The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1930-11-28
Ewes Solitaire
Won Jerry
BY LEETE STONE


~ the silk lingerie section of the
mammoth Pendennis department
store, was spending sleepless night.
Her consciousness was a whirlpool
of conflicting emotion; a fast revolv-
ing wheel of desire and doubt.
Every hour she would rise from
the narrow cot In her meagerly fur
nished room, switch on the small elec-
trio bulb that jutted out above the
bureau, and feast her dark, startled
eyes on beautiful, blue-white dia-
mOnd, simply set In a syelte circle of
old-fashioned yellow gold. Each time
she rose she slipped the ring caress-
ingly on the third finger of her left
hand; arched her wrist and curved
her finger upward to the Highland
revelled in the tiny, sword-like flames
of fire that lurked and leaped to meet
her excited gaze. She might have been
measured for the ring. A flawless gem
that fit perfectly.
Eve visualized the nOnchalant man.
ner she would employ next morning
as she flashed the treasure before
| Alice Foster. Alice would spy it the
moment they folded up their counter
cover together. 1t was matter of
nip and tuck between Alice and Eve
to gain the permanent devotion of
Jerry Edwards, the jolliest and hand
soonest department store detective
that ever cast keen eye over the
daily throng at Pendennis.
Seeing the ring, Alice would surely
and surreptitiously point 1t out to
Jerry when he stopped, as he always
did, for a moments chatter at the
lingerie counter. OF course, Jerry
would mask his curiosity. twinkle his
eyes. and say something lire:
Putin on the Ritz this morning,
what, Eyie?"
"Who says so?" she would return
casually.
Some solitaire, eh?"
"Oh. t '2' She would tinge her re-
ply with hippant provocation. That's
an heirloom, an seeing it's such
nice morning | thought "a air it."
And so might banter proceed until
she succeeded in angling a dinner in
vitation from Jerry. That accom-
plished, in view of her combination
of charm, sympathy, solitaire and one
fancy frock, how could Jerry remain
silent any longer? Eve was sincere
about Jerry. She loved him.
When finally dawn peeped through
the narrow window and time arrived
for Eve to dress and breakfast for
another day, she was still lashed to
the horns of her first dilemma. But
the sting of cold water, action, an
two cups Or black ,olfee freed her. A
definite solution presented itself.
AT the store that morning, matters
transpired as Eve had fancifully con-
reived Alice pounced on her before
he counter covers were folded with a
.igh-pitched "Where'd you get that?"
Eve high-hatted the query, leaving
Vice no course but to retire into
nviOus silence.
Jerry stopped at Alice's end of the
ounter about nine-6fteen, before the
loor became crowded, and Eve saw
aer thrust pert head toward his
EAR; watched Jerry grin and come
strolling over The dialogue took
alace almost as etched in her mind
during those long sleepless hours. He
did hold her hand he did examine
; the ring, very closely, adding:
as Crown Jewel all right, Evie.
Used to work in Maiden Lane when
Il co 1
EN-. Say, Evie, you look swell this
morning. How about a bite with me
tonight?"
That was the first event of the day
for Eve The second was the rep
, rimand she received from the floor
manager for being fifteen minutes late
in from lunch. How the hours dragged
until the great event of the day
dinner with Jerry.
Over dessert, after a merry hour al
little place Jerry liked, he said:
Lets glimpse that sparkler again
5 Evie You know how 1t is like
! 10 hold your hand. see? Sure enough
> But honest, kid" an infectious grin
as he reached for her unresisting fin
GERS. 1T kinda gets me, you're havin
that. Isn't our kind of ornament
Evie. Goes with silks and swells
an Say" his expression changed
l and a professional Jerry spoke quiet
2 y, where's the sparkler you wore
. this morning? That one was worth 6
, thousand dollars in Maiden Lane. This
cost two-ffty or three on Nassau
street What's the game, little grlT
"Some detective, Jerry! took the
! real one back to the swell lady thai
lost it. She lives on Park avenue ant
she gave me twenty-five dollars That:
how | got cail-down for being late
this noon." Her eyes filed with long
e ing " it was wond 4rful, wasn'
d it, Jerry? :. | got this fake just Il
play | owned one like that. And pu
. twenty dollars In the bank, Jerry"
Jerry just sat and thought and
thought-stil holding the capable lit
tie fingers. Finally Eve began to b,
afraid
"Geel Evie, you could have gotteI
away with that sparkler as easy a:
pie. Say, you're a pretty swell little
dame yourself. And square. That
what I like. Come on, Evie: let's 81
in a movie. got somethn' to tall
to you about-somethin' to ask you
may be-"
Oh, That's All Right
Romantic This is quite like
old times darling, isn't itf