Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-31

wife, crying hysterically. All the d"ellers IN
the flats of his entrance had been aroused. The
men on the third floor were coming down.
"Mollie" Jessop said to his wife. ''go into
Mrs. Drews and see If there is anything you can
do"
He went down to the entrance. Drew. i'll his
pajamas, had just been joined by the neighbors
living on the ground floor. He was standing
outside the door, the fagstone. He carried
pistol.
whats the matter?" Jessop said.
Burglars" said Drew. "At least one.
saw only There may have been another L
think I got him. Look, here's drop of blood.
There's another"
Did he get anythirg?" Jessop asked. He
knew that If he revealed one tenth Of what he
felt the first policeman who came would take
him in. He had not always been in perfect ac-
cord with his fellow all his lfe but he
never had been ashamed to look one in the face
before, and he was ashamed to look at Drew.
II do not know what they got. said his
neighbor. THE man l saw had the silver in
bag but he did not pick it up when he ran. IN
go back and telephone the police and then III
see what's missing. My wfes in Mysteries,
suppose"
Mrs Jessop, in her wrapper. came out of the
Drew fiat just Jessop and his nelghbor joined
the group at the door.
Come Dom" she said. 1--WE can't do any
thing more. and Mrs. Drew needs MI Drew
alone to quiet down.
She led him within their own fiat and closed
the door Then she turned to him with sympa-
thetic pain in her eyes.
"O Dom" she said, "they got Mrs. DreW's
jewelry. They even got her engagement ring.
She is crazy with grief. It's terrible. Her
gagement ring is even more precious to her than
my anniversary ring is to me-maybe-1 don't
know how anything could be more precious.
1t might have been my ring. and should have
died. Just think. The burglars may have stood
hesitatng at the head Of the stairs and they
might have turned way instead of the
DreWs way. Pm awfully. awfully sorry for Mrs.
Drew. but I'm awfully glad-and that's mean,
know. but can't help it,
She was too excited to go to sleep again. and
Jessop too conscience-str Later in the
morning as he was about to go downtown, his
wife gave him a box.
"rhe rings In it." she said You'll have
to put 1t in safe place until can think of
way to protect it here. I don't know how
going to do without it, but couldn't rest with
it in the house just now. You'll put it in safe
place. won't you. DEAR where it will be perfectly
secure?"
Jessop's concern to get to Little John
as rapidly as possible and to force restitution
Of the stolen jewelry Of the Drews. AS the street
crossed the river bridge an inspiration came
out Of his unhappiness. He got off the car,
took the ring out of the box. and. careful not to
attract attention. dropped it into the river. Then
he threw the box into a waste receptacle at the
curb block farther and went to Murphy's
office.
Now, don't blame me-" said Little John
when he saw Jessop II know. He's been here.
He's in the next room now. He says he got
mixed up. He turned to the left he says. He
says he thought you forgot to leave your door
unlocked. He jimmed it. Whites brains are
not in his head When he got in the bedroom
and got flash at the man he knew he was in
the wrong pew. Then he decided to make it his
can't blame
But I'm responsible" Jessop cried.
IT think you are. too," said Little John, land
so does Sniffy. He thinks you're entirely to
blame It's sure thing he would not have been
in that particular flat If it hadn't been for you.
And he got shot in the That's going to
keep him from working for several weeks He's
pretty sore and you can't blame him.
He robbed that other family" Jessop ex-
claimed, "and I'm responsible, and I'll not stand
for it. I'll explain everything"
"Of course you an innocent bird" said
Little John "a man can invite burglar to his
fiat if he wants to, suppose, unless he's got
insurance. Then there might be an objection.
If he tried to collect. I didn't ask you what
your purpose was"
"I didn't have any purpose at all, nothing
illegal at ALL"
"Never mind your purpose. You've kept
that to yourself Just keep it."
II want to this fellow
He wants to you"
Little John called White from the adjoining
room. The burglar held one arm in fixed,
bent position at his side, and his look at Jessop
was unfriendy.
What did you go in that fiat for:" Jessop
asked. Didn't tell you dozen times. What
did you stay there for when you saw it was the
wrong one?'
SAY" said White. "lay off me. Don't try
to ride me. Lay off and stay off,"
Little John amused.
hirJ ho h,,t op't naof
sniffy to get the joke yet His union has no
accident benefits"
"We've got to get that woman's jewels back
to her somehow" said Jessop.
Where do you get that we stuff?" White
asked.
~ might just as we'll have gone in there and
taken it myself. It's got to go back"
This idea penetrated Snify's gloom as a
gleam of amusement. He grnned at Little John.
He's sure nut" he said, jerking his head
at Jessop.
II don't think you get Snfy's point of view"
said Little John with smooth irony HE made
a mistake, but when he found he job
for himself he did it. His duty to his folks re-
quires him to make the best Of business op-
portunties.''
"Ive simply got to get that diamond engage
ment ring at least" said Jessop in despair. "The
woman is frantic"
How much will you take for it. Sniffy?"
Little John asked.
1.-TWO hundred" said White.
you crazy" said Jessop. 1T never
worth that"
"It's worth it to me and it's worth it to you"
1--WE notion to go to headquarters" said
Jessop savagely.
"You mentioned something like that before"
said Little John. Don't say it again. We might
you don't blame you for want
ing to get this ring back to the woman. Give
Sniffy 5000. He's entitled to it. It's only a
hundred more than he would have gotten for