The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1928-05-31, Page 3Somers Roche
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY
jTohn Ainsley, a man of education
breeding, becomes a master crook
’-—preying upon other thieves. At
a resort hotel, Kernochan, a
wealthy retired broker, shows
Ainsley a large ruby ring, a- pres
ent to his
gagement
■detective.
acquired
•against the estate of Henry Adams
Boston millionaire. The deal ap
pears on the surface to have been
a swindle.
daughter upon her en-
to Ernest Vantine, a
The jewel Kernochan
in settling a claim
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
"I. am, sorry,” I told her. And in
deed- 1 was. She was so courageous
and her voice when she mentioned
her husband’s name was so sad, that
my heart went out to her, I have
known widows who would have be
rated. their husbands for leaving
ihem unprovided for, but Mrs.
Adams was not that kind. The
memory of her husband was, her
dearest possession, infinitely more Valuable than the Grand Duke’s
Jfewel. I felt a wave <of sentiment
engulfing me; but I metaphorically
swam to '
mo room
"broached
"I- had
shore. My business held
for sentiment. And so I
the real reason for my call,
hoped,” T. said, "to obtain
,yi photograph of ‘'the ruby ring. I Gjilan to illustrate my text.’-’
I. waited for her reply; upon it
everything depended. And luck
Was with me.
“I have a paste copy of the ring,”
she told me. “Henry had it immed
iately upon his return to America
with the stone. You see”—and her
faded cheeks colored prettily—“I
wasn’t quite honest a moment ago.
3 am a countrywoman, but still, I
am a woman. And I did want to
wear that ring. Everyone knew
•that Henry owned it, and—one is as
silly at sixty as at sixteen. Sillier!
'And. yet the jewel was too precious.
So Henry had tlie copy made, and
once or twice I wore it. I wonder
If all realities are shams and all
shams realities. Anyway, I have the
THE EXETER TIMES-ApVOCATE THLW’JMY, MAY 31st, 1028
■I
you
you
copy, anti if that would do
good, I am quite sure that
welcome to it."’
I turned my ‘head away,
observe the gleam ip my
was with difficulty that I kept
voice steady, as I assured 'her that
I would be most grateful if she
would lend me the imitation for a
few weeks. ’
Half an hour later I left her. For
the first time since I had definite
ly adopted my new profession, I
felt sick at heart. For Mrs. Adams
had insisted that I stay to tea with
her. Knowing her poverty, I was
loath to add the slightest expense to
her straitened budget. Yet it. was
not that which piade me swallow
her 'food and drink with effort; it
any
are
at Greenwich, I, who had gone a
year without being able to afford a
ride 'in a taxicab, now sat behind
the wheel of my roadster.
, trunk-rack behind was a
which
suits,
socks,
1 tants
seat beside me were my golf-sticks.
I looked, with all my furnishings,
what I was,—-a gentleman,
looked what, I was not,—a
! aire.
[ X had taken the precaution
phoning from the nearby town of
i Stamford; and so, when I arrived
j at ■ the vulgarly ostentatious resi-
1 deuce of Kernochan, Vantine was
, ___VI.___, there. It was Saturday, and I had
was the fact that this brave old! felt. fairly certain that the detective
lady, who somehow made me think ’
of a russet apple, wrinkled as to
skin, but sound" and sweet within
thought me to be as honest as her
self. She questioned me about my
life, my family, and I fed her lies.
I was sick and ashamed, and wrath
ful at the weakness which made me
feel this way when I left her, I
the city could provide, yet some
how seemed to feel that my gift was
an insult. For a moment I was
tempted to abandon my project;
sent her the finest box of candy
then my'own self-disgust roused in
me an anger toward Kernochan.
For some things we need no proof
susceptible to analysis by the five
senses,
truth.
knows truth,
adults occasionally preserve the gift
of childhood. I say that instinct
lives within us all, the heritage of a
thousand generations, and that we
are fools who disdain it and prefer
our lying senses. I knew, as de
finitely as though I had witnessed
the performance of the chicanery,
that Kernochan had swindled
Adams’ widow. He deserved to lose
the ruby.
