Evening star., 1941-01-06

She picked it up carefully ane
turned it over, examining it thor
oughly from the outside. But only
for a moment did she contemplate
1t thus; the inside was more allur-
ing. Soon her eager fingers clutchec
the velvet box in firm grasp ano
she hugged it to her heart for just
a second.
Installed comfortably in the mid
die of the bed, she opened the case
and stared at the jewel with taScl-
mated eyes. She ran Well-mam-
cured fngertip lightly over the spar
king surface; then picked 1t UP
carefully, fondling it in her hand
Its mine Really mine!' she
breathed, exquisite delight in hel
low voice. "Oh, you're beautiful
No wonder Joe is burned up over
your disappearance"
She lost count of time as she
eazed enchanted at the stone. The
colors in the diamond played vividly
under the bed light, laughing al
her and with her as if it, too, were
we'll pleased at the turn of events
AS she moved the jewel about If
the palm of her hand, she drew II
her breath and widened her eyes
at It's sheer radiance.
The phone rang sharply and she
jumped.
She hid the box beneath her pill
low as the buzzer kept up an in
sistent ringing; the purse she threw
in a far corner Of the closet. Ther
she hurried to the telephone, Won
dering who could be calling at tha
time of the night. Color leapeC
high into her cheeks at the though
1t might be Dan.
Honey Is Alarmed.
Hello" she called. forcing sleep,
tones into her wide-awake voice
Miss Monroe speaking"
Honey" 1t was Joe and hi!
voice rang sharp and startling. .
want to come up-now! I have tt
see you"
You can't" she cried, alarmed
hy sixth sense Its nearly 2 II
the morning. You must be out O.
your mind, Joe, to think Of such
thing. Whatever it is, it can wal
until morning There are such
things as conventions, you know.
I'm coming up. anyway" Tht
tone he used made her blood rur
slow. He sounded cold, ruthless anc
determined.
You can't" she insisted fran
tically. But he had already clicked
the receiver in her ear.
She had no way Of knowing from
where he phoned, or now near N
was to her apartment. But sh'
feared to see him-def1nitely. There
had been something about his voice
and manner of speaking that tolc
her he must know about the dia'
mond. And when she refused, a!
she certainly would, to hand thu
Jewel over to him, her life woulC
not be worth penny as far as n
was concerned. She had no Illusion
about Joe's conscience when it cam'
to getting what he wanted. Ant
the Sylvester diamond was his onl!
thought now and he would go tt
great lengths to get it in his pos
session.
She move in frenzied haste
There was no time to dress or to dC
much thinking. She threw a fur coa'
over her pajamas and grabbed W
the velvet box and her purse. Tht
back door led into the hall, and thai
avenue of flight was out. Only the
fire escape remained, sinister, Scary
thing that it was. AS she was climb
ing out the kitchen window, tht
doorbell rang and kept ringing.
A Surprise Visit.
Hell kill me-" she kept repeat
ing over and over, beside hersel
with terror.
On the sidewalk she glanced
quickly around but saw no one. Sht
darted around the corner and hailet
passing taxi.
"I want telephone book. please,
she told the driver as he pulled ava,
from the curb.
He reached inside a compartment
for what she wanted. Scanning
down the Bs, she finally came t.
Daniel Brewsters name and oppi
site it the address. This she CAV
to the driver and sat huddled bacl
In the corner of the dark cab unit
the car pulled up and stopped be
fore the white stucco apartment
house. A dim light burned in tn