The evening world. Newspaper, November 21, 1914, Page 9

Paternoster Ruby The Romance of a Gem That Represented £500,000 Werth ef Bad Lueck. By Charles Edmonds Walk (Coperight, 1910, by A.C. McClurg @ Ce.) SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING OMAPTDRS, the empty bor cut your heart | snarled, and started | Fluette hastily pares into coat couldn't have found a better is Place if I had searched the house | over.” I was no longer heeding him. The lagt doubt had been removed. After all, then, Ali Fluette was the gullty man. Despite his protestations, when I lett headquarters the lest yy T had of Burke was through the bars of ® cell door. I went directly to the Fluette reel- dence to inform Genevieve that her apprehensions and uncertainties had at last crystallized into dread reality. I shall not dwell upon this wretched conferencs tinder whee des cee, * CHAPTER XXIII. Confession. STARED at Burke tn speech- less amazement. The pos- sibilities opened up by this revelation left me bewil- dered. But the wave of Joy which suddenly swept over me wae unmistakabie. id, “just how did you come to put the gem—or the paste replica~in the soap?” “T might as well tell it. As you say, I knew the jewel box—and I hon- eatly thought it contained the ruby— and the Clara Cooper letters were in the safe, and I never had an oppor- tunity to take them t!!1 Tuesday night a week ago. The assurance that Page was going to Duluth that night, com- bined with the backing Tshen would give me, put me in a position wher 1 could take the ruby and defy P: I was so sure that Page was going to Duluth that night that I arranged a meeting between Fluette and the Bur- man at Page's house. “For you surmised correctly when you declared that Fluette would not buy the ruby on the strength of my representations alone. The purpose of that meeting was to convince Fluette of the good faith of Tshen’s claim to the stone, whereupon I w to procure it from the safe—the let- ters, too—and he was to pay over @ certain sum of money for them.” “How much?" I bluntly demanded. “Two hundred thousand dolla: So this was the reason why Alfred Fluette must needs help himself to Genevieve's patrimony. That rapa- cious monster, the heat Pit, bad exhausted all of his legitimate se- id so mad was his obses- he scrupled not to steal. ertained only nares pac him at that momen bought the ruby, however, and ‘doubt lens Genevieve's fortune was still in- tact. * Go on, “What hi ‘Well, “Knowles,"—she was clinging to ay arm, her voice hoarse and dis t is too terrible—too monstrous tor I cannot do it—can't believe it—Qnless I hear the worde from Uncle Alfred’s own lips. He is here now; he didn’t go downtown to-day, The horrible charge has been made— confront him with it, He's upstairs th Aunt Clara.” ‘Very well,” [ quietly returned. ‘ou go and ask him, as calmly as possible, to come down to his study, Don't alarm Mies Belle or her mother; it may not be necessary. Moving blindly toward the she paused on the first landing and turned to me a@ tragic fact ‘Courage!” I whispered. Then she found the strength to carry her on to the end of her revul- sive errand. I went direct to the otudy, and waited. Fluette came in hastily, his manner wild, his white and hagga: Genevieve, distressed and heartbro! followed close behind him. She closed the door. The man began speaking at once, incoherently, in a harsh, stri- dent whisper that signified constricted throat muscles. “So! It's come at last! You—keep it from—from—keep it from my wife and daughter!” I answered him roughly, completely down. “Pull yourself together, man! What sort of way is this to act?” I sur- veyed his abject figure an instant, then added with some bitterness: “It ‘s not I that you fear, but your own conacience.' Belle Fluette came in as I was speaking. Genevieve drow suddenly back to @ shadowed corner, wringing her hands with a helpless, despairing gesture. Fluette rose unsteadily to bis fe The man’s look darted feverishly between the two girls—Genevieve well-nigh overcome, while the smile handsome face quickly gave way to an expression of bewil- ‘ment, and then to a dawning one Belle faltered, her voice i fear t nat vaat gripped her he: “what is it at does this Then, mea started blindly toward him, she ute done piercin, Ast ‘Papa! Uncoi i iclously he prugned nie. her 9 egreemn goon beseeching arms. not answer bite retired” and the house her directly; his words were a re- grew qi sponse 2 the charge that I had not “gome th ter eleven I heard yet ma c ‘and Maillot coming upsteire. ‘Man, eee are right,” he said husk- he ‘waa out in my room, and, ly, “it {» my conscience. It is not Povatched Page bid Maillot good night, I watched Page good night. The old man was boidias & Bo candle in one hand ai leather box in th other, i min iw vite wee the ruby he