Mrs. Wilson Woodrow

“ His eyes were fixed thoughtfully upon the ash-receiver. It was one of those patent contrivances so made as to leave no unsightly stubs exposed or gray ashes to be blown about, with a flat tray on top swinging so easily on a central pivot as to deposit in a bowl underneath anything dropped upon it.
It was the prompt disappearance of Erland's cigarette as he flung it down, and the return of the swinging tray to an equilibrium, that had caught Wallace's attention and had given him a suggestion he could not help feeling was either a touch of insanity or a direct inspiration. ”

“ Rose Edgewater had drifted into the lives of Achison and Ramsey as lightly as thistledown, and had established herself with a permanence not usually associated with anything so ethereal. Achison posed as a sort of guardian to her. The invalid aunt with whom she lived was a client of his, and at a time when their fortunes were at an extremely low ebb, he had come to the rescue and by his legal ingenuity had recovered for them a sum of money which enabled them to live in comfort. ”

“ I have no time to run here, there, and wait days, maybe months, until some rich man makes up his mind whether he wants it or not. Unless I got the money by tomorrow, my store will close. So I give you a grand bargain. It is a tragedy; but what can I do? Take the violin,” he thrust it into Ramsey's hands, “for fifteen thousand, cash down.”
Wallace gave an involuntary start. If this little wretch was speaking the truth and the instrument really was a genuine Stradivarius, it was a bargain indeed. ”

“ Rose laid a hand upon his trembling arm.
“But you have it back, Herr Erland,” she urged. “You have recovered it safe and unharmed.”
“True.” He yielded to her gentle persuasion. “There is cause for thankfulness; I have my Stradivarius safe.” He hugged the case to his breast. “I have said, young lady, that women cannot play the violin, but about you I am not so sure. You have temperament; you defied Erland to his face. Listen, I will give you a hearing, and at it you shall play on my Stradivarius.
“But as for you!” He flung out his hand scornfully toward Achison. ”

“ He leaned forward as if deliberating and preoccupiedly tapped with his fingers on the ash-receiver, causing the tray to make two or three complete revolutions
“I think,” he said slowly, “that Herr Erland is right. It is a pure waste of time to conduct the investigation in this way. We are getting nowhere. What we want to do is to go carefully over every foot of the ground. If we then fail to unearth anything that tends to throw light on the mystery, I am willing to turn the violin over to Herr Erland, and let the affair be investigated through the ordinary channels.” ”

“ The virtuoso, as he saw his beloved Stradivarius thus appropriated, seemed about to strangle. Stuttering expostulations, half in English, half in Norwegian, he appealed to Achison.
“Are you going to let him have my violin—this thief? Is there no law then in the accursed country? Why do you not call a policeman and have him arrested?”
“There is no need to get excited, Herr Erland,” Wallace urged pacifically. “I have no designs upon your precious violin, for I haven't the slightest doubt that it is your property. ”

“ His swift exuberance was so great that Ramsey feared for a moment the fellow was going to embrace him, and quickly put the table between them.
“There is a violinist here in the house,” he suggested, “whose judgment I am willing to trust. I shall want to consult him, and perhaps others. He will probably be at home now, and if you will bring the violin, we can go right up and see him.”
Pardus hesitated. “I should not leave my store for so long: there is no one to wait on customers but the little boy. Why not leave the violin with you?” ”

“ As he gained the platform, the ironic chuckle with which Achison greeted Ramsey's discomfiture and Rose's soft murmur of sympathy were drowned by a splutter of Norwegian.
“It sticks!” Erland turned a startled face toward the group in the doorway. “When I try to lift the case, it does not come. What is the matter?”
“Give it a jerk,” advised Ramsey. His dejected air had entirely vanished. “The magnet has probably gained strength and exerts a stiffer pull than Mr. Achison anticipated. I noticed it when I placed the violin on the cabinet. ”

