The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-08-06
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crook-prcying upon other thieves
At a resort hotel, Kernochan, y;
wealthy retired broker, shows Aims
ley a large ruby ring, present tt
| his daughter upon her engagement
to Ernest Vantine. a detective. The
jewel Kernochan acquired in settling
claim against the estate of Henry
Adams, Boston millionaire. The deal
appears on the surface to have been
swindle.
Ainsley obtains paste copy OF
the ruby from Adams elderly widow
and drives to the Kernochan estate
at Greenwich. The kernochans think
Ainsley is millionaire. Miss Ker-
nochan shows him the ring again.
Just then the lights in the house 60
out.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
l made some reply, trying to keep
my voice from shaking. For under
cover of the darkness l was substi-
tuting the paste ring which Mrs,
Adams had SO sweetly loaned me, for
the Grand Dukes ruby.
But in the darkness my fingers
were clumsy. True, l managed to
put the genuine stone in my waist
coat pocket, but the imitation slip
ped from my grasp, and fell upon
the table.
What was that?" asked Miss Ker-
nochan nervously as the ring hit the
tabletop.
II dropped your ring; I am sorry
l replied.
AS I spoke, the lights came on
again. The ring was not upon the
table. For moment there was 81
lence: then Vantine's pop eyes grew
hard.
II don't see the ruby, Mr.. Ainslcy,"
he said suspiciously.
ut must be upon the floor" I re-
piled. l tried to keep my voice
steady, but failed lamentably. At
any rate, Vantine crossed the room,
and before l realized his intention:
had locked the one door of the room.
ut will have to be on the floor"
he said.
l stared at him. "What do you
mean?" demanded. &.
"Nothing-if the. ring is on the
floor" he retorted.
l will say for the Kernochan that
they were embarrassed by the sud
den situation. The daughter spoke.
"Of course it's on the floor, Ernest.
Well find it"
"You bet we will" assented Van
tine.
had not liked him before; hated
him now. Yet, trying to assume an
air of injured innocence, l joined
their search. And there was no make
believe in my aid. 1 knew that UNI
less one of US found the imitation
ring, l would not be permitted to
leave this house. l would be search
ed, and that might be dangerous.
Yet after fifteen minutes in which
all four of us had cOmbed the rugs
and the corners of the room. Van
tine Strengthened up.
"Well. we've given you Il fair
chance, Ainsley," he said. "Now we'll
really look for it," He advanced
toward me.
clustered, but he cried me down.
His hands were reaching for me, and
l cursed the greediness that had
made me retain the ring. could
have slipped it out of my pocket ut
any time during this past quarter of
an hour. but l had been certain that
we would find the paste copy. And
then, just as l was Tightening my
perpared to fight my way
out of the situation from which wit
had failed to extricate me, Kerno-
chan cried out in excitement He
was wearing an informal sort of
evening dress, a baggy affair of heavy
the dinner suit of man
who wishes to accent the difference
between night and day, but who also
wishes to be extremely comfortable.
The soft material had cuffs on
sleeves and trousers. and into one of
these latter my paste ring had fall
en-. Kernochan bent over and retriev-
ed it. There was an embarrassed ST
lence, during which my pulse stood
still. Then Va'ntine grinned feebly.
II beg your pardon. Mr.. Ainslcy."
he said sheepishly.
stared at him. 81 fear that it
cannot be granted" l said stiffly.
turned to my host. I"You will for
give me if, under the circumstances.
1 am forced to withdraw my accept
ance of your invitation to spend the
night
It was a situation to which Kcr-
nochan was unequal. He had been
just as suspicious Of me as his pros
pective son-in-law, and he had not
the tact wherewith to meet my at
titude. He looked helplessly at Van
tine. l also looked at VantineA
"Unlock the door," I ordered the
detective.
He shrugged, flushed more redly.
and walked to the door. The key was
almost in the lock when his finance
screamed.
"This isn't my ruby" she cried.
For all his clumsy hulk. Vantinc
was quick of movement. Key in
hand, he leaped to her side. cts
an imitation" he declared. He gla1ed
at me. "Very clever-almost clever
my sneakthief! But you're
dealing with Ernest vantine. Now.
will you be searched here or at the
police station?" :.
l flatter myself that it is in mo-
ments like this that I rise to my
greatest heights. I simulated al
weary contempt. l walked across the
room, and if my brain seethed with
wrath at myself because l had been
fool enough to think that the imita-
%ior on,,1I Jooo:,,o ronuln ,,,L4 l,oI