The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-02-19
CHAPTER XII.
Tho Capture


That night nothing happened--at
least to me; but somehow the periods
when nothing happened were more
alarming than when he was boldly at
lacking. You may imagine. II you can,
what went through on Saturday. My
one diversion was to rehide the dia-
monds. This time-after I had taken
them out Of the hyacinths and poked
q thimble among the stems-I sealed
them In an envelope and thumb-tacked
II to the bottom of a sideboard drawer.
The drawers sledded In and out on run.
ners deep enough to allow the enve
lope to pass. All day long kept think
ing, "What will happen II monsieur
doesn't take the bait2" II seems
strange to me now, but I never once
asked myself, "What will happen If he
does?"
The last half hour before Billy came
was positively the longest in my life,
and 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 youl" were
my first words.
"Who2 Your 'mossooT No-I
killed him on the stairs last night
or pretty neari"
didn't see why Billy should bestow
the proprietorship on me-he wasn't
my "mossoo," as reminded Billy while
he was pulling pair of handouts out
Of his overcoat pocket.
"a mere detail" he returned. "He
will be your own in an hour" He flung
OF his coat. "Where do we hide these
togs7
my wardrobe. But he won't
come"
"Oh, yes, he will-he told me So"
thought Billy was joking and made
no reply.
"very interesting man." mused Billy.
sNot at all the sort of person you'd
sxpect to flnd In diamond robbery.
Wonderful knowledge of European pol
Sics-and American politics, too"
'Billy. what do you meanT de-
manded.
"why. I took your 'mossoo' home
% his hotel last night-and-"
"You didn'tw gasped.
"Of course I didl Why notf You
ion't suppose I'd 60 of and leave him
Sere to murder you. do your Billy
vas making the most out Of his story.
could see.
'But - how - did - you man
age-itr was still gasping.
81 didn't. He did. He wasn't going
to give himself away by going up
stairs; he said he was going down. So
we went down together, and l 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. I invited him to see
Chinatown tonight and he accepted
"Billyi You never"
"Yes, I didl And it's how know
he's coming tonight-see2 1 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 1t 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. See"
"Billy. you're the cleverest thing
ever sawl" / cried with real admira
tion.
"Thanks-coming from you appre
ciate that" He said 1t in an offhand
way. but I could see he was feeling
very set up over himself. And didn'l
blame him. He added. "What the
'mossoo' was really after-why he
wouldn't let me go out in the dark
aione-was to know who was calling
on. I told him 1t was the people In
the front fiat 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 oui
talking about plays; that led to an In
spiration 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 knowr
"Didn't think I'd grow up like that
1id your And that's not all. AS fol
lhe pretty daughter-your little Claire
that you think SO much of-don't faint
low-well, she's in 1t up to the neck
and over her ears. She's his accom-
plice. all right. Here's her cable mes.
cage" He drew out bit Of paper
On which he'd copied II and read;
"Born girl. Mother and child do
ing well. CLAIRE"
'But this is-this isn't" I STAN.
mered.
"Quite So" agreed Billy. "It is and
It isn't 1t is code. 1t isn't riece
of insanity. I've read it-or thinls
have. Listen now: Born'-the pre-