The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-05-07

There were three low raps at m!
door. Or was 1t my door?
listened-l must have been mis-
taken--though I'd only barely closed II
aud was turning out the hall electric.
The elevator that was taking Claire
and Billy down was still on it's way
Could monsieur have walked up?
lhc raps were repeated-unques
tionably on my door. Without wait.
ing-or even thinking to call through,
and ask who was tllere-1 threw the
door open.
Mrs. Delario whipped in and closed
1t behind her.
Her face was almost concealed by
heavy black veil, but l recognized
her and cried out. "Why, Mrs. Dela-
rio" in utter amazement. What un-
der the heavens had brought her there?
She laid black-glOved finger on
her lips to signify silence; she thrust
something in my hand; she opened the
door and whipped out as she came,
shutting it in my face.
She hadn't uttered word-she had
barely caused sound; even the door
closed behind her nOiselessly. l tore
1t open as my first rpulse-when
got my Notwithstanding she'd be wait
ing for the elevator. In the few Sec
onds Of my establishment she had gone.
checked call to her-"AIrs Della.
riO"-and listened for descending foot.
steps on the stairs but heard nothing.
sank into hall chair. quite un.
Notwithstanding on top Of what I'd
been through that day, feel I'd have
had II justfiabie cause for a faint on
my own account; only l didn't swoon.
I kept asking myself: II it weren't an
apparition how did she know which
door to knock at? l have no door
plate and she'd evidently not asked
George-he was taking the car down
with Claire and Billy at the moment
Mrs. Delario popped in. 1t didn't oc-
cur to me ut first that she'd probably
seen me. from the corner Of the stair.
way. close that door after saying
gootiby to the others. There had been
three raps-classic nppari,ions always
! believe, rap thrice when they wish
to enter your abode-they do not con
descend to push a button: and then
she'd noiselessly whipped in and pu,
something in my hand
l became conscious Of a hard objec,
in my fist; opened the fist and be-
held-the fatal box.
You could have knocked me ovel
with feather! Impossible that she't
brought it back! / dashed for the din
ing room where the light was ant
pulled off the cover of the box. There
lay the diamonds!
With sweeping gesture fun:
them on the table-in one fell swool
I'd been tumbled off my lofty percl
and had become victim once more
just a disconnected, worried victim. re
sponshle for the fate of nations!
And having thrown them down--"n
of them fell off the tablet Snatche
them up-mOnsieur would return Il
any minute for that private interview
wi h inc. and now what was l to tel
him? no longer had the geln-fre
conscience Of an hour ago-I had tn
diamonds!
But might have saved my ago
nies-monsieur did not return tina
night-he had other fish to fry.
The canny cleverness of monsieur
next move gave me when ! knew
such keen intellectual Joy that l fol
gave him everything.
| He had argued it out thus: Eithc
I should succeed or l should fail wit
Mrs. Delario. If failed it would b
for one OF two reasons: either she IL
MED all knowledge Of the diamond.
or she had confessed to me yet ha
been able to bind me to secrecy. Bu
in either case he would read my su.
cess or failure in my face the momen
he greeted me.
My face was a blank. He hadn't el
per1ed to find it that way. hut so
wa>-nOt hint did give him. frs
when opened the door. or later Will
talked with Claire. In fact. insi,l
of fifteen minutes he became col
WINGED that SO far as l was cOncerne
my mission was failure and wa
hedging for time and unwilling to cor
feSS it.
He was prepared for my failure-hi
chance Of trapping her lay in his ST..
ing her before could communica,
with her after seeing him. With
fake telegram. delivered by George a
Il lreconcerted moment to serve a
monsieur's excuse to leave the hous,
and also as pre,ext to leave Clair
in the house. keeping guard over Bill
and my self-nOne of the three of u
SuSpecting it-mOnsieur had taken hi
waiting au' OnOhile and swOoped dow
on Mrs. DelariO!