The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-05
IA Bag Of Tricks

engagement to note and wonder at a million simple masculine traits.
 "Whats funny?" demanded Barry. That he should have taken a fancy to me, for being so civil to him and-?"
 "No," she interrupted. impatietnly. q meant it's funny you clapped your knees together, to keep that fudge from tumbling. Do all men do that way, when they catch things in their laps?"
 q don't Know" he replied, little vexed at her lapse of interest in his recital. T suppose so. Why? How else would they catch it?"
 "Why, I never thought of that!' pondered The Girl. wrinkling her pretty forehead in token of a brand would. They'd have to. Because they have no skirts. Isn't that queer? And every woman, from the time she's a baby, learns to open her knees to make a lap, when anything is tossed toward her; so as tG catch it in the skirt"
 Then, observing that he looked glum, she ransacked her mind for the cause. And she remembered she had interrupted him in the Mansur rhapsodies.
 I'm sorry," she exclaimed. And, honestly, I was interested, In every word you said. Ever and ever so interested. Honestly, dear. Tell me some more about uhim. Please dol Oh, I wish I could have seen him! wonder what he's doing, this very minute. I'd bet anything he's think ix,, o1 ferin Hrnt, were."
 If The Girl could have found any one to cover her rhetorical wager as to what Mansur was thinking, she would have won her bet. For a, that very minute, Calvin Q. Mansur was thinking of Barry Rourke, and remembering every detail of the salesman's behavior.
 Calvin U. Mansur, by the way, was quite as much the customers right ful name as were any of six other illustrious, names he had found oc- casion to use, from time to time.
 .Yes,. Mansur was thinking of Barry Rourke, just then. He was pleased that 0his own first sweeping glance on entering the store, had enabled him to pick out just the type oi clerk he needed.
  He labored, while he thought. To night, he was laboring right deftl1 on the assembling of really credit able ring, of conventional patterr and setting. The ring was of white gold, so closely resembling platinum that expert examination coulc scarcely have noted the difference Into the white gold setting he was inserting a four-carat emerald-cut diamond with gleamingly brigh planes.
 The diamonds cash value was 1T the neighborhood of fifty dollars.
 It was. In other words, beauti full bit of synthetic stone making and one which would almost defy casual detection in casual light. Incidentally, stone and ring ant setting were an unusually good copy of ring he had seen in tray, tha morning at Anian and Rosers-s solitaire of unusual purity and colol perfection-which he had eyed from every angle, while he had ostensibl, been examining the contents of an other tray.
 Three days later, little old wom' an in deep mourning, stepped into the jewelry store of Anian and Rosel Fussily, she glanced about her. Ther evading the floor manager, she bor' down upon Barry Rourke. Ther' was nothing odd about this. Man. new customers had way of singlinf I Barry out.
 The little woman addressed hin crisply.
 q want to look at some diamond rings" she announced. "Solitaires Of rather simple design. Around | ff-1 na narafqf 2
 Her manner was laboredly busi ness-like Through 1t, Barry thought he read a desire to appeal at ease in an embarrassing situation | So, even while he wondered why thi particular situation should worr, her, he softened toward the troubled old creature.
 Two minutes later, he had seated | her In one of the row tf little sid, rooms, adjoining the main store; ant was laying on the table In front O her three trays of rings.
 She eyed the ranks of rings witl | scant show of interest. Plainly, sh' was nervous. She fingered one o two of them in succession, each tim' giving her head an impatient littl' shake and restoring the ring to It. | slot in the tray.
 Then she pointed to four-cara emerald-cut diamond, In a plair platinum setting.
 | Barry took 1t from the tray ant ! laid it on the square of dark velve, | for her inspection.
 How much Is that?" she asked sharply.
 That is sS.60o." said Rourke. 'I is an unusually pure Jaeger. Three years ago it's price would have beer anywhere around s11.500 or ever s12,000. But there has been sharI falling off in diamond prices since 1920. The"
 She did not listen to the rest O his appraisal; but got up and walked to the window; holding up the dia mond to the light, In evident searcl | for flaws.
 "No," she said. presently, as sh came back to the table and thrus the ring back into it's slot. T dtn' like it. She may, but I don't. Iti too-here's one I like better"
 She reached toward the third tray which had not yet been. pushed to ward the center of the table. Hei | gloved fingers closed about the ston of ring. lying, midway in 1t; ant she tired to yank 1t forth. "Walt, please, ne Salu, reacnlnt for the lever at the end of the tray | be ttom. Wait till l release thu | clasp"
 This tray had not yet been in spected by her. Thus, the usua | safety catch was on-the mcdaniel contrrvance which makes 1t impos sble to withdraw any rings from { case until the bottom lever shal have been shifted.
 "What's the matter with the drat ted thing?" she demanded. "The safety catch wasn't removed, | explained Barry. Its all right now Let me take 1t out for you. Tn sorry you had all that bother in-'
 Safety catch?" she repeated nursing her bruised finger. "Safet!