THE STORYTELLER

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1915, Page 9 (Supplement)

THE STORYTELLER

(By H. C. Witweb

AN EVEN BREAK,

If it had. merely been a large diamond, Lomax would have looked at it with a speculative eye and resumed his persual of the sporting page as the express lumbered through the abyss under Manhattan. But when his fascinated gaze persisted in gluing it3elf to the dead centre of the beams of fire and life it shot forth, he decided, after a feeble resistance, that he must possess it. Lomax had never seen the mate of the ball of dazzling flame marooned in the centre of the old gentleman's massive white shirt front. It quivered like a living thing. It's owner nodded sleepily as the train jolted on. Such callousness amazed Lomax. If the stone had been in his shirt front he would have been sitting as erect as the footman on Mrs. Smyth-Browne's limousine. He would have allowed nothing to obstruct the view.

Having determined to transfer the diamond from the sleepy old gentleman to his more appreciative sell, Lomax glancaround the car at the other occupants. Near the forward platform a rough-looking individual was engaged in an animated conversation with the guard. Almost directly opposite was a smug this-suit-at-ten-dollars clerk. At the rear end of the car —Lomax involuntarily sat erect. No, Lillian Russell would be stouter—could it be—but she was in Paris. The other passenger was » combination of what musical-comedy managers assert are in their choruses and what Psyche would resemble in modern garb, all rolled up into one ravishing girl. Lomax's spell of admiration was only,broken when the guard shouted: "Ninesixchangefer Wes' Farms!"

It was effective, and brought Lomax back to the matter on hand. The direct descendant of the temptresses of St. Anthony rose and glided down the car toward the open side door. Lomax also left his seat and stood opposite the old gentleman and the mammoth diamond — one "Sand ready for the deft downward swoop, the other steadying him, on a strap. The girl brushed against him. Lomax apologised and stepped politely aside, allowing her to pass. When she stepped through the doorway—the old gentleman's diamond had disappeared! Lomas gasped audibly at the flawless technique the girl had displayed. Just one swift flash of the beautiful arm, a. quick jerk of the lovely wrist and the stone had vanished! On the crowded platform, Lomax got a brief glimpse of a swirling skirt disappearing at the top of the stairway. Five seconds later, Lomax emerged into the street. The girl had gained the corner when he saw her. She hesitated for a fleeting moment, then, started down Ninety-sixth Street towards the river. Lomax lit a cigarette, and, smiling grimly, swung after her. The street was dark—almost deserted— Lomax was himself again. ,- It was half-way down the block that he caught up with her. He did not cough and "er ." Lomax was crude, but successful. He grasped the girl by -the arm and swung her around brutallyfacing him. "Classy ia no name for your work,"' lie said, 'but I was right behind you in: the car!"

Swiftly the girl appraised him. "Are you a detective?" she breathed, trembling in his rough grasp. "Yes," answered Lomax, assuming a menacing look. The girl jerked her arm away and fumbled in her muff. "Here!" She thrust a glittering object luto his hand. "Here—take it! I—l don't know what made me do it. I've tried Oh, how I've tried to stop! I—oh! Can't you understand? Let me go, and keep the stone. Think, it's yours —you'll get nothing for taking me in.

She brke off, sobbing hysterically. Lomax didn't hear Mat else she said—he didn't know she was there. The atone glittered and scintillated in the palm of his trembling hand. He gazed at it, hypnotised. Why, it was worth thousands! He glanced up, the girl was gone!

"You're a slick one!" growled a hoarse voice in his ear.

Lomax, startled, turned so abruptly that the stone fell from his grasp. The newcomer lunged for it. Lomax kicked him without a pang, and as the man, caught off his balance, fell, Lomax regained the stone. "Easy, boss," whined the fallen one. "What do you want!", asked Lomax sharply. The man got up warily. He had an ■evil, predatory face. "I wants dat sparkler!" he said. Lomax laughed shortly. " I saw you take it from th' skirt," explained the man. "If you are here in one minute, I'll have you sent up for a year!" Lomax ■aid deliberately. "Shoot!" said the other, assuming a truculent attitude. "I'll wise 'em up that you got th' stone. They'll be some noise over dat when the old guy wakes 'So you were in that car, eh?" asked Lomax, after a pause. "Sure! That skirtfs some nifty worker, ain't she ?" answered the other, becoming more at ease.

