Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-08-09

Its my wife. She'll want to wear
them. You know how women are"
Volpe nodded. He knew some
things about the wonderland their
freaks and whims. You do. handling
jewelry.
"And don't call me up at the apart
ment, either. I'll bring them in some
day soon-I can't be sure just when.
But l don't want you calling up my
wife. You know how women are
about such things!" he said again,
looking nervous-Volpe noticed at the
time
He noticed that. You keep your
eyes open in that business and the
deal was queer on the face of it. But
1t was no Queerer than others he'd
had.
And Of course, IL anything sus-
picious came up when he came in
again, that next week, Volpe would be
right there neutrality-suspicious. any
money passed.
But next week when the big man
showed up again with his big neck.
lace in his pocket, to get his money
and have the substitution made, Volpe
was Surer than ever Of the thinK-for
one reason from the way he acted
about the stones that were coming on,
to lie there as a pledge for the ten
thousand
~You'll have them all here-th<
Identical same ones-when i come
after thelnT' he asked-looking rec
and anxious. There's NO danger
they'll get mixed up any way7"
"Not danger" Volpe told him
"For 1t weuld mean something tt
me-df there was a mix-up on this
he snfd. They're our luck"
Lucky stones, huhyr said Velpe
and smiled to himself when he had
gone-sarer than ever about the thinl
Though curious naturally ON what 1;
was All about.
| About two weeks afterward the man
showed up again and wanted another
| ten Thousand Oh another third of the
stones.
| That was different.
| II thought you said ten thousand
was all you'd need" said Volpe study
ing him. thinking fast.
81 thought it was myself. And II
Will be this time. But YOU know how
the contracting business is-especialls
! now. Up and down. Mostly down
But 1t will be all right this time
can promise you that"
| Il guess you can when you get it!'
said VolDe to htmself-getting under
way behind that soft. sweet iewelr,
saiesman's smile.
Have you got them with your" hi
asked him. smiling
| "NO." said the other man gettin,
! red-and bringing in a 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 O.
stones for me-some night
Some night!" said Volpe after him
Yes he said, getting redder still
"You know how women are-whe1
they get an idea in their head"
whats this?" said Volpe to him
self, with sudden sinking spell
wondering what it was he had ru1
into.
"All right" he said aloud-smilin.
more sweetly than ever. Bring then
in
what night?" asked Nolpe, NOR,
and more polite.
I'll call You up--this evening-jus
before six o'clock, and tell YOU" h,
said, II might be able to get in to
night. | hope So"
How'd he strike your" Volp,
asked his Stenographer. She wa
about as wise as he was, seeing then
coming in and going out.
Hes like the rest of them-ail owe
the lot like the dandelions. He's go
something on his mind all right. Blu
he's straight enough, I'll say. He's too
thick to be anything else.
xviii he be back again?" yolpt
asked her.
He sure will. The battle flee
couldn't chase him away. He's got I'd
have that money. Right now!'
Eolpe thought the same. And thu
man Still looked honest to him, some
how.
''But why at night? 2" he said to him
self, when the girl was gone. "And
why this stall about the wOman-hav
ing TO have them? Does she wea,
them at breakfast?'
He sat and tipped away a lot OF
cigarettes out the front window into
the avenue-looking down, thinking
as the lights came on-waiting for siY
o'clock.
And then he jumped up on his feet
with a new idea.
Here" he said, getting hot in the
| head. Suppose this wife business
was all stall! Suppose he was
Somewhere-in Museum, or a store
where he could have this thing just so
long. And had TO get 1t back-at such
time! That might be It'll"
HE might just have time enough
to have just so many changes made In
the seteing-at night for instance, like
| this-and have it back when things
opened up in the morning. And then
later he'd take another bite Of It ~
said Foipe to himself, staring at
his Notwithstanding figuring the
chances Of getting any Of that ten
thousand dollars back If 1t was stolen
goods-and they traced them back to
him. He might get chance to dicker
too-if he got him back in there and
made him give up where it had come
from-get some reward in advance for