showed Maiilot"—~ “{ guppore you were in the cur- tained alcove while he and Malillot He Re yaaa ‘Matllovs arrival demoralized everything. Fluette was to come at ten o'clock and Tshen at ten-thirty. I didn't know what to do. I had no way of that time of night, and I soon realized that Page ‘riven over the trip. I con- trived, however, to smugg! them wu Ke my room, without anybody being ined the state of affairs, and aria that I would fulfil my curtly. lence upstairs~th: into my face-—sear it into my were talking,” I interrupted. ETake guilty, It was “Not ‘allt 9 tim 3 I didn't dare be, I who killed Foie Page.’ old man was as sharp as a fox. recone He didn’t trust anybody. CHAPTER XXIV. be . L carried out my part of "However, | carried 'y pat “Thimble, Thimble” T ts needjess to dwell upon the scene in Alfred Fluette's study; I shall take up mere- ly such details as constitute an integral part of this memoir, and hurry along. After Genevieve had led Belle away, nd then’ “Well, then—why, I must have lost my head. 1 started for my Teen but the old. man’ commanded stop: Mr. Fluette quickly mastered him- topped. People generally x. hes ‘a when Page told them to. Fluette #lf. into the hall to Page could not see him then because of the angie in the Sortifor and the ‘man paused by the etagere to “ioe candle in the “irom candle- tA ter Pig the old man walked righ SP to me and held out his hand for the box and the bundle of letters, but before I had time to them to him, Fluette rushed in between us, Miils appearance startled the old man we that he recoiled a pace or two. ‘This gave Fluette the opportunity he ‘om to take the things from me, He smiled at Page, and said: “Felix Page, you sha'n't thwart me this tinie; for once I've got the upper and of you, and I mean to keep it. te, you see, had put in the time while waiting in my room listening to ‘Tahen's story and examining his cré+ dentials. “That infuriated Page so that he went clear off his head. He set down the tron candlestick upon the floor and plunged right into Fiuette. Quicker than you can think, they were wres- tling furiously for the box and the bundle of letters. “T ran into my room and told Tshen what was going on. Three’ of his party were with him, and they were all so excited that I could scarcely do ing with them. Next I ran back ‘Ato the hall, where the two men were ging and threshing about. They jeaved their breath for their exertions, each trying with might and main to wrest the precious package from the “First of all,” he began with im- pressive earnestness, “I want to em- phasise the fact that when I snuffed out that man’s life I was in immi- nent peril of my own, When I snatched up the candlestick, if ever @ man bad murder in his heart Felix Page had at that moment. “The reat was automatic; I could no more have atayed the deadly blow than I can now hope to escape its consequences. Revolt from almost a Nfetime of pitiless, persistent per: cution filled me with an irresistible impulse to destroy and rendered my arm invincible.” I went with him, step by step, over the ground that Is already familiar, Felix Page bad ever been the thorn in his flesh, “Well,” he added, bitter!; succeeded, He has ruined me not only financi but body and soul as well, “Time and time again he flaunted in my face some old Jetters which my wife wrote when she was a mere girl, They were such as any artless, in- experienced girl might write to a man moment captured her that be made who has for tz cy; but how clear to @ public e dal? the H@ht of my wife's years and the dignity of her present position? Yet the scoundrel haa threatened me times once the jewel box was wrenched open. The ruby—or what I Ay wae | the, ruby—flew out and feet. 1 stooped in svichea ie it op, ii a ened was a crown- ing stroke. He “bol ‘ately stepped 5 and wrested it from my grasp aim- 'y because he in eome way soups ast inat T had set my heart ‘ a Cie abe SS It was as Ais Gagers tempt to keep him from breaking - Sulserery minute ot/ the day pf thi without unmber that he would scatter! my desires and intentions; he seemed to divine and anticipate my every move. “But I was soon reconciled to the stone's loss, and I would have re- mained so had it not been for that ¢reature, Burke. When he put the idea into my mind that perhaps Page had no foal title to it, 1 was tempted —and I fell. He pi ited to me too good an opportunity to retaliate for me to let it pass. “It was @ foolish thing for me to do, go to his house that fatal ‘Tuesd night; but there was no other Burke was willing to procure the stone from its hiding place, tly refused to assume the risk of conveying it through the streets. Page was to be away from town that night, so in an evil mo- ment I decided to take the chance. “You know what happened. I failed to get the gem that night; your