Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-26
CHAPTER vi
The Stetheril Diamond

p'"ino muCh. IL ID the time OF boiling
blood and bubbling spirits. He was,
after all, boy and something Of a
poet. Such a one in another time and
In his own fashion may have been Fran
co.'s villon.
As he was driven back to the Bella
Francisco In the big French car which
had cost him all that he had extorted
from Hamilton Hamilton and which
was to be his little gift to Polly lie
Brun, his heart was standing high in
his breast. Tonight he would 70 So
cretly to the hiding place where the
contents OF the looted safe awaited bis
coming that small hollow at
the end OF Mission street wharf shell
tered by weathered pile, covered by
a bit of two-inch plank, into which In
the olden days he had hidden his pet-
tier -pilferings later he would
see Polly and leave her gasping over his
present to her. Then, not because he
reared the law or tho man who twisted
IL TO ms own purposes, but because the
springtime lured to her woodsy haunts
and because he felt deeply for Polly
Le Brun, he would take the ferry for
sixteenth street and train on the
otner side. His chauffeur, paid to do
nothing else, waited for him. lie ran
up TO MS room, as gay as he knew how
to be, which is saying a good deal. The
ciamor of his telephone, which had been
ringing almost incessantly for upward
OF an hour, put him in touch with Polly.
>, Say, Bobbie," her voice clearly ex-
cited although with note in 1t which
hshe had never heard and which now
ne could not explain, II want to see
you the worst way. Suppose we go
out to lunch togetherT'
'What is it this time. PolIvp"
Polly hesitated briefly, seeming ac-
tually at loss for words, a thing new
in Polly. But In a moment she had
explained just enough to make clear
that she was very anxious to talk over
with Ashe some matter of tremendous
Importance to her.
with sweeping, farewell look at his
room Ashe picked up a couple of worn
httie volumes, thrust one into each coat
POCKET and went out, tho remainder
OF his belongings upon the instant con
signed to the next lodger or to the land
lord. Dismissing his chauffeur with
instructions for the afternoon and NOR
row he boarded q street car and hurried
the half dozen blocks to meeting with
Never in all Of his merry life had
Robert Ashe been gayer than today.
lie was going upon his vacation he was
travelling light; he was building kaleido-
scopic pictures Of the things the country
would offer to spirit surfeitcd with
the city. Just where in the country
he was going he did not know. But he
was going tramping down through the
green fields; he was going to know the
smell of his own campfire in his nos
trils; perchance he would fry his own
fish t; certainly he would know the tang
Of pine forests.
He was in California he need not be
at loss for whatever he sought he
need not worry his brain with the mys-
teries Of time tables, either. Any train.
going in any direction, would carry
him out of cobblcd streets and into fra
grant lanes.
Yes, Polly was excited and, he
thought ut first, vaguely troubled. But,
with quick laugh, she assured him that
that was "all in his eye," and leading
the way to secluded table in a secluded
little cafe, she told hinf what she
wanted.
You're doing hot-foo out of
l look like a door mat; but when
man goes to wipe his number tens on
me he finds amt"
."Ambrose?" demanded Ashe sharply.
Papa" returned Polly, emphasizing
her attitude by twitch of her nose.
DO you know, I believe I'm the first
one that ever slapped Joe lie Bruins
face-good and hard He didn't like
1t. This morning, after l went home
from your place, he was waiting for me.
He started In by telling me what he
thought about you. When he got
through ! said, But he's got pretty
eyes, amt he, dad?' Polly laughed.
When the balloon ascension was over
he looked like it had made him sea
sick"
Polly" said Ashe gravely, his gray
eyes suddenly troubled, I'm sorry"
Scat! !" said Polly, Cant ] fight
with papa without the Examiner get
ting out an extra? But it's this way,
Bobbie: We did fight and fight hard.
saw what was coming, and before papa |
got the chance to tell me to beat it and
take my baggage told him good night.
l nj not going back, either"
Now Polly lie Brun, as will become
evident later on, was lying. But her
eyes, level upon Ashes, studying his
changing expressions, told nothing which
Polly would not corroborate with her
lips.
Ashe was frankly distressed. Polly,
save for the little sign of the twisting
of her slim fingers about her wine glass,
was never more at ease in her whole
life. For Polly, playing now for big
stakes, was in all essentials the daugh-
ter of Joe lie Brun.
'"rhe whole thing was because OF
me?" asked Ashe. "Just because
"You haven't changed your mind
about the punkinsi"
mo, Polly, l was going to take a
"Well, while it's going to be tough
on Frisco town l guess we both drift
about the same day. ! got swell girl
friend down in Los Angeles. That's
where my tickets going to read"
Hadn't you better SEQ your father
again?"
Feeling like you was to blame?"
squared2 Well, I guess l have took
your part once or twice; but never
forget, Bobbie Ashe, that when my time
came to get in wrong somewhere |
could count on you. Am right"
'Of course you're right, Polly. II
there's anything / can do"
"There sure Is. I'm off for the south,
but when l go travelling ! don't want
to so like n washerwoman." She opened
her purse with a sudden jerk, spilling
upon the stained cloth half dozen
small silver pieces.
That's my bank! Hey, waiter.
Help yourself! And now" as the
waiter withdrew, taking with him the
last of Polly's bit and ten cent
pieces, ''you understand"
II understand" smiled Ashe. ut
will take me about an hour"
Polly laid q OBTAINING hand upon his