The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-05

And then we'll just squint at that big slab of black coal with the fringe of diamonds and emeralds around 1t. The $4,200 one. You see l haven't forgot a single price you quoted, nor yet a single thing you showed me. Oh, yes, and then that diamond and aquarmarine bracelet; and about a trillion other things. Stir your stumps, son! Let's go!"
 The next hour was a period of hashheesh delirium to Barry Rourke' Never in dreams had he imagined so prodigal a buyer. Price was the last thing Calvin O. Mansur seemed in terested in.
 When at last the orgy of selection was over. he demanded to know the total Barry computed 1t; then, al most trembling, voiced the sum. Man sur did not turn hair. Nodding, ne fished out a morocco vest-pocket check book, bearing his name ia gilt on it's cover. This he opened, and drew forth a serviceable looking old fountain pen.
 | Barry saw that the checks bore at one the mans printed name and his Denver address. Mansur took off his gloves and began to fill in check. As he did so. he joggled his gloves to the floor. Rourke stopped to re- | trieve them.
 While the salesman was bending down for the gloves, Mansur sub stituted for the half written check, one he had prepared in advance; a penman associate having achieved on it a startlingly good imitation or the original Calvin Q. Mansur's sig nature.
 By the time Rourke got to his feet again with the two gloves in his hand, Mansur was waving the check, as if to dry 1t.
 | Here you are," said he. Just an advance. you know. So as to make sure none of these things can be sold over again before two o'clock. Now, I feel more as If they belonged to me.
 Barry, with civil reluctance, took the check: at the same time assur- ing the drawer that such advance was quite unnecessary and that the goods would not have been resold, in any event, before MT. Mansur should have Q chance to choose what she wanted But Mansur insisted. And as the silver king busied him- self with putting the cap back on his pen, Rourke took a surreptitious glance at the check. It was made out for $25.O00.
 Then" pursued Mansur. "as soon as the Missus decides what she wants, we'll figure out the total; and I'll send over to the Hartman ana get you A certified check for the whole thing. Meanwhile, show this to your credit man; If there's kick on holding all the. things for me till two. He'll have copy of my sigma ture somewhere in his credit Htera- toor, I guess. Two o'clock, then. son. And you've promised to come, your self. with the things. So long!
 ttr1- office of the firms credit man. As he entered 1t, that functionary him self looked up from newspaper saying jocularly
 T see here that your old college chum, Calvin Q. Mansur, is registered at the St. Croesus. l suppose he Il be blowing in soon and buying ev- erything in the shop, just as he prom ised you he would. We need some such boost after that stone was frisked, right under your eyes.
 For the first time since the loss Barry could hear 1t referred to With out qualm.
 Chicken feed" he scoffed, laying on the desk the s25,000 check of cal win O. Mansur. And this time it's l who am going to stampede into tne boss office, without his sending TOT me. I've got big news for him.
 Anian & Rosel was cautious hrm. Tn this instance, caution seemed need less But a great sum of money was likely to be involved. Wherefore the looking up of the facsimile signature and the questioning of Barry as 70 of the check Gin precisely the same bandwriting) had been filled in. Wherefore too. a surreptitious tete- phoning to the manager or the 0'' Croesus. .L,.
 The hotel manager said that thls ,,rte xNr hotel: but that he had engaged the suite by telegraph from Denver. The cashier of the Hartman bank was next telephoned to. The cashier salu Ithat MT. Mansur had an amount or money on deposit there; that he nm self had personally seen tne on his ite several times, though not on ms nresent visit to New York. He de- scribed Mansur as big and Jolly ana blond, with light eyes and nis !, forehead The description tailed with that of Rourke's customer. Ano @ the whole process of identllicdlioii was deemed perfect
 At ten minutes before two, Barry Rourke, carrying a padlocked plach bag, sent up his name to the Mansu' II suite at the St. Croesus. close pc side him stood Fingal. the hrm pistol in each of his two coat pock- cts. For, though Rourke had rnaue the short trip from store to hotel III a taxicab. it seemed wise to have second guard for the 1eweiry. .o
 Word came, asking MT. RourKe e1 accompanied him to the door or l.' nor departed until Mansur in person had answered Barry's knock. Then' alone and Jubilant, Rourke pore ms black bag into the presence or HIS exalted customers
 Into the suites pretty drawing room Mansur ushered his guest bedroom opened out from either slde' connecting with 1t by short passage ways. The door leading to one sunllt bedroom stood wide open. The door leading to the other bedroom was but slightly ajar: and the room beyond was darkened. In there, reflected Barry, must be lying the old lady with the stomach trouble.
 At a desk in the drawing room a woman was sitting. busily writing letters, Her back was to Rourke as he came in; nor did she trouble to glance up, until Mansur said gaily to her:
 Finish your letter some other time, sweetheart. Here's all the wealth Of Ind, waiting for you to say you'll take it. Come, take look.
 Unwillingly, the woman got up ana turned to face the newcomer. Her back was to the glare from the win dow. Rourkei could not get good look at her face. She nodded with a certain indifferent haughtiness to the newcomer, as Mansur said:
 Little woman, this Is the boy who helped mo to choose those dandy things for you. And he Is going to make you like them, whether you want to or not. MT. Rourke, meet my wife. Now then, let's take a look at all the tricks in that black bag you're grabbing so tight"
 The woman had resumed her seat, as Mansur talked. Her manner was of complete indifference.