There
Vantino
well as
he had
agency,
pid gull;
tain peculiar satisfaction if I repaid
his opinion of one by taking his
fiancee’s ring. I do not mind los
ing a wager to a gentleman; but a
man who will inveigle strangers in
to unfair speculation, is a cad and
deserves punishment.
Besides, if I must be honest—and
it affords me, who am a thief, a pe
culiar joy to indulge myself, in
these memoirs, in the unusual lux
ury 'of honesty—the Grand Duke’s
ruby was worth three hundred thou
sand dollars. I know no argument
that could seem so potent to me.
So behold' me, two weeks later,
driving into the Kernochan estate
lest
eye.
she
It
my
A 'sixth sene tells us the
Just as a child somehow
by instinct, so we
was something else, too,
was a famous detective, as
a boorish cheat. At least,
inherited a great detective
He had thought me a stu-
; it would afford me a cer-
On the
box in
lounge.
, silken
were evening clothes,
shirts of finest linen.
and all those other concomi-
of wealth. Wedged in the
X also
million
of tele-
would spend a week-end at the home
of his fiancee. My logic was justified
by the event. For . Miss Kernochan
had answered my telephone call,
had assured me that Vantine would
doubtless be willing to offer me
venge.
Vantine was willing; indeed,
was anxious. AVe arranged that
should play on the course of a near
by club, mmediately after luncheon.
It irked me to accept the Kerno
chan hospitality; but. all professions
have their disagreeable sides. And
so 1 ate their food with relish. I
will say for Kernochan that his cook
•was good. That is about all I can
I say for him. For not merely was
lie boastful as to his wealth, but he
showed an unpardonable curiously,
toward myself. I indulged myself
in a certain gift for fiction. I nam
ed a city in the West as my home. I
skillfully created the impression
that I was immensely rich, that a
wound received in the war had in
capacitated me for active work, and
that I divided my time between Am
erica and Europe, wandering where-
ever I thought I might find amuse
ment, I told them that I had ac
quired my car at Pinehurst and had
motored north, golfing on the way.
Also I warned Vantine that my game
had improved, and suggested that
we make the stakes a thousand dol
lars this time? He accepted with
elation,
Three hours later, on the fifteenth
green, I handed him a thousand dol
lars.
"I can’t understand it,” I said
pettishly. "I just can’t get going
to-day.” 1
He grinned. Had he
could have won earlier,
cuse was ridiculous,
play again to-morrow,”
od.
“For two thousand
cried,
1-Ie turned away to hide a smirk.
"Just as you say,” he replied.
I had yielded to Kernochan’s sol
icitous invitation that I dine with
re-
he
we
chosen, he
and my ex-
"We might
he suggest-
dollars,” I
them and play some bridge later.
In addition to his other disqualifica
tions, Kernochan was a snob. And
I fear that nty careless mention of
certain names highly placed in in
ternational society had given the
Kernoeimns a false idea of my own
social position. They were not going
to let depart, too easily, one who
might graciously open doors forever
barred to a certain class of brokers
and detective.
At dinner Miss Kernochan wore
her ruby ring. 1 had not invested
in a motoi’ car, nor in a golf-match
with Vantine in vain. Before din
ner was half over, Kernochan, learn
ing of tomorrow’s match, insisted'
that 1 must spend the night in his
house. 1 could offer no valid ex
cuse; and so upon my acceptance,
the matter was settled.
Not until Miss Kernochan and
myself, having lost a rubber, we
were cutting again for partners, did
I appear to notice the ruby ring.
"I see that you’ve had the setting
fixed,” I then remarked.
Kernochan nodded. "Daragon’s
offered me three hundred and
twenty-five thousand for that, ring,”
he declared. "But it ain’t for sale,
I guess my girl is good enough to
have a ring like that for herself.”
She simpered, not prettily. I
could not but contrast this insolent
and common-looking
the sweet dignified
whom, by chicanery,
beep taken.
I whistled,
twenty-five
exclaimed,
sible. Still,
r
Tj
h:
*h Ker-
ad been
his pro
had not
my at-
sly a
Zantine
red th
Constipated ?
Tired Out?
No Energy?
woman with
lady from
the ring had
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DEALER
hundred and
dollars!” I
seem pos-
I
leaned over, looking at the stone.
Miss Kernochan did the obvious
thing. She slipped the ring from
her finger and handed it to me.
