The Elbert County tribune., 1920-02-13

i side and shut the door without suspi-
cion. As to the rest of the fat =
words fail me 1t was literally turned
Inside out and upside down. Drawers
had been emptied out on the floor,
then piled up and refllled with other
| things to get them out Of the way.
Even the bookcases had been moved
and searched behind and hundreds of
books were heaped on the floor, helter-
skelter. Pictures had been taken
from the walls and pillow Cushions
cut open; actually. the breakfast food
In boxes. the butter and food in the
refrigerator had been searched.
And In the midst OF the disorder
one thing alone had apparently not
been touched-the bunch Of hyacinths |
1 saw 1t the moment I got the dining
room light turned on. There 1t stood
on the table. Just as had left 1t when
l had crowded the diamonds down
among the stems. But were the dIa-
monds therel
was in the act of making dash to
find out. when remembered Billy
Billy mustn't know.
He had calculated. Love and pota-
toes You did have hunchp'
l pulled OF my gloves-I must see
IL the diamonds were safe-just a
touch with the end of my fingers and
I'd know
Il didn't do 1t with a hunch, Billy"
said 1, and stopped to pick up table
drawer and slide it into place, for
there was considerable barricade be-
nd ha
now out of my reach.
II didn't suppose you did," Billy was
generous enough to admit
II did 1t with piece of unmItigated
folly"
"Say-where did you leave the
cash?' he questioned quickly, and I re-
membered the five hundred dollars
that I'd forgotten for the moment.
forgot the diamonds and sank into
the nearest chair. 1 stammered, "BilIy,
l must know the worst, and I'm afraid
to ego to my bedroom and s-see If It's
gone. 1t was In the b-bureau drawer" :"
Billy struck match and went down
the hall. Then 1 saw the electric light
illuminate the doorway and heard
Billy:
Love and pumpkins! Come here
quick ~
1 rushed after him, without waiting
to see If the diamonds were safe. He
pointed to the bed: "Will you look at
thatl'
All the bed covers had been thrown
of and on the mattress lay the five
hundred dollars, spread out In rows
of tens and fivesI
The sight fairly caved me in. 1t was
a great deal worse than II the money
had been stolen. The thought that in
stantly struck me, and Billy too, for
Billy said It. was, THAT fellow GER
tainly had plenty of time, and what's
more, bet he was waiting for you"
HE was" said 1 with conviction.
catching at the foot of the bed for
support.
Billy gathered up and counted the
money. 1t was all there, five hundred
dollars.
Now what-do you make-of
that?" he meditated.
L knew what I made of 1t. but for
Mrs. Delario's sake / did not tell Billy.
He handed the bills to me.
"There's more to this" he observed.
"Some mystery. 1 must search the
other -ooms."
'Listenl'' I said.
We listened but heard nothing.
Then he opened the bathroom door
nobody there. And with that he
marched straight to rhe kitchen door
and back to me in a flash.
"You open the front door and get
ready to yell bloody murder If any
thing happens" he commanded
"No, Billy" 1 returned. coming to
my senses and pulling out my hatpin,
that had already once done duty that
day. "Pll get ready to do bloody MUIR
der"
He flung open the kitchen door and
we went in together.
Our mysterious burglar had van
ished.
Flew the COOP" said Billy sadly.
"And / might have caught him II I'd
been minute sooner. Just my luck"
He pointed to the open window as he
spoke.
To me that open window meant 1
had missed death because of Billy.
1 swayed. He grabbed my arm and
steered me to the dining room and
berthed me in the chair I'd Just left.
"Get me glass of water, Billy"
"Say. this is NEWSl" he chuckled,
while drank. Mysterious robbery of
well-known authoress-oh, 1 say This
is NEWSr
He took the glass to the kitchen and
came back with a notebook in his
hand I stumbled to my feet and got
him by the shoulders.
BILLY Rivers, this is not newsi It's
life and death. Not a living soul must
know Of this till tell 1t. Do you un-
derstand?"