Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-07-16


The American liner Duilio was
taken into custody following the
raid on the vessel early today.
flatter myself that it is in mo
ments like this that / rise to my
greatest heights. l simulated a
weary contempt. ! walked across
the room, and if my brain seethed
with wrath at myself because l had
been fool enough to think that the
imitation could deceive people who
had held the original in their hands
moment before, l do not believe
that my face reflected my thoughts.
Upon the table lay vanity bag
that Miss Kernochan had carried. /
put myself between my three ac-
cusers and the table, half turning, as
l did so. My right hand was hidden
from their view for less than a quar-
ter of a second, yet that was time
enough for me to effect transfer
of the Grand Dukes ruby from my
,waistcoat pocket to the vanity bag.
Then, contemptuously, facing them
all, l told Vantine to search me.
An hour later Vantine gave it up.
He had summoned the butler, and
sent his finance from the room,
the three men had stripped me.
Failing to discover the authentic
ring, they had repeatedly searched
the room. But Miss Kernochan had
taken her vanity bag with her whca
she left the room. l could only
pray that in the excitement she
would forget to powder her nose.
And when at length Vantine and
Kernochan despaired of finding the
ring, they sent @he butler for the
young woman. In my presence they
hald a council of war, and the up
shot of their conversation was that
Vantine started for the telephone,
TO call the police. Speaking mildly
stopped him.
"Of course you understand" I
said, chat l shall bring suit for
criminal SANDER and for false I'M
prisonment. 1t seems to me that al
I man in my position ought to be able
to collect substantial damages-say,
g quarter of a million"
"A damned sneak-thief would col
lect nothing snarled Vantine. Ict
he paused.
quite true" said l. But we arc
not discussing criminal; we are
discussing a gentleman Of position"
"You have that ring; at least,
you know where it is" declared
Vantine. 1T didn't vanish into thin
air. And this is paste" He indi-
Gated the copy which lay upon the
card table.
"And aside from the large sum
which l shall certainly collect as
damages" l went on, calmly, there
is something else to be considered
You are the head of famous detcc-
tive agency which bears your name
If you declare that l have stolen q
ring in your very presence, and are
unable to prove the theft-and you
can only prove it by finding the ring
what sort of an advertisement will
it be for your agency?"
let this sink in; enjoyed the eX-
preston on Vantine's face. Pop
eyed men should never permit them
selves to look angry. They are I'M
beautiful at best, and at their worst
they are extremely offensive.
you don't think we're going to
let you go?" clustered Vantine.
q don't think it; I know it"
replied "And if this nonsense
ceases at once, l shall let the matter
drop. Otherwise" My pause was
a threat.
saw the cunning in Vantine's
eyes. Yet I despised him so thor
oughly that I moderated his abili-
ties. He whispered a moment with
Kernochan, but l thought that they
were merely arguing the advisability
of risking the suit which | threat
ened to bring. So, when Vantne
turned to me and gruffly stated that
was at liberty to leave, I bowed
and turning to go, distracted the
ring from the vanity bag which Miss
Kernochan had placed again upon
the table. Oh, I was still an anna
teur in those days. Also, l was too
confident in my own wit, and too
given to contemptuous appraisal cf
the wit of others. For, just as we
preached the door, Vantine said;
Il think we'd better search you
once again, Ainsley."
I suppose I went white. I shoqld
have known that no one but an utter
fool would have permitted me to do
part so easily, and Vantine read my
horror IIo f1,4sf7od 10 b;e f;o,,.l<