Christopher and the Clockmakers

ewels flashed in the light of the galleries beneath him, which despite the fact that Thanksgiving was barely over, were already astir with the vanguard of Christmas shop

bewilderment of some of the less inspired of the visitors; then, wearying of this entertainment, he descended by the stairway to the t

s and these one of the men was trying on and examining. It was plain from the clerk's eager manner that his prospective purchaser was wavering between two costly articles, neither one of which quite

turned it round, held the hand it graced at arm's lengt

men to be wearing jewels, anyway. You wouldn't catch him arrayed in a big diamond ring. And the strangest part of it was that the man who was thus frittering away his money did not look at all like a fop but was t

d that he leaned surreptitiously forward and drew that of his companion higher about his ears. Thus they dallied, laughing, joking, objecting, until the distracted clerk, fearful lest he lose such promising customers, was w

substitute for it one his companion handed him. The exchange-if exchange it was-took place in a flash and was over so quickly the boy could scarcely believe his eyes. A second later the cl

tairway was at no great distance; and he raced down it as fast as his feet would carry him. When he reached the street floor, the door had, alas, closed on the suspected thieves. It came to him now how much wiser it would have been had he shouted from the balcony, instead of waiting to descend

him no time to rush up to the perspiring clerk, w

of them took a

ha

put it in

rings are

ed Christopher. "His frien

y he dragged out the tray of ri

e 'phone-quick-and call headquarters! We'll put somebody on their track as fast as ever we can." Then, turning to Christopher, he s

er gathered round Christopher, he r

ow the ch

sure I should, because o

ess. They meant I should be, too-idiot that I was. I can't see why you didn't sing out, kid." The clerk, th

, you see. It almost seemed as if it hadn

u yourself hadn't the wit to be on yo

so!" moaned the u

d enabled us to get our nets out much sooner than we should have otherwise.

y. But it would have been a bigger had he stopp

better. Had he shouted from the balcony and accused two innocent customers of s

wise thing, I guess,

sult patrons

N

heed of the rascals and can help to identi

is all very unfortunate. To think of their putting it over on me-me, wh

up, Hol

lings. "Lose it as sure as the worl

r unjust," Christo

r always does the square thing," Hollings hastened to declare. "But he'll not understand. He'll th

roup greeted as Mr. Rhinehart. "There's no good crying ove

you th

The pawnshops are watched and so are the roads out of the city. The police, too, have thei

stopher exclaim

the hero of this

f a hero, I

o, then," laughed Mr. Rhinehart. "At least, you

death of the inspect

to fear from him, since you are on the right side of the fence

"He is in Mr. Burton's office with the members of the firm. He w

it," Hollings whispe

e truth-that's all

as such

interrupted Christopher consolingly. "Rem

sonny," Hollings returned. "

hot in th

form and buttons went ah

ounced he. "And Mr. Christopher

rave-they looked severe-awesome. One glance and the lad did not wonder poor Hollings' knees knocked together. Mr. Norcross was imposing enough, but the inspector was even