The guardian., 1941-06-14
Charge 1t to
Advertising
By JACK RODOLPH
Mcclure Syndicate-wNU ServiceJ

eyes Steadied for a moment with en-
thusiasm, as he drove this point
home to the two girls on the back
seat of his automobile.
II was in that joint a while back
stalling about buying old gold, and
got the layout. It's like this: The
man that runs the jewelry store is
old and slow, He doesn't do much
business out there in the suburbs,
and we can pick time when there
won't be customers to gum things
up. l haven't figured out why, but
he carries a good stock of diamonds.
He keeps 'em in big safe in the
back room. He unlocks that safe in
the morning and just keeps the door
closed during the day.
It'll take both you girls" he con-
tinued "We'n all drive up to the
front and park Then Dot and me
will go in and tell him we're just
married and want to look at some
silver. While we're givin' it the
once-over, Ethel, you come in and
tell me you think gas is leaking out
of the car. l go out to see, under
oldlINS dllO JOu oIdy W l4S4p DOb
make up her mind about the silver.
It'll be cinch for you two girls
to keep him busy while slip in the
back, and dump that tray of dia-
monds."
Listens good to me-" Ethel
agreed.
Joe reached into his pocket. Here
are the rings. Got 'em at the de-
partment store. Pretty good imita-
tions, at that. The old fellow won't
know the difference, unless you stick
EN- under his nose"
There was wistful expression in
Dots eyes, as she slowly slipped the
circlets upon the proper finger of her
left hand.
Nov, let's get our spiels down
pat," the director of the little drama
suggested.
The trio had parked in front of
the jewelry store, and their plan
was starting out nicely. The place
was deserted, except for the squat
proprietor who peered over his spec
tacles at the boy and Dot as they en-
tered.
Dot made an excellent bride.
There was a gentle, dreamy express
sion in her eyes. eve just got mar
ried," she explained in sweet lit
| tie voice, land we want to look at
some silver"
That's fne," returned the jewel
er, and all the glow of his kindly
! smile did not arise from the pros
pect of a sale. Whats your name,
now?" he inquired mischievously.
Joe had thought of that, too, and,
Mrs. Samuel E. Henderson,"
slipped glibly off Dots tongue.
The newly-weds did not notice it,
but the old man suddenly appeared
to be trife sleepy as he directed
them to the cases of silverware.
what are the prices of this pat
tern?" Dot inquired.
"I'n have to look them up" was
the reply. The jeweler waddled to
his desk nearby and began rum
maging among papers there. He
studied list for minute or two,
and returned to quote prices.
Dot was trying to drive close bar
gains when Ethel entered with her
message and joined Dot in badger
ing the proprietor for further dis
counts.
Then Joe was back with the sug-
gestion, maybe we had better look
somewhere else, Mrs. Henderson,
before we buy" 1t all had been so
easy and smooth that he could not
resist an impulse to flash sly
wink at Ethel.
The first intimation that all was
not well came when Joe was forced
to modify his staggering progress
to the car in order to pass between
two men lounging near the edge of
the sidewalk. A firm hand dropped
on his shoulder and a cold voice
admonished, "Take it easy, kid,
The next instant the three were
herded back into the store.
"We got your buzz up at the sta
ton when you stepped on that but
ton," the detective explained, after
they had checked the diamonds from
Joe's pocket. "We got here just in
time to stand outside and watch him
dump that tray. But how did you
know he was going to do it?"
Il like weddings and babies" the
old man said simply. "And be-
long to an association which sends
little presents-for advertising-to
every couple in the city when they
get married or have new baby
Each member of our association
gets list of the marriage licenses
of the day before from the court
house. l guess, because l like we'd
dings, maybe study it little more
than the rest. There wasn't any
Samuel E. Henderson on the list for
yesterday"
The old mans eyes rested on Dot
as he murmured, "And that's too
bad"
Dot was stripping the two little
rings from her finger, and biting her
lower lip hard to keep her chin from
uuiverine. eyes, old man, that's too