unre- laxing vigilance prevented Burke from getting at where he supposed he had hidden it, and at last the Bur-° mese determined to make the attempt Toureday night. Friday morning I was to have again met Tshen-byo- to close the deal for the stone, when one of his henchmen notifi Burke and me that the attempt had been a failure, that they had suc: ceeded in securing only the replici Te pete, charged Burke with doubl 4 suddenly at his last &@ possibility had flashed into so huge eon. I spoke with quick eager- “Mr. Fluette, do you think the Bur- mese would have devoted all these years to recovering the jewel, if they were willing to sell !t to the first would-be purcharer that bappened along? Doesn't that strike you as 4 bit pecullar being inconsistent with their unflegging zeal, their tire- less efforts to regain what they con- tend was once stolen from them? King fellows are very far from bia please bear in mind.” ver before regarded it in that Ui ne he thoughtfully returned. “Just hew did Maillot's story of his experience with Page impress you?” I asked. He gave me a quick glance, “It was amazing. I could not be- Neve that Maillot was wilfully fabri- cating; yet, to accept his extraordi- nary story left me, as the only alter- native, a conviction that Felix Page had either undergone a change of beart or else had lost his mind.” ‘It didn’t occur to you that Page ght be trying a gamo of his own?” “Dia you ever see the replica?” I asked. “Yen, many times. It is a remark- ably excellent imitation—silicate of alumina; the weight, color and hard- ness, the measurements—table, girdle and culasse—all correspond exactly with the original. It lacks only in density, and perhaps a trifle in—but no; it would require an expert test to determine that it was not a true ruby.” “Then,” I eagerly pursued, “even an expert might be imposed upon by the replica?” “Well,” he slowly admitted, “per- hape—yes. But not for long; men who deal in precious stones after « time develop a nort of sixth sense that protects them against imposition, It is too subtle to define; but any dia- mond merchant will tell you that the Most perfect imitation will ratxe a emt in his mind as to its gonuine- a true stone, er,” ct it poseible, Mr. Fluette,” T went on, with si, enthusiasm which he did not in the*least share, “that it never occurred to you what Burke's game might be? With the connivance of © Burmese, he was deliberately pting to swindle you; he meant to practise t id familiar game of ‘switching’ the fadve for the real tone. The Burmese want the stone, not the money without the stone; but BBE for &@ generous share in the pi ‘ REM tye (Conrright. 1814. Sin saahe 1 ume ve a Hard Job on Hand—A Little Braocer Will Help” the Oriental for you.” ° The man stared at me dully. | continued, warming with the subject. “And Felix Page—he was crafter than even you give him credit for. Mr. Fluette, there's nothing extra dinary in Maillot’s story of his Tu day night venture—except our stu- pidity in comprehending ite real significance, “Remember Page's strict injunction to Maillot not to let the jewel case out of his possession unill he and Miss Belle were married; think of the alacrity with which he acceded to Maillot’ request; think of his sly chuckles and furtive manner, of his attitude during the whole of that re- markable conference, and tell me what it means if he, too, didn’t intend palming off the false stone on you? Maillot and Miss Belle once married, then the young man—in complete in- nocence, to be sure—would have handed you, not the ruby, but—the replica.” Slowly the dull look died out in Alfred Fluette's eyes, and in spite of his distress, his face flushed darkly with anger. he hound!" he muttered through clenched teeth. “What @ dupe I've been. But,” he added with kindling interest, here {9 the ruby, then?” “Ah, precisely. ‘That's what would like to know myself, 1 think, however, I have the key that will unlock its hiding place when I learn how to use it.” And { showed him the cipher. He shook his head over it; It was utterly meaningless to him, When I departed from Alfred Flue ette—and [ did that very thing; walked deliberately away from hin, leaving him hopeful in the midst of his household—my heart was exultant, although I had in contemplation @ task that inight have dismayed Her- eules. But sometimes, usually when we are least expecting it, or When we are getting our affaira into too much of a muddle, Providence inter with a decisive stroke matters out for us. ridiculous wasting so much time and energy in rough-hewing our onds, when the shaping lies with other hands than ours. On this day of days Providence apeared in the guise of Dr. Wentworth De Breen. His buggy drew up at the curb be- aide me. ‘The very man I was wanting to id I. “How many hospitals are there in the city and the