“ Rose listened intently, but Ramsey found it impossible to tell from her expression whether she believed him or not.
“It should not be difficult to locate this—er—Pardus,” commented Achison. “Has he a telephone? You do not know?” He raised his brows.
A suspicion that had been slowly forming in Wallace's mind became assurance. The shop that he had visited was a mere theatrical setting; Pardus, having obtained the fifteen thousand dollars, and having palmed off the violin upon his gullible dupe, had simply decamped. ”

“ Customs change with costumes, and such methods do not accord with 1921 evening-clothes But the heart of man remains unchanged. He never doubted Achison's purpose effectually to silence the adversary who like a hound of Destiny was forever snapping at his heels; and on his own part, Ramsey's determination to strip the other of his various masquerades and show him to the world as an astute and accomplished crook was as sternly inexorable. ”

“ She looked imploringly at Achison. “Do tell him there is some mistake.”
Achison shook his head in a grave way.
“By whom was the violin given to you, Rose? We must get at the bottom of this; it is a serious matter.”
“By me.” Ramsey started up, recovering from the astonishment into which he had been plunged by Erland's announcement. “I gave it—” He caught at the loophole which she herself had furnished him. “That is, I loaned it to Miss Edgewater. The instrument is mine. I bought it yesterday.” ”

“ It is incomparable and therefore inimitable.
[Illustration: The guests were deserting the concert-hall for the dining-room.]
“Listen to the tone of it,” cried the other, who gave his name as Pardus; and catching up the bow, he played a few bars. As the rich notes vibrated through the room, Ramsey's excitement increased.
To conceal his eagerness he lighted a cigarette and pretended to examine the violin more critically.
“I will have to know something more about this,” he said. “Why are you willing to sell? Also how did the violin come into your possession?” ”

“ Unable to keep still, though, he paced nervously up and down the floor while he snapped out his answers to Wallace's questions; and without bothering to ask Rose's permission, lighted cigarette after cigarette, only to toss them away after a few puffs.
“Ach!” he groaned, turning to Achison as he flung the fifth one into the ash-receiver which Rose had placed on the table. “I shall be unable to play at that second concert of yours tonight. You will have to call it off. My nerves are all in a jangle from this foolishness.
“Let us finish.” He swung around petulantly to Ramsey again. ”

“ Had Herr Erland been a less tempestuous smoker, or had Miss Edgewater put out a different sort of an ash-tray, I would still be cudgeling my brains for a solution. But that ash-tray of hers gave me the idea.
“I was already convinced, you see, that the violin had been taken during the time that it lay on the music-cabinet after the concert: but how it had been done, I could not imagine. Everybody knows Lieutenant Dickson is one of the squarest as well as the shrewdest men on the force ”

“ Ramsey?” the stranger asked with a little strong foreign accent, and then as Wallace nodded: “I hear that you have look everywhere for a fine violin. I,”—he flashed his teeth in what was meant to be an ingratiating smile, touched his chest with his forefinger, and then pointed dramatically to his parcel. ”

“ But anybody could come in here and make the same claim, and mistakes have been known to happen.”
“But this is sheer folly, Rose.” Achison stepped forward. “Herr Erland knows his violin, of course. He positively identifies it. Believe me, there isn't a chance of any liability on your part in permitting him to take it.”
She turned and faced him.
“Mr. Achison, are you trying to tell me,” she said quietly, “that I am justified in turning over property left in my care on no more than some one's bare assertion of ownership? Mr. Ramsey has explained to you how he bought the violin ”

“ I am forced to the unwelcome conclusion that the larceny must have been committed at my house, and that Dickson was either bribed or bamboozled by one of my guests who had a strong enough motive to impel him to take a desperate chance. ”

“ Learning that she would be in, he then wondered if he would be overbold to ask to see her alone; there was a matter on which he particularly wanted her opinion.
“I'm flattered,” she answered; “no one ever thinks my opinion worth having. ”