Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-28
'BIRTHSTONES
By George hibbe Turner
One the Series Euenng Public Ledger Original Short Stories
on Married Life BY the Best American Fiction Writers

rcd---and bringing In new idea now.
! And I've got TO get you to do some.
/ thing else this time. I've got to have
YOU make that next substitution of
stones for me--some night.
''Somc night, said Nolpc after him.
"ics.' he said, getting rcdd"r still.
''you know how women arc--when they
get an idea in their head
"What's this?" said Nolpe to him
| self. with a sudden sinking spcl won :
| dering what It was he had run into.
"All right" he said aloud smiling
more swectly than ever. bring them
in
He couldn't make motion that
would scare hirn--not ii he was coming
back. For that was the first thing now.
TO get him back with the rest of the
stuf-to get his hands on It. Thei'
he could clear 1t up--whatever It was
force n real showdown.
What night" asked Vo!pe. more
and more polite.
'I'll call you up---this evening--Just
before g o'clock. and tell you. he said
II might be able to get In tonight. l
hope so.'
He was exc,ted.--Tclpe could see that.
II he hadn't been he wouldn't have
. thought the change could be made there
right away--withcut more notice.
DUT that was a good sign. 1t made
- It look pretty sure that he would be
IN agais-that his mind was set on
! doing It. at the earliest possible minute.
"How'd he strike ycu?" Volpe asked
! hi, stenosrapher. She was about as
wise az he was, seeing them coming
IN and going out.
Hes like the rest Of them--all over
the lot like the dandeions. Hes got
something on his mind all right. But
! he's straight enough. III say. He's too
thick TO be anything else
viii he be back again?" Volpe
asked her.
"Irs sure will. The battle feet
couldn't chase him away. He's got TO
have that money. Right now =
Nolpe thought the same. And the
man still looked honest to him. some
, how.
But why at risht?" he said to him
this stall about the womln-hav!ng TO
| have them: What does she-wear
them Mt breakfas.?'
/ 1t Was getting TO him. There had
| been a lot of husband -and-wife games
! in the jewelry line lately. 1t had him
worried. And yet what could this one
be? Robbery By piecemeal! How what
Tor?
He sat and dipped away n lot Of ciga-
| rettes out the front window into the
uvenue--iookiug down. thinking. as the
! lights came oH-wa!ting for o clock.
What could 10 be robb.ns piece
meal \ museum or n jewelry stOref
he asked himself.
And then he jumped to his feet-with
Il new idea.
Here" he said. getting hot in the
! head. Suppose this wife business was
| all stall. Suppose he was somewhere
--in a museum, or store where he
could have this thing Just so long
And had 70 get 1, hack--at such time
That might he IT,"
He might just have time enough 70
! have just 50 many changes made IN
the settiNg--a, n!shs for instance. like
th:s-anI have It back when things
| opened up in the morning. And then
later he'd tase another bite OF it. said
! NoIpe 20 himself. staring at his cigar.
etts-starting figuring the chances "f
| getting any OF that 10000 back II Il
was stolen goods--and they traced them
back 70 him. He might get n chance
"a dicker too--!f lie got him back in
!
! had come fron--Get som" reward IN
| advance for turning Up a sixty or soy.
/ enty thousand dollar gem robbery.
"tnd vet. he said 70 hjms'I. hop"
striking him again. how would Il %. -
! Museum or jewelry storcf lie would
never have got away with that suhst!.
tuition for any two weeks II might
! he woman yet :" he said n himself.
'iut what woman?-that was the Iues.
| ton.
He was a., up In the air on the thin.
--anI il was getting every minute
Near"r O'Clock. lie was ir>t about
70 take up the telephone and cal! for
the detective bureau when the bel! rang
lust before G--and this Coogan's voic'
came, saying he'd be down around ::
0 = ock-us nearly as he Cou.d-und t.
have everything ready.
"1'u have every Thing ready, don J.,
fret said VolDc-which he Gid-down
20 the d"tcrrtvo from police kcadGuar-
te-s that Re planted in thr next room.
THEY RE all IN close touch with the
l. io'crtivo torrc - those broker, +,
Jewels. They have 70 hr. The p"jn'
department keep, TABS continually on