immedi- ate vicinity He eyed me in his customary seri- ous, intent manner, I amplified: “T haven't the least idea, you know, Perhaps I could name & dozen; per- haps a score; but there might be five hundred, Anyhow, I have to search them all—or, until I find what want.” “The deuce you have!" he ferked out. “Anything to do with your ruby Upper-works in @ more or less dam- aged condition.” “Burmese!” he echoed in an ex- clamation. “Good. 1 win, Larrime: 5 bet me a five he was a Javane: The doctor sniffed acornfully. “De ish lot Larrimer knows about ethnol- ogy.” Ho then became lucid. “Larrimer’s head at the Drevel Hos- Mtal, y'know; deuced clever nt the operating table, but set in his ideas, Lord, dynamite wouldn't move hin; stubborn's no name for it. “Your Burmese és there: triple fracture of the left pariet lett clavicle and bladebone badly crushed; Pe phined him last night. Beggar'll te. “It certainly sounds serious enough,” commented I. “Is the parietal a part of his upper-works?”" He jabbed with the 4ip of one gloved: finger the side of my nead nearest him, which happened to be the right. “That's your right parietal,” he ex- plaingss “the left one’s on the other aide. “Thank heaven for sending you across my path this day!'—fervently. “Th my man.” We entered the hospital, and soon were at the bedside of the dying man. Tho operation had relieved the brain from the pressure of the tu) skull, and the man’s wanderings wore interspersed with rational periods, during which his story waa taken down in shorthand, with infinite dif- ficulty, by the hompital’s stenographer. T have taken the Hhery, of preparing @ summary from the long varnmling account, sufficient to ahow my justi- fication for anticipating that the case was on the eve of taking an unex- peoted turn, and to satisfy the curi- ous respecting certain aspects of the ruby's history. 1é man, whose name was (| was @ priest of the temple at T hain, Upper Burma, “where the su lime Da-Fou-Jan sita in eternal med tation among the thousand cavern: that He beyond panione were also priests, byo-yen was a wealthy noble of district, whose family was account- able to the king for the safeguarding of the temple's sacred relic—the “Heart of Buddha,” Thus was the great ruby known, and the rich crimson Jowel was averred by tradition to be Rothing less holy than the actual blood of “the Perfectly Enlightened One,” bestowed upon mankind in an imperishable form. Naturally, the gem was greatly venerated and not to be profaned by impious hands. But in the time of Tehen's father, it was stolen from the temple by an English adventurer, who succeeded in escaping out of the country with it and making his way to London. However, a curse went with the ruby. In the temple its influence was beneficent, Its crimson glow benig- nant and abounding with Diessings but when crated by the plundering vand: touch it became a great power for evil. ‘Therefore it came to pass that by the time the reckless Englishman set foot upon his native roll he was only too glad to part with his ill-gotten t almost any price. He was rving and broken in ‘Thus it was that the rough, uncut m passed into the possession of ica Paternoatro. se verything,” aaid T. 1" Hie stared at me a mo- ment, then with a sudden movement whipped the fur lap-robe aside, “Get in here,” he commanded, in his abrupt manner. “What d'ye want to find?” he blunt- ly asked, after we had riddan the bet- ter part of five minutes in silence. “A disabled Burmese,” was the re- ply. “I trust to find some part of his “THE BEASTS OF TARZAN,” a sequel to “TARZAN OF THE APES,” by E. R. Burroughs, will*be The Evening World's Complete Novel for the week beginning Monday, Nov. 80. In this great etory Taraan goes back to the Jungle and takes up his former life with the wild animale who were his boyhood frie toes, Remember, “The Beasts of Tarzan” will begin on Monday, Nov. 30. It is a date you can't afford to forget. “Ai ay Kveatage World Daily Witislae. Saturday, November 21; 1914 [Men W.ho Fail—II. By Robert Minor The recovery of the Heart of Buddba straightway became a sacred charge upon all the priests. Tshen's father devoted his entire fortune to the cause, With infinite patience, Tabor= ing tirelessly, the Burmese never lost jah of thelr precious relic; but In ngland they soon found that condi- tions were vastly different from of their home country. It waa im- possible to approach the object which they coveted; and thelr opin- jon of legal redress was upon thelr familiarity with what passed for juatioe in Burma. But tl never grew disheartened; and at last their opportunity came. It was Tshen's father who slew Paternostro, It was he who won un- dying honor by recovering the jews It was he who, hard pressed by t! police, was obliged to seek the near- est sanctuary, which happened to be