Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-04

find them right there now-and you'll
give them to me-"
II shall do nothing Of the kind"
"Oh! is that so? Well now"
would you mind telling me, Mr..
Detective Harvey. how you happen to
know all about this?"
THE man who stole the pearls orig
inally is q friend Of mine"
Birds of a feather
That's it. Well, he's turned
straight. And his first act was 10
get rid OF those jewels. He put them
back where they came from--and I've
been waiting ever since for you 10
report the matter to the insurance
company"
You must have had jolly time
For a half minute McMasters stared
at his visitor through frosty eyes, his
manner quietly speculative. IL he was
worried. he gave no indication of that
fact. He was attempting to evaluate
the ponderous Harvey; to discover
exactly what the man knew and just
how far he dared go. Finally he
spoke, his voice crisp and incisive:
Nov listen to me, sou. / don't
know who or what you are. / don't
believe your name is Harvey, and I
don't believe you're detective. But
I do know that, whether you are or
not. you're not going to get away with
any such stuff as this"
"No?"
"You certainly are not"
Then sighed Jim, iii have to
arrest you
Don't make me laugh. The mo-
ment you try anything like that I'll
have you arrested for breaking and
entering. There isn't any doubt that
you've committed that offense, IL
there"
None at ALL"
Zine. And your only counter to
such a move on my part would be to
tell why you came here. Now, sup
pose your story is correct; suppose
those pearls are in my safe-what
then? I merely state that was de-
laying an official report until I dis
covered IL they were the same pearls.
having them inspected by an expert.
and all that sort Of stuff. Or claim
never to have found them. And, Mr..
Harvey, Or whatever your name is.
faces a few years In the penitentiary."
Jim reiighted his malodorous cigar.
Nothing excites you very much,
does it?"
NO"
"You wouldn't get excited even II
went downstairs and opened that
safe. would you?"
"Not particle. Because the min.
ute you did so I'd call the police"
II see. Mr.. Icicle himself in per.
SOM
Hanvey's right hand went back to
his hip pocket. when it returned
McMasters saw that it held, an ugly
little automatic
''Now. this here is usually a right
persuasive arguier. McA1asters. and
right now 1t Is suggesting that you
hand me over those pearls. friendly
and informal like"
The eyes of the other man mar.
rowed. Then he laughed harshly.
do you really expect me to believe
that you would shoot?"
well. kind OF hope you'll regard
it that away"
You're wrong. I've never been
bluffed in all my life, and / don't pro-
pose to start now"
I'm serious"
Then go ahead and shoot"
"Not yet" The detective rose.
what this gun Is telling you is to
walk downstairs ahead of me and open
that safe. That's ALL"
McMasters did not hesitate for an
instant.
II refuse. I have no intention Of
stirring from this bed"
Jim Harvey blinked slowly. And
then he smiled.
Anyway" he remarked. you've
got nerve"
"Thanksp' McNasters knew that he
had won. "And kindly close the front
door on your way out"
You're not going to phone the
police?"
I'm not entirely q fool!'
n
toward the door. GOOD. night" he
murmured pleasantly.
your little VISIT"
n y IS
THE stairs creaked under the enor-
= nous weight of the departing de.
tective. McMasters lay rigidly. There
was a smile Of ineffable content upon
his lips. 1t was plain that he was
vastly pleased with himself. He fol.
lowed every foot Of Hanvey's progress
through the house, assuring himself
that the detective did not stop to open
the safe. Then McMasters heard the
front door open and shut. and q mo-
ment later the sound Of footsteps on 1
the street.
Outside Jim Harvey walked slowly
toward the corner. An occasional au.
tomobile could be seen moving through
the park across the way, headlights
splotting the darkness. At the corner
an arc light spluttered. Jim sighed
as he turned the corner.
And then a figure detached itself
from the shadows Of doorway and
Bob Terris Joined him.
"Did you get the pearls. Bob"
asked Harvey.
Sure Look""
From an inside pocket ferris took
a little package. He unrolled II with
def fingers and exhibited to the de-
tective the shimmering pearls which
until a few minutes previously had
rested in Norton McMasters' safe.
Good work, Bob. I'll turn ,em
over to the insurance company to.
morrow morning.
Gee, Jim, that's great! You sure
have helped lot"
Jaw, don't mention ii. But ut that
it sure was a tedious job. You see.
McMasters is one of those wise guys |
nobody can put anything over on"
Jim's fingers fumbled with the golden
toothpick and the ghost OF a onaiIc
appeared on the big, round face.
And I'm kind of betting, Bob. that
he's going to be considerably surprised
when he finds out that we've made an
honest man out of him.
tCopyrisht. 1877
Gas for 7 ;ool,;lcs