Evening star., 1936-07-19
Jvl 49, 1896

Constant softly. Il was watching you,
you see. You'd been writing steadily
and all at once. when he lifted, the
cup to his lips, it was very still, while
you stopped writing to listen. You
would not look. You listened -- be-
cause you expected it. saw you"
"Oh. what do care what you sayi
killed him. Why not? He was about
to sell it. He sold everything; he had
no Joy in the possession of a perfect
thing. Such cabochon has never been
known before; there will never be an
other. 1t is - oh, this is nothing to
you. It's nothing to you that hated
him. Give the ring to ne --"
Aren't you afraid I'll tell what
you've just admitted"
mo one else heard it, My word is
as good as yours. No one would ever
believe that | would do it so openly
There we're a hundred hidden ways
but none SO certain to acquit me as
the bold way. There is no proof | was
very careful about getting the poison
No one saw me put it in the cup. And
no jury would believe | would place
myself in such obvious danger" She
was whispering rapidly but not nerv-
ously; the revolver was remarkably
steady and purposeful.
Il shall tell them you had the ring,
that | made you give it up to me.
am now its rightful owner. I'll tell
them you murdered Ben. The absent
minded professor, said the girl mock
ingly and added with the swift venom
of snake, "Im going to count - on
the third count shoot And I'm
good marksman. So you see why I'm
not afraid of your telling -"
Something beyond her satin shoulder
was moving stealthily; it was the door
into the showroom and there was
face in the slowly widening aperture
Duck - quick -" cried MIR Con
slant.
The lights went out.
Mr.. Constant was never sure just
what happened next. There were
shouts and the heavy discharges of
revolver, again and again in that small
room; there were pounding, running
feet and thunderous commotlon; there
was the smell of gunpowder and a
singing. sharp pain in his shoulder
After what seemed long time. some
body turned on the lights again and
Mr.. Constant found himself on the
floor with Otto bending anxiously
above him, and Lieutenant Murphy
shaking Ottos shoulder
'Oh, go to hell" said Otto. Want
me to slug anybody, MIR. CONSTANT
No" said MIR. Constant weakly
and sat up. The caboChon, Lieu
tenant Murphy. is in this cigarette
package. | took it on the principle of
stirring up muddy waters. 1t was the
only thing could think of that might
have more than its money value. The
only thing that might furnish a mo-
tive for murder. Its disappearance,
then. would be unexpected to the
murderer. 1t might be - Oh. the
spoke in the machinery, the thing that
WASH planned. - happened to be
watching her. you see. when he put
the cup to his lips. And that look Of
expectancy, of waiting - oh, kHcw
1t was unmistakable But that was
not proof"
"Urrgh." observed Lieutenant Muir
ply and coughcd and SAID kindly:
Suppose you tell me all about it..
MIR. Constant did so. Briefly but
with neatness. You see" he con-
cluded apologetically. Il spent the
morning reading about jade. The ira
dltion. the superstition - the rarity
of SO beautiful stone and its mean
ing to lover OF jade"
Otto interrupted him without COM
junction. Hes beginning to talk like
a professor, he said to Lieutenant
Murphy with disapproval. And he's