The Ordway new era., 1920-02-27

commented on 1t freely-I remember
his speaking Of a miss at one end of
the sextette as "sweet bunch of pet
ticoats" and wondered what his
mother would say to that. But the
thing dragged along in Its meaningless
changes, and sat there trying TO find
some conference In Its plot-or at least
some gleam of real humor besides
horseplny, and all the while there kept
running through my head the words.
"Your fat is being rObbed-robbed-
robbedw
Billy and l came home on local
that dumped its passengers at One
Hundred and Thirty-seventh. and
said. Lets walk up" and pulled him
out of the station and then into side
street and around block until we
were out of earshot of other pedes-
trians; then said: "Billy, I've got
hunch that I've been robbed while we
were at that show. You've got to
come up with me-"
Jaw, now-don't go worrying" he
began soothlngiy. Lots of people
have lunches that never come to any
thing. But of course I'll 60 up with
you-call the police afterward, too, II
you want" g.
Don't joke" I begged. i've got
Ave hundred dollars in the house-it
would be just my luck" This was as
good an explanation as any, and 1t was
true. didn't dare to tell him about
the diamonds and my afternoons ad-
venture.
me-lf you haven't been burgled al
ready. Three months In Paris for
yours truly"
BILLY. listen," begged, ignoring his
attempt to be funny and cheer me up.
"If George has gone of the elevator.
all rlght-we walk up; but If George
Is still on-now listen. Billy. and play
your part. for If I've been robbed
George mustn't know 1t: IL George is
on I'll tell him you're from the office
and have come up for some papers,"
George has his virtues and the de-
fects of his vIrtues-he keeps tab on
everybody in the house. who their
friends are, how often they call and
| how late they stay. For me-who
never did such n thIng-to bring an
apple-cheeked young man to my fiat
after midnight would be nothing short
Of an adventure In Georges eyes-a
thing to be told through the house for
n month of Sundays afterward. So
got out quarter-to be ready with
my thanks. in case he'd stayed on.
| waiting for me. as he often did and
there he was, smiling.
1 slipped the quarter into IS palm
and told him how glad / was that i
didn't have to walk up-and this gen.
tleman. too. who had come up from
the office to get some papers'-I didn't
say what office.
The car slid up-my heart slid down ::
monsieur wns in that fiat waiting for
me and knew 1t. Don't ask me to
explain how l knew It'll knew it
| and knew that he wns in the kitchen
or would be in the kitchen, when the
car stopped at the sixth; that he
meant to let me come in, close the
door on myself. and then appear; that
he had the kitchen window open ready
to retreat by the fire-escape II l should
happen not to come alone.
1 say knew this. At the same time
] knew that must give him the chance
to get away-I must let him know 1
was not alone.
The car stopped. George asked If
he should wait. and l replied. in
rather loud voice. that 1t might take
some little time to find the papers for
Mr.. Rivers: better go down again, for
the front door was still open and some
body might slip in. fumbled with my
key to let the car descend. and when
the noise had grown faint, so that
monsieur could hear every word said,
l opened the door crack and held 1t
while 1 drew out the key, saying, so
the words would carry through the
hall. BILLY. have you got Il match :?
Won't you strike it before we go in
the fiat Is dark"
Billy struck match and the kitchen
door slammed as opened the front
door. / knew by that that the kitchen
window was open.
! The hall. by the outside gas let.