Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-07-26
BEGIN HERE TODAY


and breeding, whose war wounds
left him unfit for manual labor,
pawns an ivory miniature of his
mother in order to pay his landlady
and to buy food. A prosperous
looking bootlegger and all-round
crook, takes Ainsley to his home
and attempts to enlist him as an
Hccomplice. 1nsultei, Ainsley leaves
the room.
Ainsley is disgdsted at the sight
of a pretty young girl in the COM
pany of gross-looking man in a
restaurant. Later he sees the pros
perous-looking crook join the man
and the girl at their table. Ainsley
finally recognizes the gross man as
Daragon. famous jeweler and roue.
Daragon draws out a little card
board box and hands 1t to the girl.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
saw my acquaintance reach for
the box; though / could not see his
face, knew that his eyes were shin
ing with Unsurpassed desire. And
then, as saw his right hand drop
into the pocket of his coat, l knew
what he planned to do, even before
I caught q glimpse of the white
object that he drew from the pock-
ct. He planned to substitute one
Dox LOT the OLuer.
smiled with amusement. Also
appreciated his cunning. Unques-
tionably he had made purchases
from Daragon. Probably he had
let the jeweler understand that the
purchases were gifts for his sweet
heart. Then he had permitted
Daragon to meet his lady. The lady
had smiled upon the jeweler. Dara-
gon had seen an opportunity to
combine business with pleasure, the
sort of pleasure that appealed 20
him. And it was not unusual that,
in trying to close bargain, he
should bring jewel from his store.
And the girl had been waiting for
him alone; her seductions were to
might be aroused.
l saw my friends head shake in
negation. Argument, presumably
over the price of the trinket, SEEM
ed to arise. The girl pleaded with
staged.
Then, decisively, my crook shook
his head. He pushed the box across
the table, as though the incident
We're closed. Daragon argued few
minutes, semed to make concessions
which were not accepted, then
slowly wrapped up the box and tied
the string around 1t. He placed 1t
in his waIstcoat pocket. l wonder-
ed how they planned to get it away
which, underneath the table, tho
crook held in his right hand.
Then l saw. My friend the crook
turned in his seat and pointed to-
ward the door. Daragon looked IN
that direction. The girls hand shot
out; deftly it fiicked from his pock-
ct the box which he had just placed
there. No one but msSelf was
placed so that the action zcould have
been seen. / waited for the next
move, which must be the substitu-
ton of the other box.
But although the crook handed
the girl the other box, Daragon's at
tention was not held by the incident
near the door, which was nothing
more than an alteration between
two guests of the restaurant, an al
tercation arranged, l suspected, for
the sole purpose of affording time
and opportunity for the robbery of
the jeweler.
He began to argue with the crook.
His hand reached for his waistcoat
pocket, to produce the jewel. But
the birl had not had time to effect
the substitution. She went dead
white as Daragon leaped to his feet,
overturning his chair as he did 50.
For his suspicious, never more than
slumbering, 1 imagined, awoke to
full activity.
Then, before he Gould attract the
attention of the head waiter and the
manager, l rose from my chair and
walked swiftly to their table. | had
nx-ft 1ax -xrt,a h
and her crook companion. But l had
even less for Daragon. For while l
watched him, remembered some of
the unpleasant tales that had been
current about him IN the years be-
fore the war. The girl was a thief,
but Daragon was a filthy beast.
1 gained their table In three
strides. "You dropped something on
the fioor.' I said. l spoke to Dara-
gon, but looked squarely at the girl.
If she had the quick wit of her kind,
! could save her.
She had it; as / bent over, cropping
beneath the table, her hand touched
mine and slipped into it box. In
her excitement her shaking fingers
relaxed their grip of the second box.
I got that, too, and would have been
at a loss how to proceed, but for the
Idct Lf1dt, ldHiiiS oNcf uiitii iiSi iSANo
was close to mine. she whispered
frantically: THE first one, the first
one"
1 slipped the second box swiftly
Into my pocket, arose and handed
Daragon the first one. He took 1t
from me, and Immediately united
and opened it. He sighed with re-
lief.
minute 1 thought--damn 1t. l didn't
think! I know that l put that box
In my pocket, and it couldn't have
fallen OUT
IT picked it from the floor" re-
minded him.
at didn't fall there" insisted the
jeweler.
"Then how did # get there?" de-
manded the crook.
IT don't know" said Daragon. II
[ did I'd call the police"
''What do you mean?" demanded
the crook.
ST don't mean anything; l don't
have to mean anything, do /? But
that box didn't walk out OF my
pocket" snarled the jeweler.
s.Are you insinuating-"be the
crook.
Daragon interrupted him. when
4 y-thousand-dollar diamond ring
leaves my pocket, l cas insinua.e
all l damn please. If you don't IKE
it. lump it. 1 was a fool to bring IL
iown here anyway. My store Is the
place for me to do business"