Evening star., 1927-04-21
CHAPTER XVI.
The Novitiates.

| Bill thrust his hand into his pocket,
| felt something hard and sharp, as his
| fingers closed over an uneven surface.
/ When he brought his hand forth he
uttered a cry of amazement and con-
! sternation. In his hand was q curl
ously shaped object, almost as big as
| his palm. 1t bore no resemblance to a
| buckle, looking more like a large bag
gage tag, and it was alive with fash
ing fires, where the street lamp
caught the diamond d-incrusted surface,
Good God"' he gasped. "How did
that come there?'
II put it there" said Mr.. aIarsh
calmly. Il was in the study, and it
struck me that, if / walked out and
ran into The hands of the coppers, the
presence Of that incriminating evil
dence in my pocket might lead TO dis
astrous results. especially as / only
went into the house to do you a turn.
You seem to have been doing your
self little good" said Bill grimly.
What would have happened to me if
they'd found ii in my pocket?'
Nothing. You're an honest man,
and if the worst had come TO the worst
/ should have appeared at the local
! police station and made a statement.
exculpating- remember that word,
which is both correct and classy-eX-
culpating you from any completely.
| Thes lower orders would describe my
action as lunacy. but ] not only know
| that [ am an altruiSt, but can pro-
nounce the word. Can / see you in
priyate?"
Bill hesitated His duty was to
communicate with the nearest police
station. but to do this might lead to
an embarrassing situation for himself,
and, what was more important, for
| the girl.
Come in" he said curtly, and took
| the visitor up 10 his sitting room
Never been in Bullott's house be-
fore" said Marsh. eying the furnish
ings with a critical and approving
eve. For a man who has been do
Ing office work all his life and has had
none Of the opportunities for bribery
and corruption which his brethren
| have, it is a little remarkable that
he's got such a nice place. He's a
! bachelor, of course? If he were not
| single he couldn't afford this house
Personally. i prefer the woman s
| touch, and, though Mrs. Hamshaw.
, my respected landlady, lacks the es-
sentials of refinement, she has con
| her daughter. being one Of the
wealthy classes, supplies many of her
! deficiencies !"
/ IL hate to interrupt your cracka
! Jack oration.' said Bill quietly. but,
| Marsh what are you going 10 do
| about this interesting jewel?"
| lie had laid it on the table and in
| the better light could admire the ex-
! quisite workmanship OF the old Egyp-
! tian craftsman who had fashioned
; the lucky buckle Of the goddess.
1T is exactly that matter ] want
! 10 speak about" said Mr.. Marsh.
| May ] smoker"
lie produced his gold cigarette case
/ with a flourish and. with another
flourish, opened it. Bill selected the
/ cigarette he was offered and waited
| until the case went back TO the
burglars pocket
=. Now my suggestion is that you
take that buckle" - he spoke very
/ slowly and deliberately -punctuating
every other word with a puff oi
smoke-'and place it in The vaults Of
your bank. If YOU have no bank, on
( if pefchance your mix has no vault
! then | suggest you should hand it to
| the public trustee
Bill frowned at him.
when YOU have finished being
! comic''
II am not being comic al all, Mr.
! Holbrouk, said the other innocentIy.
Il am merely Offering a suggestion as
TO the best way of safeguarding Miss
Elizabeth Carew's property"
Miss Carew?'
Toby Marsh nodded
she isn't aware of the fact that il
is her property. aud at the same time
Dr Josh Latin isn't aware that I'm
aware that il is her property. I'm fact
he believes that nobody in the wide
world except himself and one who
shall be nameless forgive my mys
teIiousness. but that is my yice-has
the least knowledge Of that buckle $
/ existence. Having settled that mat
ter 10 everybody's satisfaction" he
! added more briskly, may ! suggest
that you, at the earliest opportunity,
- - r. ssS Asr