The Elbert County tribune., 1920-02-13


commented on 1t freely-I remember
his speaking Of a miss at one end of
the sextette as "sweet bunch of pet
ticoats'' and I wondered what his
mother would say to that. But the
thing dragged along In its meaningless
changes, and l sat there trying to find
some conference In its plot-or at least
some CLEAN of real humor besides
horseplay, and all the while there Kept
running through my head the words.
Your fiat is being robbed-robbed-
robbed I"
Billy and 1 came home on a local
that dumped its passengers at Ose
Hundred and Thirty-seventh, and
said. Lets walk up" and pulled him
out of the station and then into a side
street and around a block until we
were out of earshot of other pedes-
trians; then 1 said: "Bllly, 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 soothingly. Lots of people
have lunches that never come to any
thing. But of course I'll go up with
you-call the police afterward, too, II
you want"
Don't joke" 1 begged "Tve got
five 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.
Billy whistled. "Good chance for
me-if you haven't been burgled al-
ready. Three months in Paris for
yours truly"
BILLY. llsten," begged, ignoring his
attempt to be funny and cheer me up.
If George has gone of the elevator,
all right-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: If 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 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
u 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
slipped the quarter into ..s palm
and told him how glad / was that 1
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
me and I knew It, Don't ask me to
explain how / knew i'll knew it,
and knew that he was in the kitchen
or would be in the kitchen, when the
car stopped at the sixth; shat he
meant to let me come In, close tie
door on myself, and then appear; that
he had the kitchen window open ready
to retreat by the fire-escape If should
happen not to come alone.
I say I knew this. At the same time
knew that must give him the chance
to get away-I must let him know / |
was not alone.
The car stopped. George asked II |
he should wait. and l replied, In a |
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 1 said, |
1 opened the door a crack and held it |
while drew out the key. saying, SO
the words would carry through the
hall, BILLY. have you got 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. |