France. The reat we know. But the gem still carried its baleful apell, for we also know how the ex- pert whom the Paternostros carried with them to , Was drowned just as the homeward bound vessel was entering Dover Harbor. So much for the ruby’ isto Cha\ ‘8 declaration also confirmed red my conclusions respecting Burke's de- signed im; tion upon Alfred Flu- ette-—which, by the way, he seemed to regard as perfectly legitimate. And then It concluded with the most im- portant matter of all. On the Bes 4 Felix Page's mur- der, while hi nions were all in the second mtory, C ye} | pone} on guard below. had hed Page following Bur! upstaite, fter the robbery, but could not thief without alarming the pu A hand, In the jewel was to be snatched from hia companions at the very moment of victory, He pasned through the bath room during the br! riod Burke was in his o' informing Tshen of the atate affairs, entered the hall, where, 4 the dim light of the solitary candle, the two men were locked in combat The struggle was so furious that h presence was not noticed. He ceeded to the northeast angie of the balustrade, where he crouched around the corner and followed through the Salusere the uncertain issues of the fight. He watched the two chief actors so intently, in that he fatled to per- ceive Burke teh ruby from the flo at id see Page wrest the leather case from Flu- ette. Now waa the time for him to act. He was armed with a dlackjack—a ball of lead wrapped in leather and with a short, flextble, leather bandie— and just as Fluette grabbed up the iron candlestick he plunged forward, At this instant the light was ex- tinguished, and he received the full weight of @ human body as it stag- gered backward. He supposed it to be re’ He struck out tindly with his own cruel weapon, at the same time shoving the hody away from him. He felt his bludgeon crush upon his victim's head; and then he was himnelf felled to the floor with a tremendous blow that blotted out av- erything else for him. The base of the candiestick had found a mark wholly unsuspected by any one. He knew afterwards that his com- panions had carried him down the rear ateirs and away; that they tried to doctor him until they grew alarmed at the seriousness of his injuries; whereupon they deserted him in his room, after notifying the landlord, who had in turn notified the howpital authorities, Chaya was well supplied with funds, so there had been no dim- culty on that score, And thus was iny doduction proved to be correct, Felix Page's left side hed been toward the balustrade at the instant Fluotte snatched up the gandlestion) on the balustrade was a deep 41 tation where the the improvised weapon ‘ned impinged ‘those was so confident that she could find ‘of With just such crenellated edges Nest Weeh’s Complete Newel » THE EVENING The Smuggler Billa Middleton Tybout, pce Ra. ‘Tide Deck oa the Glands WH Cost You 61,28, You Got ft ter 6 ee gt and the fatal blew ber five, upon the victim's righ’ her fenole a ote wan Gescending blow ‘ pase down one side ofa man en ‘and ond upon the oth Bwt while Chaya'’s story gratined me measure, at the same time it wee incomplete: it threw no light upon the ruby's Lg +4 diate and for the ee fa he knew no more about io any, of the rest of down upon th ‘naividuais interested in discov. She acrewed te had been hidden, I her lips tised that the cipher, once I somet it, Would lead me to re, it remained for was solved ame thun vealing the K, ee the snd. that I had a, worst of all, I should have find the poly it wi ‘That's the last one At last, with 6) ed lips, the litt! ere! With a Say mo down wy cel ten: Tol a edge flew outward, disclo ture red im inches aa i Hut there wae no ruby berture large enough =. oe for anh we U4 CHAPTER XXV. The Cipher Solved. mB HAYA'S ante-mortem ment, properly attested by Dr, Larrimer, Dr. De Breen, the hospital secretary, and myself, together with the otherwise complete case I had, was auffictent of course to open the prison doors for Royal Maillot. It should ‘also have lifted the oloud from Alfred | it, alas! 1¢ did not. is Be a se ae {Tiald atainot as we started from jail toward the Pah house, ith be vy = zeus fellow interrapted me ep tet orge, Bwift! it's yours. Find i it—or aell it and ke: uly at ner Ok into the lake fre ra it into the thine ming explainin; that, Tog eplzede tow we he added. “When you rat pointes out the true import of wax impression on the candle- suck it brought to my mind at once it riclous notion of wear- Fivta'ting on the middle finger of his yieve promptly eet Next moment wi or paj fo: folded to y there'@ were pies ‘email ine baat wettest 3 ription te whi This explanation te ies your look Gart to his et @aw you watching him—' ne res thought you'd confuse tly. When you eaw the ring on his finger only, the ¢ircumatance was