The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-11-12

though I've spent day over IL"
returned the old millionaire with a
wry smile. Il have known you
from a child. Nothing has ever
occurred 10 shake my confidence
in you. The person who wrote that
letter was obviously acquainted
with my past frien n'ship for your
father and my long knowledge OF
yourself. and, with nothing to back
1. up, he would be a madman, In
deed, who would expect a scurril.
Gus missive such as that TO have
any weight with me. Am right
or wrong, Billy2"
"Well. yes. sir--I suppose you're
right" Billy Kane answered.
81 am sure | am" declared the
old gentleman decislvely. quite
sure OF itl But suppose, Billy, that
tomorrow. or at any time subse.
quent to my having received that
letter, something did occur here
what then?"
The old milllonalre's face was
grave. Billy Kane leaned sharply
forward.
"What do you mean?" he ques-
toned in a startled tone.
"Slt down there at the desk,
Billy. and I'll tell YOU" said David
Ellsworth; and then, as Billy Kane
obeyed, he stepped swiftly across
the room. opened the hall door.
looked out, closed the door softly
again. and from there walked TO
one OF the two doors at the lower
end Of the room, opened this,
looked into the, room beyond, and
closed II again.
Billy Kane watched the other In
frank amazement. The door that
David Ellsworth had Just opened
was the door OF the "office'--the
room that during working hours,
which were from ten to FIVE, was
occupied by the stenographer
True, the room opened on the back
hallway and had separate en-.
trance from the courtyard in the
rear, an entrance always used by
the stenographer. but It was al
ways locked by Peters, the butler
at night, and he, Billy Kane, had
the only other key.
David Ellsworth returned and
halted before Billy Kanes chair.
mo, am not In my second child
hood. Billy" he said quietly. That
letter was certainly not written
without purpose; and yet from
every angle that | have been able
to view IL. except one, It would
have been exactly that-without
purpose. | believe II is the first
step in a carefully laid plan that
viii divert, or fix, suspicion upon
you"
Billy Kane shook his head in per.
plexity.
"A plan?" he repeated. T don't
understand"
David Ellsworths only reply was
to Jerk his head significantly
toward the other OF the two doors
at the end OF the room.
Mechanically Billy Kane fol
lowed the direction OF the gesture
"'th bis eyes; and then he was on
bis feet, his face suddenly grim
and set.
"My God!" he murmured under
his breath. "You mean"--
YES" said David Ellsworth
evenly why not? | couldn't tell
You myself exactly how much those
stones in there are worth, but they
are ranked as one Of the most valu.
able single collections of rubies IN
existence, and certainly the figures
would run somewhere between two
and three hundred thousand dol.
lars. Besides, there's always a
little cash there-you know better
than | do precisely how much at
the present moment"
Fourteen thousand FIVE hundred
odd" Billy Kane answered auto
nlatically.
quite SOL" nodded the old mil.
llonaire We'll, it's worth n, isn't
II, Billy? I've never been afraid
OF any ordinary cracksman's at
tempt against that vault; but, II
am right now, this wouldn't be any
ordinary attempt, | believe we are
dealing with-brains. | believe,
further, that instead OF you and I
being the only ones who know the
combinations, as we have imagined.
they are known to someone else.
Suppose, then, that the vault Is
found empty some morning? i'm.
mediately recall to mind that let
ter | remember that you are the
only one 10 whom | have confded
the combinations And suppose
that some additional clue pointing
TO you Is left on the scene OF the
robbery? II would HEX uT,ti,
black for you, Billy, would It not?
Naturally the stolen stones and
money would not be found in your
possession; but the plain, logical
supposltion would be that, not be.
Ing a fool and believing that you
were above suspicion. you had Sc
creted the proceeds OF the robbery.
and were pursuing what you CON
sidered the safest course--that is.
to brazeu It out and Indignantly
proclaim your innocence. The oh.
1cct OF all this, OF course being i'm.
munity for the real authors OF the
crime, for II you were accused and
convicted II Is obvious that the
police would look no further and
consider the case closed"
Billy Kane did not reply for a
moment He had been startled at
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