Evening star., 1921-08-29

CONTINUED from Yesterdays Star)
"How long ago? It seems to me I
saw that cabinet here only lately"
mo. my friend. 1t is six months. at
the least-but wait. I will tell you to
the day."
He rose and going to the high. spin
dle-legged desk he took a small. fiat
volume from; q drawer and rufi1ed its
pages. "Ah. here 1t Is! NJ. Crevel-'
Ing - p pu.shased .cis ed II for Nine Nine: Kip KIP
l had sent to her from him scent
bottle and a fan or two-mere bijou-
terie. The cabinet was his first gift to
her OF value and his last! Shall tell
you? 1t is tndiscreet, perhaps. that
gossip now. but it is a piquant little
histoire which might have come from
the pages of De Maupassant"
He paused with a reminiscent smile
and McCarty. who gathered only that
he was on the trail Of some new dope
case. sat ur straighter in his chair.
Let's have it. Girard. He quit max
ing presents to her, do you mean?
Why?"
Nine. Kip, she have no knowledge Of
things aR have most women. even of
the people: 1t is the price only to her
whicE matters! If q thing is of ex-
pense, VOLTA, it is to be desired: II it
is exquisite but Of little value in
money, she has not eyes to see!" There
was immeasurable scorn in his voice.
"It IL a month after the gift of the
cabinet to her that madame comes to
me and brings back the two fans; she
must have money. / must sell them
for her. Eth. bien. tfat is to me an af-
fair Of business, but when 1 tell her
| their value she flies into a rage! She
had thought them worth more and she
accuses me of trying to cheat her! I
| refuse then to sell item for her.
| show her to the door. but she makes
the apology and in the end leaves
l them for what they may bring.
| Not two days later N. Creveling
comes: he desires to know il I have
found for him a vase to match one
turned he sees the fans in the case!
He asks me how 1t is that they are
there and me. what can say? I can
not make of myself in his eyes q re-
ceiver OF stolen goods! He buys them.
giving me twice what asked, twice
what he paid before. and takes them
away. but his smile. it is not pleasant!
Il send the money to Nine. Kip. say
ing only that it is the price which I
have received for her fans, but the
| this time her anger. 1t is affreusei !
She says that have sold her OUT but
1 do not comprehend: 1t is only her
fans that I have sold. Alors. NJ. Grew
cling sends no more bijouterie to
madame from my shop! 1t is droll. is
it not?"
ut is that" McCarty laughed. but
his quick brain was piecing together
the story. fitting 1t into the mosaic of
fact and theory which he had formed.
"Girard. you old devil. Ill bet you did
it on purpose!-but she's still Gus
toner of yours isn't she? Didn't I
see fer in here after closing hours one
might not a month ago? She had on
an evening dress with q motoring
cloak thrown over 1t and she came in
an open car with q man in q fur coat"
M Girard nodded.
1T was she. Another friend of hers
who Is an occasional customer told
her of sfiuff box which had just
reached me from France. 1t was OF
gold set with amethysts of rare color
the Just. and since there could be no
doubt of its value. madame must
have 1t! 1t was purchased for her
that night. monsieur, by the man in
the fur coat"
And who was he?" Mccarty asked
you get his name?'
But. yes. He gave me check and
1t was under his name that recorded
the sale here in my book" He turned
again to the fiat volume and ran
through through its s,pg psges rapIdly: Here
see 1t for yourself"
McCarty rose with alacrity AMI
crossing to his host. bent over the
ledger and read the name written
there in Monsieur Girard's small, fine
hand. The next minute he started
back in amazement.
For the love of the saints!" he
Iejaculated. And twas not a month
ago! Think of your putting 1t down
in. your little book, 30 neat and GER
tain! Many's the time I've thought
to myself that it was the poor bust.
ness man you were, with everything
higgledy-piggledy in your shop an5
fdust that you could scrape of with q
knife, but I'll take 1t all back! Keel
that little book safe. Girard, for il
, may be of more use than you knowv