Now, I had not intended' to put in
to ’effort certain plans, which had
brought me to this house, so soon.
But, a storm had been brewing dur
ing dinner it burst now with a clap
of thunder and a'flash of lightning.
And a moment later the lights in the
library went out. Miss Kernochan
screamed in alarm. Her father
laughed, “They’ll be on again in a
minute, Alice,” he told her. "This
often happens during a storm, Mr.
Ainsley,”
I made
my voice
cover of
stituting the paste ring which. Mn
Adams had so sweetly loaned me,
for the Grand Duke’s ruby.
But in the darkness my fingers
were clumsy. True, I managed to
put the geniune stone in my waist
coat pocket, but the imitation slipp
ed from ray grasp, and fell upon the
table.
"What was that,”
Kernochan nervously
hit the table-top.
"I dropped your ring
1 replied.
A® *’>I spoke the lights came on
The ring was not upon the
For
then
"Three
thousand
"It doesn’t
it is beautiful.”
he said to me.
some reply, trying to keep
from shaking. For under
the darkness 1 was sub-
’So
asked Miss
as 'the ring
again,
table,
lence;
hard.
I don’t
” he said suspiciously.
It must be on the floor,”
plied. I tried to keep my
steady but failed lamentably,
any rate, Vantine crossed the room,
and before I realized his intention,
had locked the one door of the room
"It will have to be on the floor,”
he said.
I stared at him. “What do you
mean?” I demanded.
“Nothing—if the ring is on the
floor/’ he retorted.
I will say for the Kernochans
that they were embarrassed by the
sudden
spoke.
Ernest.
"You
tine.
I had not liked him before; I
hated him now. Yet. trying to as
sume on air of inured innocence, I
joined their search. And there was
no make-believe 'in my aid. I
knew that unless one of us found
the imitation ring, I would not be
permitted to leave this house. T
would be searched, and that might
be dangerous.
Yet after fifteen minutes'in which
all four of us had combed the rugs
and the corners of the room, Van
tine straightened up.
"Well, we’ve given
chance, Ainsley,” he
we’ll really look for
vanced toward me.
I blustered, but he cried me down.
His hands were reaching for me,
and I cursed the greediness that had
made me retain the ring. I could
have slipped it out of the pocket at
any time during this past quarter
of an hour, but I had been certain
that we would find the paste copy.
And then, just as I was tightening
my muscles, prepared to fight my
way out of the situation from which
wit had failed to extricate me, Ker
nochan cried out in excitement. He
was wearing an informal sort of
evening dress, a baggy affair of
heavy material, the dinner suit of
a man who wislies to accent the dif
ference between night and day, but
who also wishes to be extremely
comfortable. The soft material had
cuffs on sleeves and trousers, and
into
ring
over
an
which my pulse stood still
Van line grinned ,‘feebly.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Ainsley,’
he said sheepishly,
I - stared at him
cannot be granted,’
turned to my host,
give’me it, under the circumstances
a moment there was si-
Van tine’s pop eyes
I am forced to withdraw accept
ance of your invitation to spend the
night.”
It was a situation to
hochaii was -unequal, p
just as suspicious of me
spective son-in-law, and
the tact wherewith to me
titude. He looked hel.
Vantine. I also looked ;
"Unlock tlie door,” I '
detective. '
He shrugged, flushed ;
and walked to the door,
was almost in the Jock v,
ancee screamed.
"This isn’t my ruby,”
For all his clumsy bulk
was quick of movemen
hand, he leaped to her
an imitation,” he d
glared at me, "Very
most two clever, my
But you’re dealing with
tine. Now, will you
here or at the police sta
I flattei- myself that
ments like this that J
greatest heights. I
weary contempt. I waL
the room, and if my brc
with wrath at myself be
been fool enough to thin
imitation could deceive ;
had held the original in t
a moment before, I do f
that my face reflected w.;
Upon the table lay a •
that Miss Kernochan had
put myself between my three
cusers and the table, half turning,
as I did so. M'y righi hand was
“ Fruit-a-tives ” gives
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ple-’f
•it \
;.m:e redly,
t The key
.vhen his fi-
Van tine
thief
V an-
rched MR. J2, LEMAY.
Montreal, Que.—“J was always constl-r
pated, bilious and weary until one day"
I met a traveller who recommended!
