The Lamar register., 1921-08-03

exploring. First he took on his shoeA.
and tying the laces together. he sluns
them around his neck. Then, ~ a.
!ently a. he could. he commenced to
scramble upward.
II was not an easy operation; one
slip and nothing could have stopped
him sliding down aud finally crash
ing into the garden below, with .
broken leg. AT the very least. for his
pains. In addition. there was The
risk Of dislodging slate. an unwiss
proceeding in = house where most Of
the occupants slept with one eye open.
But At last he got his hands over the
ridge of the roof. and In another mo-
ment he WAS sitting straddlswise
across II.
A sudden rattle close 70 him made
him start violently; only to curse him
self for a nervous ass the next mo-
ment, and lean forward eagerly. One
Of the blinds had been released from
inside the room. and 4 pale. dinussd
light came fltering OUT into the night
from the side of the glass roof. He
WAS still craning backward and for
ward to try and md some chink
through which he could see. when.
with u kind of uncanny deliberation,
one of the panes Of glass slowly
opened. II was worked on 4 ratchet
from Inside. and Hugh bowed his
thanks to the unseen operator below.
Then he lesnt forward cautiously. and
L.,
The whole room was visible to him,
and his jaw ughtened as he took in
the scene. In an armchair, smoking
as uncODcernedly ss ever. sat Peter
SOD. He was reading 4 letter, and
occasionally undertaking some point
with q pencil. Beside him on q table
was q big ledger, and every now and
then he would turn over q few pages
and make an entry. But II was not
Petersoo on whom the watcher above
was concentrating his attention; II
was Lakington. taking q red velvet
box out Of u drawer In the desk. He
opened It lovingly. and Hugh saw the
Hash Of diamonds. Lakinston let the
stones run through his hands. glitter
ing with u thousand names. while Pc.
terson watched him contemptuously.
"Bsubles." he said. scornfully.
Pretty baubles. What will you get
for themf'
Ten. perhaps fifteen thousand" re-
turned the other. But It's not the
money ! care about; IT'S the delight
In having them. and the skill required
to get them"
Peterson shrugged his shoulders.
skill which would give you hun
dreds of thousands II you turned 1t
into proper channels
Lexington replaced the stones. and
threw the end Of his cigarette into
the crate.
Possibly. Cari. quite possibly. But
IL bOils down to this. my friend. .nat
you like the big canvas with broad
effects; like the miniature and the
well-drawp etching
which makes Us q very happy CON-
binstion." said Peterson. The pearls,
don't forget. are your JOB. The big
thing"-he turned TO the other. and
q trace Of excitement came into his
voice-"the big thing 10 mine"
The sound Of the door openins made
both men swing round Instantly; then
Peterson stepped forward With .
amils a. Irma entered.
Back. my dear. ! hardly expected
you % soon"
In q few words he told the girl
what had happened. and she clappsd
her hands together dslightsdly.
"Assuredly l shall have to marry
that man." she cried. He 10 quite
the least boring individual have met
In this atrOciOus country" She SAT-
down and Lit . cigarette. II saw Wal
ter tonight. He came over especially
to. see you. They want you thsrS for
Z meeting. At the Rits."
Peterson fr0wned.
Its most inconvsnient," he rs-
marked with . shade Of annoyance In
his voice. "Did he say whyr'
Among other things l think they're
uneasy about the American" she an
swsred. MY dear man. you can east
ly slip over for . day"
'-Of course l can," said Peterson
irritably: but that doesn't alter the
fact that it's inconvenient Things
will be shortly coming to q head here,
and I want to be on ths spot. How
Continued on Page Five)