pregnant—portentous. When you had two rings and two right hands, why, you were puzsled, but the effect was scattering and weak. the afternoon Genevieve and I repaired to the old Page place. She the originals of the designs on the cipher, that f was anxtous to give her the chance. Besides, she was afraid to go alone, and I eimply had te ao- company her, Belle could not go without Maillot tagging alon; and well, wo didn't want anybor First of ail, Genevieve had to. be shown the dent made by the candle- stick in the railing of the balustrade. She paced § the tip of one little finger in t lon, and drew back with a shudder “Let's go," ahe said in a hushed voice. never expect to come up these stairs again, Let's find the disks and r among mse] ves, coatinue to reap all the ad ing benefits which the 9! acest omy of auch a costly’ oe bade wav ' Oy @ joke, that, Here wea 1ks n old idiot, trying te wood money for somet! other fellow didn't have te e—ils But pretty soon I ~~ a a reach my end just ti It was a a Jet than that, im fact. out from under without At 4 still make id believe that B bought the ruby. Nice thing for the Pat ‘says 1, “when all this. Cristofano turned green. begged me at to tell. He ised me of his geome I'd only keep ihe secret. I looked at him pretty “Very well,” saya I at last, givp me the imitation stom, never disclose the fact that didn't have the original ruby, if you will announce to the ¥ ies it was gold to me for As long aos you keep your sbut, I'll keep mine,” He was tlekted to death, ing would do but he must the rest of ee ee (ee and cousin), had a writen Santrnes for them, setting forth the of our agreement and them with @ penalty enough to keep them from Ding. (Contract memo, a: fo the. very. he Le art am on RB gf nd knitted to; {tw fabric, and without swbstance: I broke the silence by sa: “I want to. hand Alexa! these papers, tell him they're was hidden in the table—then watch him while he reads.” Genevieve reminded mi should be thankful for hi vie relieved from a final per = “I don't understand,” said 1. “Why, we havea't ~e that would have stones somewhere between the Norary table and the hidden safe in his bed- n mentioned, Our progress was slow until we reached the bedroom. Genevieve drew ip at ee hers ge Sse eee of the “ped int vying on ita « I palend| “Tt wi t Friday night when the dwart, our. prised Burke She went over to it, while I raised the blinds, Instantly she recofled with a ery, and then tn a flash was fairly wild with excitement. ‘Knowles, Knowles!" she screamed. ‘Here they are!" And sure enough, there they wore— the brass tacks with which the arti- ficial jenther cover had been fastened on, Their heads were ornamental, 8 might have prompted the circular fig- ures at each end of the cipher. I stared at them in stupefied silence. The row of gleaming tacks staggered me. How many times had I I!ngered by that very table while I racked my brain to remember where [| had in the peculiar figure! Why, ance I nm had paused and dri the a the dust on the leather cover! What a dunce--how blind I had been! The cipher was not difficult to read now. At recalled Burke's shadow on the blin he had been bending over thin table, and the agile movements of his hands were no longer mysterious, He, too, had some knowledge of the cipher, d he had been rapidly running over the tack heads, hunting for the combination that would reveal a concealed com- partment. After a while we grew rational again. TI got out the cipher, and once more Genevieve and 1 put our heads together over it, If you remember,” I said presentiy, told you that very likely it would have to be interpreted in connection with something not on the paper. Coupt the tacks along the front edge.” There were nineteen of th “Counting from either end,” [ went on, “the centre tack will be ten, as simpleas ABC. That's c ing point from which to find the others, Find the fourth one to the right of the centre tack—number ten,”” She placed the tp of one forofinger Upon it—a bit gingerly, 1 smiled to sei “I don't know about that, gave it to be. I see whore T to lose a fortune, Five hy thousand-—whew! . Sucdenly she snuggled close clasped her hands tightly shoulde Her hair teased an and the delicate perfume of me light aded, retty head sideways, she arch look at me from under her then glanced quickly away” Hlue eyes and long black a potuntly disturbing com Well,” she sig! par have cost you @ it gave you me. 48 she announced in sui i erribly cut up if it didn’t, aatd t ‘ow, then, the eleventh to the right Thin carried her to the third one around the side; number thirteen was the fifth on the left side, number sev- enteen the ninth on the right side, while number five was on the front edge, of course, close to the cen’ Rach of them yielded 4 trifle beneath her pressure—until sbe came to mune