‘Fruit-a-tives’, I procured some. You.
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I am in perfect health, always energetic-
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"Fruit-a-tives” overcome constipation in."
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restore natural intestinal action. Be welt
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.n mo
te my
ted a
across
eethed
I had
at the
ipie who
fr hands
believe
knights.
m‘ly beg
’.rried, I
ac-
si
a
1
7<
hidden from their view for less than
a quarter of a second, yet ihnt was
time enough for me to effect a
transfer of the Grand D;i he’s ruby
from my waistcoat pock-■1 to the
vanity bag. Then, conH npiuously
facing them all, I told Y 'inline to
search me.
An hour later Van tine _,'ive it up
He had summoned, the bi-tier, sent
his fiancee from the room , and the
three men had stripped r m. Fail-
ing to discover the au-Ju mtie ring
they had repeatedly seal c.hed the
room. But Miss Kermrman had
taken her vanity bag with her when
she left the room. I ,uld only
pray that in the excite.zient she
would forget to powder he. nose.
And when at length Vei ztme and
S”
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Kernochan despaired of fin Bag the
ring, they sent the butler for the
young woman.
held a council of war, and
shot of their conversation •
Vantine started for the H
to call the police,
ly, I stopped him.
"Of course you
said “that I shall
.criminal slander and for
prisoninent. It seems to
inan in my position oughi tv he able
i images—
; mid
In my presence they
the tip-
that
Nephone,
Speaking mild-
understand,” 1
bring suit for
false im-
ne that a
SHOWIMS
to collect substantial Li
say, a quarter of a million.
"A damned sneak-tliief
Ject nothing,” snarled
he paused.
"Quite true,” said
are not discussing a
are discussing a gentleman of posi
tion.”
"You have that ring; at ]
know where it is,”
tine. "It.
air. And this is paste.” *■
rated the copy which lay :t
bard table.
"And aside
which I 'shall
damages,” I
"there is something else
sidered. You are the :
famous detective
bears your name,
that I have stolen
very presence, and
prove the theft*
prove it by finding the ;i::<
sort of advertisement will -t
your agency?”
I let 'this sink in: I enjo;
expression on Vantine’s in
eyed men should never perm.'
selves to look angry. The;
beautiful at ‘best, and
worst they are extremely .
"You don:t think we’re
let you go?” blustered Va:
“I don/t think it; I know
plied. “And if this nonsen
at once, I shall let the mot
Otherwise—” My pause
threat.
I saw the cunning in
eyes. Yet I despised him
oughly that I underrated
ties. He whispered a mom
Kernochan, but I thought t
were merely arguing the .
ity of risking the suit
threatened to bring.
Vantine turned to me am.
stated that I was at liber;
abstracted the ring from i?
bag which Miss Kernochan :
ed again on the table. O.
still an amateur in those da
I was too confident in my
and too given to contempt
praisal of the wit of othe
just as we
tine said;
"I think
once again,
I suppose. I went white. 1 should
have known that no one but an ut
ter fool would have permitted me to
depart so easily, and Vantine read
my horror,
ancee.
"If you’ll
we’ll search
_ v' Y°tt **“■’” cS nt r 1 sb® said, bewildered.
see the ruby, Mr.
grew
Ains-
I re
voice
. At
situation. The daughter
"Of course it’s on the floor,
We’ll find it—’’
bet we will,’’ assented Van-
you a
said.
it.”
fair
“Now
He ad-
one of these latter my paste
had fallen. Kernochan bent
and retrieved it. There was
embarrassing silence, during
Thon
I fear that it
You will for
col-
Yet
we
we
-t you
declared Van-
didn’t vanish thin
indi-
:i the
Goodyear Tire
in price. Ask us for
price on your size.
from the L.
certainly - >J:
went on
! )
agen ■;
If y i
a .•
are n.i
■and you ,i
reached the
4
I ro-
-eases
drop,
is a
stine’s
thor-
abili-
* with
they
isabil-
ich I
when
gruffly
to go,
vanity
plac-
was
Also.
Wit,
.d
I
n
us ap-
For.
. Van-
we’d better search you
Ainsley,”
He turned to his fi-
leave us again,
this man.”
have searched
(To be continued)
Alieo,
him
• ci
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