Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-31
THREE.

and tying the laces together, he slung
them, around his neck% Then, as ST.
Ilently as he could, he commenced to
scramble upward.
It was not an easy operation; one
slip and nothing could have stopped
him sliding down and finally crash
ing into the garden below, with a
broken leg, ut the very least, for his
pains. In addition, there was the
risk of dislodging slate, an unwise
proceeding in house where most Of
ithe occupants slept with one eye open.
But at last he got his hands over the
ridge Of the roof, and in another mo-
Iment. he was sitting straddlew!se
across it. -
a sudden rattle close. to him made
him start violently; only to curse hin1-
self for q, nervous ass the next mo-
nent, nra lean forward eagerly. One
Of the blinds had been released from
inside. the room, and pale, diE'See
l!ghtacame filterIng out into tht. night
from; the side Of the glass roof. He
was. still craning backward and for
ward: to try and find some chink
through which he could see, when,
with q kind of uncanny deliberation,
one OF the panes Of glass slowly
opened. 1t was worked on ratchet
from inside, and Hugh bowed his
thanks to the unseen operator below.
Then he leant forward cautiously, and
peered in.
The whole room was visible to him,
and his jaw frightened as he took in
the scene In ap:nrmchair, smoking
as unconcernedly as ever, sat Peter
son. He was reading, a letter, and
occasionally underlining some point
with a pencil. Beside him, on a table
was big ledger and every now and
then he would turn over few pages
and make an entry. But It was not
Peterson on whom the watcher above
was concentrating his attention; 1t
was Lakington, taking a red velvet
box out Of u drawer III the desk. He
opened it lovingly, and Hugh saw the
flash 5f diamonds Lakington let the
stones run through his hands, glitter
Ing with q thousand flames, while Pc
terson watched him contemptuously.
"Baubles," he said, scornfully.
"Pretty baubles. What will you get
for them?"
"Ten, perhaps fifteenEthousaNl," re-
turned the other. "But it's not the
money I care about; it's the, delight
in having them, and the skill required
to get them"
Peterson shrugged his shoulders.
"Skill which would give yon iun-
dreds of thousands if you turned 1t
into proper channels"
Lakington replaced the stones, and
threw the end of his cigarette into
the CRATE.
"Possibly, Carl, quite possibly. But
it boils down to this, my friend, mat
you like the big canvas with broad
effects; like the miniature and the
well.drawn etching"
(which makes us very happy com
bination," said Peterson. 1.-THE pearls.
don't forget, are your job. The big
thlng"-he turned to the, other and
a trace of excitement came into his
voice "the big thing is mine"
The sound Of the door opening made
both men swing round Instantly; then
Peterson stepped forward with a
smile as Irma entered.
Back, my dear. l hardly expected
You SO Soon."
In q few words he told the girl
what had happened, and she clapped
her hands together delightedly.
"Assuredly 1 shall have to marry
that man." she cried. "He is quite
the least boring individual have met
In this atrocous country" She sat
down and lit cigarette. II saw Wall
ter tonight. He came over especially
to see you. They want you there for
q meeting, at the Ritz"
Peterson frOwned.
Its most inconvenient." he re-
marked with shade of annoyance In
his voice. Ibid he say why?'
Among other things think they're
uneasy about the American" she. an
swered. "My dear man, you can easi-
ly slip over for day"
"Of course I cam" said Peterson
irrltably; "but that doesn't alter the
fact that It's inconvenient. Things
will be shortly coming to head here,
and l want TO be on the spot. How
ever" He started to walk up and
down the room, frowning thoughtfully.
Your fish is hooked, mon ami, i"
continued the girl to Lakington. He
has already proposed three times;
and he has introduced me to dread
ful-looklng woman Of extreme virtue,
who has adopted HE as her niece for
the great OCCASION"
"NVllat great occuslon?" asked Lax
ington.
why, his coming Of age" cried the
girl. 81 ain 10 go TO L;lidley Towers
as an honored guest Of the duchess
Of hampshire" She threw back her
head and laughed. What 40 You
think of that, my friend? The OH
lady will he wearing pearls ana all
comnlctc, in honor Of the great dny,