Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1920-02-25

lated, overcome by the sight. "Well,
If this doesn't beat the Arabian
NightsP Are they real-real?- Not
paste? Why, If they're real they're
worth about a million dollars !"
"And haven't been telling you that
all alongT l asked testify. Billy's
words and tone gave it pretty well
away that he hadn't believed it all
along. no matter what I'd said and
he'd pretended.
yves, l think you have" he admit
ted, rather stammeringly. "But OF
course-you realize that a million dol
lars is a-er--a pretty big order for a
chap In New York to eat at sitting"
He spread them out on his hand, NUT
terIng to himself. Finally he brought
out: "And you've got these-here -
all alone in the fiat with you'll Well,
save my shoestringsl / don't wonder
your nerves are on edge"
l let this pass about nv nerves and
gave him the story she'd told me Sun
day morning - about the mahatma
sending her these diamonds through
the air and putting them In her slip
per; and how she claimed them, abb
soidtely, religiously, as herS
1.-THE wonan's crazy" was the curt
way he disposed of her, and added,
to mitigate this harsh judgment. "or
else she's q thief"
"She's neither one thing nor the
other" l defended sharply. "Shes
merely deluded-the same as tens of
thousands of other people have been
deluded about things they believed
In"
"Crazy," he repeated with cOnvic-
ton.
could only shrug-all I've ever
been able to d.; that was her incor-
rlgible beliefi / wasted no more time
on 1t then. for our question was what
to do next. and / went on to tell him
how I'd decided 10 take his advice and
lay the matter before the president.
TO my establishment, instead of the
warm commentator I'd expected from
Billy at taking the advice he'd urged
on both my duty and my common
sense not forty-eight hours before
and remember, I'd barely restrained
him from ruslslng off on the midnight
train-he popped out of his chair and
began excitedly pacing the floor. His
first words were. why, you can't do
that"
"Oh, 1 see all the risks I'm running
Of getting there alive"
"RisksT he echoed, as IL he hadn't
given them a thought. but how
much are you going to tell about this
AFFAIR.""
Everything. of course-I mean ev-
erything know. The government will
have to undertake to find out the
rest"
He plunked himself In front of me
and demanded, "You aren't going to
let Miss de Ravenol get dragged into
a mess like this, are your"
/ didn't answer Immediately, and he
ramped on. II ask you-are you going
to do TIT Are you going to be party
to such a-such an outragef"
"If don't put the case to the presi-
dent what am I to dor Here am
saddled with the diamonds"
well, just keep them yourself" he
bluntly offered. as his solution of the
difficulty. Keep them-put them in
the safe deposlt-and let things take
their course"
For a minute I was really angry,
and raped out. "If / thought you
were serious. Billy. I'd ask you tc
leave the house. Your suggestion is
| that frankly become a thief, and
your solution is not only criminal
but-ldiotic. What would It accom-
plishl with so many people know
lng"
"Well-say-promise me one thing
he pleaded. you'll wait--you won't
try to see the president today-yor
won't rush of without telling me
you're going"
l was willing to grant this and sug
gested that he go down to the hote
at once and see how Claire was.
you'll not conner he asked, taking
his hat. and I detected very mixed
feelings in his question: there was {
good chance he might not see her a
all unless I went with him.
"How can l go off and leave these
things alone in the house2" pointed
to the blue box.
At that moment the front bel
rang and I found George glued to tbs
button to tell me, "why. thez a genie
mn downstairs say he like TO see you
but he don't give no name, an tel
him / can't say IL you's home er out
but I'll go up an see."
HAS he ever been here beforef"
These are the times when / appre
ciate Georges virtues
"No'm-he amt never called her
before-fer you ner nobody. He trie'
to crowd into the car an come alonl
up with me, an l tell him IL he dom
stay where he Is till find out Is yol
home he don't find out at ALL" an
George grinned as If he saw a quar-
ter dangling over my left shoulder.
That's right George" was warml
encouraging. TELL him I'm not a
home That's posiuve-don't come c
again to see If maybe I've come home,
and while I gave all these instrut
lions Billy came ramping along tn
hall. Hello. George-wait-I'm goin
down." and with a quick. ~See 20
J later" he was out of sight.