Evening star., 1921-05-22

been dazed, too. by all that mag
niicence hung on her. But not Miss
Petersen. She sits there with her
chin we'll up. blinking bland and
peaceful. and only now and then
when she catches me gazing at her.
indulging in that simple, childish
smile of hers. I remember producing
the same effect once by giving her
IA string Of pink beads that Id
bought at the Five-andTen. All the
remark he makes is when she leans
across -. table while her plate is
being shifted and asks me how J
think she looks.
Like a spruce after slect Storm
Inez." saws T. How do YOU feel?"
Swell says IneZ, using one OK
her three adjectives.
somehow. though. it wasn't lively
dinner party. ara while Inez and I
didn't miss a single trick. from the
caviar doodads to the smelly cheese.
neither of us contributes much to
the gayety of the occasion. AS for
me. l couldn't help wondering what
il was all about. Mr.. Morgan Smith
fails to loosen up. too. Bat the
!Stokeses did their best. And yet. all
the time 1 had a hunch that some
thing vas going to break sudden.
It did. Just as Barton was bring
ing the tray of little coffee cups into
Tie drawing room this Smith person
st-olIs casually 10 the front window.
runs up the SHADE. pulls il down
..eain. and stroils back.
And you guarantee says he to
Junius. that these arc the Russian
crown iewels?"
"S-s-sh." says Junius. looking
alias J. stokes
There comes panicky saueal from
about wild
"Ah. ditch that stuff" says Smith.
i've got you right this time. Mister
k,I,
Mrs. Stokes and she collapses on a
gilt sofa. Junius gets pop-eyed and
makes motions with his mouth like
a fish Topping in the bottom of a
boat. But he makes good stab at
recovering.
II don't quite understand" says
he. There must be some mistake"
Sure there was says Smith.
Two of 'em. One was when you
left Pittsburgh and brought this
shop-worn con trick to New York.
Had nerve with you. I'll say. The
other was when you looked up Nor
gan Smith in Bradstreets and neg
lected to take Il suuint at his photo
graph Say. ! look about as much
like him as do like you. Didn't even
know he was in Pinehurst, did you?
That's how his secretary. who hap
pens to be my brother-in-law, could
let me use his private office the day
you made your proposition. Yes,
Flooye. I'm from headquarters, and
that's where re-hey, come back
here"
Junius. who had been backing to-
ward the front hall. had taken a
running start But he didn't get far,
for just outside the door he runs into
two more plainclothes men, who come
drag gging him in.
iieuten>nt?" asks one
Most likely he has his bail bond ali
arranged for and will come quietly.
Eli? That's right. FIooey. The chief
VIII want to see the lsdy. too"
How about the girls?" asks the
detective, nodding toward Incz and
me.
X X 4 X
"NO.' says the lieutenant. Just
stool pigeons. l know where to
Find them when they're wanted. But
we'll need that glassware as evil
dence. I'll have to ask you to shed
the fake ornaments. sister"
Me-" says Inez, gawping at him.
sorry" says the lieutenant. "but
you wouldn't want TO wear all thar
junk in the drink booth tomorrow.
would you? You'd tie up the trafti.
Petersen
''Oh, all right" says Inez, singing
| it placid through her nose.
And with my help Inez is undeco-
| rated.
| Now we can go home. can we?''
I asks.
| The lieutenant mods.
"If you don't mind.' says I, I'm
going to touch this Junius person for
| taxi fare"
! Go to it," says he.
| And while Junius seemed a bit an
noyed over it he did dig up a five
, and passed it over.
! Thanks says I. But say, Mis-
ter. next time you stage US in a
! bunco game. kindly get Il Smith who
! isn't on the police force. And be
/ sure to look pleasant when you sit
for your thumb prints. Come. Inez
| have some advice to slip you about
! making dinner dates"
| And on the way back to the board
| ing house ] tried to make it quite
| clear to her that so much prattle
about = rich uncle who couldn't be