Evening star., 1925-05-10

| Last night, just after you had gone.
my friend missed his purse. It con-
| tanned ten sovereigns."
Groten drew in his breath.
| my friend" continued the other,
| has rather a queer habit with regard
| to sovereigns. Every one he puts in
his purse he marks with a tiny cross
to the left of the date" The speaker
paused, gazing calmly at Groten, who
| sank slowly back to his seat on the
bed. "Shall 1 ring the bell?"
What for?" whispered Groten.
"Eventually-for police officer"
THERE was pause during which
the visitor lightly fiicked the ash
| from his cigarette and stroked his
| moustache.
''You-you would accuse me Of steal.
Ing your friends purse?" burst from
! the man on the bed.
reply.
ITS a trick.'
1T is my trick. anyway" said Ro-
land placidly. Come, my friend" he
| went on, "be sensible. Drop this as.
sumed air Of virtuous indignation. It
| Is possibly true that you have never
yet actually stolen money-though in
this case the circumstances are all
| that you have frequently borrowed
money without any Intention of re-
paying it; that you have gambled
sometimes crookedly; and that you
have been concerned in a good many
transactions which could be vulgarly
but correctly described as fishy. You
have, in fact, been living by your
wits Tor years, and you are now at
the end of them. Is 1t not so?"
~
but changed his mind and kept a
sulien silence. This keen-faced man
knew the truth. What did 1t matter
how he had come to know it?
With thousand pounds. you could
make fresh start, Mr.. Groten. You
must be tired of the seamy side. Take
minute to think 1t over" He rose,
and opened the window. "A little
fresh air, If you don't mind" he re-
marked. looking down on the dingy
street. Il observe my friend lingering
at the corner, but / trust his testi-
mony will not be required
Groten'S head was clearing A
thousand pounds! Today he had moth
Ing belonging to him save those 10
lncriminating sovereigns. And even
supposing he could prove them law
fully his, how long would they last;
where should he find more when they
were spent? Truly, as the man Ro-
land had said, he was at the end of
his wits. A thousand pounds-and a
fresh start! That was worth some
risk. He would buy hatful of those
tin.mining shares he knew about, and
make the thousand ten thousand. Even
at this crisis In his career. it did not
occur to Mr.. Francis Groten to seek
for honest work. He had been a loafer
too long.
He looked up furtively at the others
back. You seem to have me on
toast" he said. with a feeble cackle.
Roland turned with his pleasant
smile. Now that you admit so much.
may tell you that we do not desire
to take any mean advantage. Per
sonally, desire to avoid extremes.
Give me those ten sovereigns, and
Wen let the whole matter drop" He
had studied his man to some purpose,
had Mr.. Roland.
Groten gaped. This was unex-
pected. Give up all he had in, the
world! For an instant he saw him
self laying information before the po-
lice. But what reward. If any, would
the police give him? Besides he
shrank from any contact with the
authorities. He moistened his lips.
You said the stone was worth a
hundred thousand" he said tenta-
lively.
THAT Is the sum Sir Benjamin paid
Tor It. OF course, we-the little syndi-
cate interested-will have to be con-
tent with very much less, while pre-
liminary expenses are heavy. I may
advise you at once. Mr. Groten. not to
trouble to think of more than the
thousand pounds offered you. 1t Is a
generous recompense for all that is
asked of YOU"
After a pause; "You are asking me
to trust you," said Groten.S
'And we are trusting you." the
other returned. Though I may say"
be the remotest chance Of your escap-
ing with the diamond. On the other
hand, we undertake to give the
money in direct exchange for the
stone"
"And no interference afterward?"
1T is highly improbable that we
shall meet again, Mr.. Groten." The
contemptuous note went unobserved
by the nervous creature on the bed.
Come, said Roland smartly. which
Is 1t to be? "A fresh start Or" He
broke Off seeing the answer-the an.
swer he had eXpected-on tho others
face.
What do you wish me to do?"
asked Groten weakly.
Get dressed, settle your bill here,
and come with me. Your part will
not be difficult, but you must learn it
thoroughly. Until the hour arrives
for you to play 1t, you will have the
company Of either my friend or my.
self. Make haste"
X v
PRINCE Lorenzo's visit to this coun-
= try was without the slightest po-
litical significance. It was, in fact, of
no significance to any one save Sir
Benjamin Garnet, his wife and fami.
ly, and the prince himself. The
prince had not made the Journey
in order to meet Sir Garnet, but
simply with view to q little private
diversion. A good-natured bachelor,
still under 40, he had scraped together
a few thousands to spend in London.
His retinue consisted merely Of a