Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 26, 2025
And K. Wilmington Maddon Jimmie Dale's smile grew whimsical he had known Maddon quite intimately for years, had even dined with him at the St. James Club only a few nights before. Maddon was a man in his own "set" and Maddon, interfered with, was likely to prove none too tractable a customer to handle. And young Burton, the letter had said, was Maddon's private and confidential secretary.
"Well, say at the expense of another man's reputation of mine," suggested Jimmie Dale, with his whimsical smile. "You need only say that a man came to you this evening, told you that he stole these rubies from Mr. Maddon during the afternoon, and asked you, as Mr. Maddon's private secretary, to restore them with his compliments to their owner."
It came without warning a crash, a pound on the door below another. Burton shrank back against the wall. "My God! The police!" he gasped. "Maddon's found out! We're we're caught!" Jimmie Dale's eyes, on old Isaac, narrowed. The pounding in the alleyway grew louder, more insistent. And then his first suspicion passed it was no "game" of Isaac's.
Maddon." Jimmie Dale hung up the receiver and shoved Burton toward the door. "Now then, Burton, we'll get out of her and the sooner you reach Fifth Avenue and Mr. Maddon's house the better. No; not that way!" They had reached the hall, and Burton had turned toward the side door that opened on the alleyway. "Whoever they were who settled their last account with Isaac may still be watching.
Lady Maddon says that women who are very vile and undeserving are sometimes wickedly clever, and can pick up modist women's manners wondrously, but they always break out before long and are more indecent than ever; and you may mark my Lady Maddon's words, she says this one will do the same, but first she is playing a part and restraining herself that she may deseave some poor gentleman and trap him into marrying her.
"How?" asked Jimmie Dale. "Do you know the combination of Mr. Maddon's safe?" "No," said Burton "And the safe would be locked, wouldn't it?" "Yes." "Quite so," said Jimmie Dale musingly. "Then, granted that Mr. Maddon has not already discovered the theft, how would you replace the stones before he does discover it?
Burton drew back, swept his hand in a dazed way across his eyes and laughed out suddenly in bitter mirth. "A few rubies!" he cried. "The most magnificent stones on this side of the water a FEW rubies! It's been Maddon's life hobby. Every child in New York knows that! A few yes, there's only a few but those few are worth a fortune. He trusts me, the man has been like a father to me, and "
"Ah here it is!" He lifted a telephone receiver from its hook, and gave a number. Burton caught him quickly by the arm. "Good Lord, man, what are you doing?" he protested anxiously. "That's Mr. Maddon's house!" "So I believe," said Jimmie Dale complacently. "Hello! Is Mr. Maddon there? . . . I beg pardon? . . . Personally, yes, if you please." There was a moment's wait.
It was a spring lock; the signal was one long ring and three short ones the Tocsin had not missed even those small details. Also, Burton was late for his appointment, for that must have been Burton business such as old Isaac had in hand that night would have permitted the entrance of no other visitor but K. Wilmington Maddon's private secretary.
He told you how you could get it you had access to Maddon's safe, you were Maddon's confidential secretary, fully in your employer's trust, the last man on earth to be suspected and there were Maddon's famous, priceless rubies." Jimmie Dale paused. Burton made no answer. "And so," said Jimmie Dale presently, "to save yourself from the death penalty you took them."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking