Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-22

| ~
| OF h er wise his
| ll. d & H''s master, Ju ian
| - "a Sss%ssS&$ssd = Nandaveer h n d
MAY CHRISTIE vowed to throw
him out.
Mary's purse did not contain the
diamond. Immediately the Oriental
| turned his attention to the bag. He
| jerked it open violently. In 1t we're
a few papers, handkerchief, bottle
Of eau de cologne and a little card
board box.
Kismet's fingers closed upon the box.
His eyes closed, too, for a second In
devout prayer to some strange god
prayer that at last his long chase might
Then he removed the lid. Some
thing very small and hard was wrapped
up closely In white tissue paf,er in
the little box. He tore the wrappings
off. He gave cry Of thankfulness
and greed. His supplicntion had at
last been heard Here was the dia-
mond
With one glance at Mary's quiet
| figure-lying back apparently lifeless
on the seat-Kismet thrust tho precious
stone into the pocket Of his runic, and
swung himself nimbly through the open
window, ran along to n platform. pulled
himself up and went into the next car.
In the ecclusion Of that spot he
began TO have qualms about Mary.'s
probable course OF action when she
should come to" She and her
precious husband had given him no end
Of trouble in the last few weeks. The
police were looking for him.
But this mornings work had GER
tainly proved a stroke of luck. He
Kismet-had been lying hidden in the
woods when Mary had passed on her
way to the railway station. He dare
not follow her openly. The station
master had been given his 'dcscrip-
ton" by the police. They would at
once arrest him.
But Kismet knew the trnin would
slow down at certain level crossing.
He had hurried there. Kismet. the ath :
lete, had leaped to the platform and had
got inside the empty baggage car.
The Oriental did not wait for fur.
ther "wonderings." He sprang out on
the platform. He was catlike In his
movements and possessed the proverbial
nine lives of a feline. The train. NOV
ing slower still, now crossed stream.
There was no intervening parapet. And
Kismet leaped!
Splash He landed lightly in the
water. With few swift strokes lie
reached the bank. All wet and drip
ping, he scrambled up and ran for dear
When he looked back the train had
disappeared from view! His hurried
! exit had been needless after all He
saw little cottage close to a wood. He
headed toward il. When he drew near
he found a hiding place for his dia-
mond in a creviCe Of big elm tree. No
ono was watching. He made tiny
cross with a piece of chalk to mark the
spot.
Then he raped at the cottage door
and told the laborer's wife, who opened
il a "hard-l luck tale" about falling in
the neighboring stream. He offered her
| 50 if she would permit him to come in
and dry his clothes.
Her husband was at home, sick In
bed. She needed money. Therefore
although she did not like the looks Of
| Kismet-she permitted him to enter.
She lent him some odd garments of her
| husbands while his own were being
| dried before the fire.
Questioning her adroitly, the Cinga-
lese cleaned the glad tidings that a
notorious ran all the way from here to
New York. He was lucky. For, Of
course, another train Journey on this
route would be too dangerous. Mrs.
| Dick Calardin-not to speak of the
other passengers-would certainly have
| given information against him at the
first stopping place. The news would
| be telegraphed back all along the line
Without doubt the railway officials
would be keeping a sharp lookout for
him.
| Now this danger need not be incurred
A motorbus-oh, thrice blessed vehicle |!
ran all the way to town. The jour-
ney would take at least three hours
and would be tedious. But Kismet
would be safe and unsuspected.
His clothes dried, he gave the woman
the promised money and sailed forth.
In half an hour he had caught his bus
and started on his way. And three
hours later he reached the metropolis.
Once there, he telephOned to Julian
| NandaVeer.
Yes. have got it. Heaven be
praised - he breathed into the instru-
ment. His black eyes sparkled wick =
edly. WHAT Come to your hotel
Yes, sahib-immediately"
He took a taxi now and headed for
quiet hostelry not far from the river.
1t was here that Julian Vandaveer and
his new made bride were spending the
honeymoon.
The taxi pulled up at his destina-
ton, and the man descended. He paid
the driver and went into the hotel. In
the vestibule awaiting his arrival was
Julian Vandaveer.
We've got a private sitting room.
Come on upstairs Nandaveer looked
flushed and excited. He was about to
receive the longed for jewel-the thing
his heart had been set on for 80 many
years
Kismet followed his master. He was
literally glowing with importance and
self satisfaction. They entered the pri :
yate sitting room, and Eve-now Mrs.
Julian Vandaveer-stepped forward.
Kismet bowed low.
Come on. Let's see the diamond -
Julian cried.
Klsmet handed him the little card >
board box, still damp from it's immersion
In the stream. Julian tore il omen.
He held the jewel to the light, turning
1t and twisting it at every possible
angle.
Then suddenly his whole face
changed. He turned to Kismet, scowl-
"You fool! You laundering idiot .
This isn't the diamond" he cried
sharply. This is nothing but a piece
of glass--a fake!"