. "Ann Preswick"-
the password we'd agreed on.
"Then he hasn't killed you'll" were
my first words.
"who7 Your 'mossoor No-I
killed him on the stairs last night
or pretty nearr'
didn't see why Billy should bestow
the proprietorship on me-he wasn't
my "mossoo.' as reminded Billy while
he was pulling a pair Of handouts out
of his overcoat pocket.
"A mere detail" he returned. He
win be your own In an hour" He flung
on his coat where do we hide these
togsT'
MY wardrobe But he won't
come"
"Oh. yes, he will-he told me So"
thought BiDy was Joking and made
no reply.
"Very inte' esting man." mused Billy.
-Not at all the sort Of person you'd
expect to find In a diamond robbery.
Wonderful knowledge Of European pol
ItIcs-and American politics, too"
"Blliy. what do you mean" I de-
rnanded.
"why. took your 'mossoo' home
to his hotel last night-anh-"
you didn'tW / gasped.
"Of course did! Why not? You
don't suppose I'd go of and leave him
here to murder you. do your Billy
wns making the most out Of his story.
could see.
"But - how - did - you - man
age-itT was still gnsping.
"I didn't. He did. He wasn't going
TO give himself away by going up
stairs; he Aaid he was going down. So
we went down together. and kept
talking to him. When we got to the
street we Just kept on till I'd seen
him home. We were thick as thieves
by that time. invited him to see
Chinatown tonight and he accepted"
"Billy! You never"
"Yes. did! And it's how know
he's coming tonight-see7 went
round this morning In time for the
first mail. He was waiting for 1t.
oh. he got the letter all right! And
as soon as he read It he came over
and told me he couldn't go to China
town tonight-he had diplomatic busi-
ness that might take him to Washing
ton-which means here. Seer
''Bllly. you're the cleverest thing I
ever saw!" I cried with real admira-
tion.
cinte that" He said It In an offhand
way, but l could see he was feeling
very set up over himself. And didn't
blame him. He added, "What the
-mossoo' was really after-why he
wouldn't let me go out In the dark
alone-was to know who was calling
on. I told him 1t was the people In
the front fat and couldn't get in. /
told him 1t was their cousin from Bos-
ton was calling on and maybe they'd
gone to the theater. That led to our
talking about plays that led to an In
SEPARATION of genius and asked him II
he'd seen Chinatown; that led to my
Invitation and-the rest you know"
BILLY, you are positively the clever
.est man l knowi'
''Didn't think I'd grow up like that,
did you? And that's not all. AS for
the pretty daughter-your little Claire
that you think so much of-don't faint
snow-wcll, she's in 1t up to the neck
'and over her ears. She's his accom-
Iplice, NIL right. Here's her cable mes
,sase-" He drew out bit of paper
son which he'd copied 1t and read:
'Born girl. Mother and child do
Ing well. CLAIRE"
But this is-this isn't" stam-
mered.
"Quite So" agreed Billy. "It is and
1t lsn'ti It is n code. 1t isn't piece
of Insanity. I've read it-or think /
have. Listen now; 'Born'-the pre-
.cious thing that was expected has
come to pnss successfully: that is. the
diamonds hove arrived safe and
sound"
He glnnced at me for approval and
then puckered up his brow while ad-
.unIffInp ..I,hIs next-,n gIrl'-nuzzles