Detective Fiction Weekly. Vol. 36, No. 4, October 20, 1928

“At any rate, I take no chances on that score. Now, if you can keep a close tongue in your mouth I can get you all the diamonds, pearls, emeralds and even rubies that you might want, for say a quarter of the regular price.”

I must retain the role I had assumed of the extravagantly rich American, and yet one who was not quite a fool with his money.

Beating the Duty

“Of course,” said I, “even when one considers spending a considerable sum on such baubles, one must be careful. In the case of this ring, I must confess I was hasty. I’m not usually so. I’ve been having quite a little fling in Paris, and thought twelve thousand francs for a little ring, comparatively speaking, did not count for much.

“I understand perfectly all you have said about your income and your station in life and in society. Of course, I am not counting on buying a great Jot of stuff, but if you can put me on the track of some real bargains I will be very glad to consider buying from you or through you as the case may be. The matter of the duty — the ad valorem—”

“Oh, as to that” — she laughed merrily — “there are various ways of getting around that. I happen to know several of them. Every one does it, you know, I mean beats the duty.”

She returned the ring to me and sipped at the champagne I had ordered. Meanwhile she was taking most thorough stock of myself.

Then, as if taking a sudden determination, she reached down under the table, as though perhaps adjusting her skirt or stocking, and brought forth a bracelet of diamonds and emeralds, by far the most elaborate piece of jewelry of its kind I had ever seen.

As it lay on the table between us I glanced around as though fearful some of the habitues of the place might see it and suspect something.

A Pile of Francs

“Never mind them, monsieur,” said she, laughing gayly, “even if any one noticed it they would swear it must be paste. But — it is distinctly not. It is the real thing. Its original value — its value right now for the matter of that, is close to ten thousand dollars American money, say two hundred and fifty thousand francs.”

She shrugged her shoulders very prettily and accepted one of my cigarettes with the utmost sang-froid. “And that, my dear monsieur, is but a sample of what I have to offer.” Again she laughed, then, “I talk like a shopkeeper, do I not? In fact, I speak as one of the petit bourgeoisie?”

“Not at all,” I responded, as her laughter died away into a fascinating ripple. “Hardly that. If anything, you are certainly an aristocrat, mademoiselle.”

“Thank you,” she responded, nodding, “but, as I say, I can manage to get you what you want in the way of jewels, set or unset, much cheaper than you can get them yourself. You see, I have access to certain channels, certain dealers we will call them, and, well, I can get them.

“Now, this bracelet you may have for — let me see — well, I will let you have it for fifty thousand francs, two thousand dollars in American money.”

I was prepared for just such a contingency as this. I knew the bracelet was worth, even at a quick sale, anywhere in the world, as much as she asked me for it. The clients of our International Police and Detective Organization would be very glad to get hold of such a treasure as this for twice the price, and the original owner, assuming it had been stolen, as I believed, would be glad to redeem it. And if not, it fitted in with my plans to make the purchase anyway.

Consequently without further delay, and without the slightest hesitancy I drew forth a fat wallet from an inside pocket and counted out the money. As I shoved the pile of francs to her across the table and pocketed the bracelet, she smiled and held out her hand.

“I see, monsieur,” said the girl, “that you are a man after my own heart. And — I can tell by the look in your eyes, that you are no man’s fool or woman’s either. You know jewels when you see them. I could tell that by the way you inspected the bracelet.

Money that Talked

“You saw every stone in it in the space of a minute. Perhaps, after all, monsieur is one of those American jewelers over here looking for just such bargains as this?”

“No,” I responded, “I am not a jeweler, nor do I claim to be an expert, so-called. I do know something of jewels, yes, enough to know the bracelet is not a bad buy at the price. Of course I’m asking no questions as to how you got hold of it; fact is, I don’t care.

“By rights, I should have some qualified connoisseur go over this bracelet with a powerful glass, but I’m taking a chance on your playing square with me and on my own snap judgment. That’s all.