The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-03-12

seemed to ind it to his liking, and
commented on II freely-I remember
his speaking Of q 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 I sat there trying to find
some Conference In its pl0t-or at least
some CLEAN Of real humor besides
horseplay. and all the while there kept
running through my head the words.
''Your nat is being robbed robbed
robbedw
Billy and I came home on a local
that dumped its passengers at One
Hundred and Thirty-seventh, and I
said. Lets walk up" and pulled him
out of the station and then into side
street and around a block until we
were out of earshOt of other pedes.
TRANS; then I said: "Billy. I've got a
bunch that I've been robbed while we
were at that show. You've got to
come up with me-"
Jaw, now-don't so worrying" he
began soothingly. 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"
Don't joke I begged. ave got
five hundred dollars in the house
would be just my luck" This was as
good an explanation as any. and it was
true. l 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. listen," begged, ignoring his
attempt to be funny and cheer me M.
III George has gone of the elevator.
all riRht-we walk up; but If George
Is still on-now listen, Billy. and play
your part. for II I've been robbed
George mustn't know it: 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
a month Of Sundays afterward. So I
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.
I slipped the quarter into his palm
and told him how glad I 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 was In that fiat waiting for
me and l knew II. Don't ask me to |
explain how knew It'll knew it,
and knew that he was 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 iire-escape II I should
happen not to come alone.
I say knew this. At the same time
knew that must give him the chance
70 get away-I must let him know II
vas not alone.
The car stopped. George asked II
Re should walt. and I replied. in q
'ather loud voice. that 1t might take
'ome little time to find the papers for
dr. Rivers; better 60 down again. for
he font door was still open and some
'ody might slip in. I fumbled with my
icy to let the car descend. and when
he noise had grown faint. SO that
monsieur could hear every word said,
opened the door crack and held It
While drew out the key, saying, so
he words would carry through the
lall. "Billy. have you got a match3
Won't you strike It before We 60 in-l
he fiat 10 dark"
Billy struck . match and the kitchen
oor slammed as I opened the front
DOR. knew BY that that the kitchen
'indow was open.
The hall. hy The Outside ms let