Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-03-23

Billy Laid Before Her the Lambe En-
eraIds.
the door softly behind him, and APP
preached the table in an awestruck
manner
He glanced from the emeralds to
Lady Erythea's face, and then, some
what sternly, at Billy.
"How did you come by these?' said
Lady Erythea, pointing to the en-
eralds. Suddenly she presented the
ear-trumpet at Billy. Explain"
The ear-trumpet startled Billy a
little. He felt-so he declared to
Aimee afterward-as if Lady Erythea
had the drop on him. But his face,
as he answered, was ingenious as a
baby's.
81 was passing by your park gates
early this morning, on my way to Sy-
derford. 1t was past one, an the
house was dark. When 1 got to the
place where the lane turns into the
road l heard a motorcycle coming up
behind, hi for-coming mighty
quick said Billy, turning pink. III
came right by me, pretty near out of
control. 1t hadn't any lights. there
was a bend just ahead, an I heard
it crash"
Billy delivered this with a beautiful
fuency into the ear-trumpet.
II just ran in on them," pursued
Billy, "for 1 didn't have to stop an
figure it out that an outfit travelling
that way with lights out at one In
the morning was up to any good. They
were just picking themselves up when
1 arrived, and they went for me-
"Was it a man and a womanT' ex-
claimed Mr.. Lambe.
you've hit it, sir"
my dear aunt !' cried Alexander,
"the inspector told me, after you re-
tired, that he suspected a man and a
woman, on a motorcycle, of being the
thieves! They car be no other than
those people who ran into US yester-
day on the Syderford road"
Hold your tongue, Alexander" in
terrupted Lady Erythea impatiently,
and allow this amazing young man
to continue !"
"There was some scrap" said Billy
efficiently, maybe if there'd been two
men I'd have done better, but the lady
hampered me, and somehow l took the
count. They knocked me out, and
got away. But they left this behind
Them" he pointed to the case of en-
eralds, "and it looks like they never
knew they'd lost it. l don't know,
madam, if there was anything else
of yours they got. If so, I'm very
sorry 1 didn't attach it, and rope the
two thieves for you as well. But, with
the pair of them, it was rather a
roughhouse. I did my best"
There was a flush of admiration on
Lady Erythea's high cheek-bones.
"Yes, there were other jewels sto-
len" she said, but their value is the
merest trife compared to what you
have restored to me. These emeralds
are my most priceless family posses
sion. They are historic-nothing
could have recompensed me for the
loss of them. Your conduct has been
not only intelligent, but extraordi-
narily gallant. May 1 ask your name?"
Spencer. William Spencer"
"Mr. Spencer, IL is impossible for
me to express my gratitude in words.
I thank you most heartily for what
you have done; it is fortunate for me
the emeralds fell into such good
hands. Let me say that I was about
to offer a reward for information
leading to the recovery of the jewels;
a reward Of" Lady Erythea hest
tated, and achieved an inward strug-
gle-"one hundred pounds. But 1
must really ask you to accept a hun
dred and fifty"
Lady Erythea unlocked a desk, and
produced a check-book. Billy flushed
red.
Madam" he said quietly, "the serv-
Ice I did you cost me nothing. I'm
glad you have your jewels back. I'm
a man who earns his living, but I don't
accept gratuities. And people very
scarcely ever offer them to me-"
Lady Erythea turned somewhat
pink In her turn. She slid the check
book aside.
II beg your pardon" she said, with
some embarrassment, mingled with re-
lief and a touch almost of annoyance.
cit was the least I could do. You will
accept 40 recompenseT'
"None, madam. Anyway not in
money"
"You are not English, are you?'
American. And a Westerner, at
that"
"Ahl You have done me a great
service. Is there nothing I can do
for your
(Continuad on DoCa Covaul