Lomax reached in an inner pocket and brought out his wallet. He took a yellowback from a thick roll of bilb and pushed it into the other's hand. "On you way!" he commanded.

The man looked at the bill, at Lomax, ant at the heavens. Then he crushed the bill in his grimy hand and walked off, without a word. Lomax put the diamond in his wallet and reached for his cigarette case. Although it was quite cool, he mopped hi 3 brow and opened his overcoat. A young, darkish-looking individual crossed from the other side of the street and stopped in front of Lomax.

"Don't make no fuss now, because there's some bulls around the corner ■waitin' to hear me blow this!" was his salutation as he held a whistle before Lomax's face.

"I'm afraid I don't-get you," said Lo. max, tossing away the unlighted cigarette.

"Well, pou wilß" returned the other grimly. "I want yon to take a little ride down town with me and tell the commissioner , the story of the missing diamond. I hear you wrote it," he added, with sneering facetiousness. "I haven't the slightest idea what you are talkhig about " began Lomax. "Say," interrupted the other wearily, "why don't you guys get some, new stuff? If I ever mi'lcd one of you birds and he said, 'Yon trot m« right!" I'd fall over dead! Well, come lei's po!" "W\ (rive yo« ni'-! lihhu-<1 dollars to i,„r,.\rr .-•< p..-. ~.; . .i...-ri' a* j-ch! ;h • corVtl~ si:j!|j*sUd i.OiiidX hopafullp.

"Don't break your wrist!" admonished his captor. "Come on, it's getting late." "Two hundred dollars," said Louiax. "Say!" exclaimed the man abruptly, "you're a generous guy, ain't you? That stone's worth fifteen hundred dollars if it's worth a nickel! I watched it all the way up from Brooklyn Bridge before that skirt of yours nailed it, I knew somebody'd get it." Lomax removed the diamond from his wallet and passed the leather case over to the man. "There is five hundred dollars there. Take it. I won't get anything like what this stone is worth, and you know it." Unconsciously lie repeated the girl's appeal: "You won't get anything for bringing me in. Five hundred dollars is a lot of money —think what you can do with it —maybe the wife " The man stood pensively for a moment, and Lomax gulped down the lump in his throat. "Gimme th' roll!" he muttered finally. "I'll take a chance!" Lomax grasped his arm as he started off. "Wait," he said, "I've given you all the money I have. Give me enough to get home with, will you?" The man glanced up suspiciously, then sank one hand in his pocket and extended a worn dollar bill. Lomax took it, bowed, and called to a passing taxi-cab.

Madame Carrero was dancing her daringest at the Cabaret Malpert. A reekless, joyous crowd filled the cafe. As madame discarded the seventh veil, a vision of femininity, a smug this-surt-at-ten-dollars clerk, a rough-appearing character, and an elderly gentleman entered. They were bowed to a table well in the rear. The elderly gentleman Bcanned the wine list, smacking his lips anticipatingly as he gave a few sharp orders to an obsequious waiter. The clerkish-looking one threw a roll of bills on the table, and the elderly gentleman began to count the money, thumbing each bill almost affectionately. "Those last stones are beauties," remarked the girl. "Max gets better al) the time. I suppose if we'd pay a dollar a. piece for thtfm, he'd give us real ones, eh?" she laughed, enjoying her quip. "If that guy had fallen any harder he'd V broken his neck!" declared the rough-looking member of the party. "Five hundred and fifty dollars," announced the elderly gentleman, finishing his count. "I guess that's bad, eh!" The girl picked up one of the bills idly —then she sat up straight in her chair and held it to the light, with flushed face. The clerk, observing her action,, tore it roughly from her hand. He studied <, it deeply, then, with an oath, tore it in two and tossed the ragged pieces at the open-mouthed elderly gentleman.

"You're a good guesser!" he said. An oppressive silence fell on the merry partp—the rough one broke it. "Well," he said, with a ponderous attempt at cheerfulness, "it's an even break. He gets the fake diamond, aßd we get the stage money." The clerk awoke from his trance, < and woke the others by crashing his fist down on the table.

"Where d'ye get that stuff?" he cried. "I gave that guy a dollar!"