Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-02-04
CHAPTER XII.
The CAPTURE

CHAPTER XII.
-f2-
The Capture.
That night nothing happened-at
least to me; but somehow the periods
when nothing happened were more
alarming than when he was boldly at
tacking. You may imagine, if you can,
what l went through on Saturday! Ny
one diversion was to rehide the dia-
monds. Tkts time-after / had taken
them out of the hyacinths and poked
thimble among the stems-I sealed
them in an envelope and thumb-tacked
it to the bottom of a sideboard drawer.
The drawers sledded In and out on run
ners deep enough to allow the enve-
lope to pass. All day long kept think
ing, "What will happen If monsieur
doesn't take the bait?" 1t seems
strange to me now, but / never once
asked myself, ''What will happen If he
does?"
The last half hour before Billy came
was positively the longest in my life,
and when the bell did finally ring l
was shot through the heart and ready
to die.
I came to life Immediately, whis-
pered through the door, who's
there?" and heard, ANN Preswick"-
the password we'd agreed on.
"Then he hasn't killed you'll" were
my first words.
"Who? Your 'mossoo? Mo-
IoIv, ~, tive 10 81
or pretty near -
I didn't see why Billy should bestow
the proprietorship on me-he wasn't
my "mossoo," as l reminded Billy while
he was pulling pair of handouts out
Of his overcoat pocket.
ga mere detail" he returned. "He
will be your own in an hour" He flung
off his coat. where do we hide these
togs?"
my wardrobe. But he won't
come"
"Oh, yes, he Willie told me So"
thought Billy was joking and made
40 reply.
every interesting man." unused Billy
mot at all the sort of person you'd
expect to find in a diamond robbery.
Wonderful knowledge of European pol
itics-and American politics, too"
BILLY, what do you mean?" l de-
handed.
"Why, took your 'mossoo' home
to his hotel last highland"
"You didn't" 1 gasped.
"Of course / didl Why not2 You
don't suppose I'd go off and leave him
here to murder you, do your Billy
was making the most out of his story,
could see.
"But - how did - you - man
age it," 1 was still gasping.
"I didn't. He did. He wasn't going
to give himself away by going up
stairs; he said he was going down. So
We went down together, and kept
talking to him. When we got to the
street we just kept on till I'd seen
him home. We were thick as thieves
| by that tine / invited him to see
Chinatown tonight and he accepted"
"Billyl You never"
eyes, I did! And it's how I know
he's coming tonight-see? went
| round this morning in time for the
| first mail. He was waiting for IT..
| Oh, he got the letter all right And
as soon as he read it he came over
and told me he couldn't go to China
| town tonight-he had diplomatic bust
ness that might take him to Washing
| ton-which means here. Seer
"Billy, you're the cleverest thing /
ever sawl" L cried with real admira-
| ton.
Misunderstanding from you appre-
ciate that" He said it in an offhand
way, but I could see he was feeling
very set up over himself. And I didn't
blame him. He added, what the
'mossoo' was really after-why he
wouldn't let me go out in the dark
| alone-was to know who l was calling
on. I told him it was the people in
the front fat and couldn't get IN. /
told him it was their cousin from Bos-
ton I was calling on and maybe tney'd
gone to the theater. That led to our
talking about plays; that led to an In
spiratiou of genius and / asked MIN IL
he'd seen Chinatown; that led to my
invitation and-the rest you know"
"Billy, you are positively the clever
est man known
Didn't think I'd grow up like that,
did you? And that's not all. AS for
the pretty daughter-your little Claire
that you. think so much of-don't FAINT
now-well, she's in it up to the neck
and over her ears. She's his accom-
plice, all right. Here's her cable mes
sage" He drew out bit OF paper
on which he'd copied 1t and read:
Born a girl. Mother and child do
ing well. CLAIRE"
But this is-this isn't" STAN
mered.
"Quite So" agreed Billy. at is and
it isn'tI 1t is code. 1t isn't piece
Of insanity. I've read it-or think
I Dr. a