Show I GEORGE HOWARD Plot BRONSON BRONSON by I THE THE SOCIAL PIRATES It HUGH WEIR c. c by I J I COPYRIGHT BY KALEM t COMPANY V STORY NO 6 The Master Swindlers plona Jona Iona Hartley and Mary Burnett with something like loathing ri ii T seal that was to serve them for A few buns a a. package of ofra ra kers a bottle of milk Filling nough such food might be but it was then to-then appetizing nor satisfying In any cal sense and their surroundings mild have hate amazed those who had bad hadu u flown wn them in la the tho days of their pros pros- erity They were in iu a cheap room of oft t cheap heap lo lodging house and their lothes were shabby Their personal 8 had bad been reduced to a a. min mm- mum num roe landlady had hod been insist- insist demanding the tho rent Oh Oh said Mona despairingly as asli asli li picked up a a. bun Mary 1 It If wo woo o only have hove a real dinner dinner in In a ala alac lac la where the waiters walters know what OU nt before you do yourself and h hoj 1 inon Inen is its clean and the silver Is Sont bont said Mary l sharply It only takes lakes es It seem worse if it we think of dings 8 like that Lh I J know said Bald Mona Nary Mary I a 1 has got to turn up pretty o oon Do you realize that we haven't a II run of luck since we wo first m ed that wo h had d a right to make mako h world pay us the tho living it owes 8 una again aJain said bald Mary Diary next day clay t I looked regretfully at tho the single I n sho held in her hand Ten Tent TenI t I oll for dinner Mona Nona Come Como I et s R dime out Well We'll buy our m aunt and rat of them in tho the park or some 1 like Unit 1 right hald said Mary listlessly I Ift Ih In ft n store yesterday where the buns bums to 10 I 1 hl bigger r than it nt tho the place weve we've Cr going to fo Lets Let's try them Its It's it luch tuch farther n portent events have hung on dens de do- gns ns an at 1 rifling nn and as wholly dict dic- dic t yul 1 by chance chane rm as that one ouo of or thew tho the w girls to try a n new now baker bakery While IbY t I were their buns they Uley t 1 young man who was giving nn an rl at the desk lie IIo was a flashy rolling youth with a touch of or the Doen Do Bo- en lan about him And Mona Nona peer- peer him was convinced convince that she shead shead ad seen him somewhere In the past either the no attention to either of the Iris and Mona Iona had a n good chance chanco to Ludy him She noticed that ho he kept hand carefully In his pocket nil nn accident the accident tho dropping or of Imo mo of the coins coln he had hl received in range lange lange compelled him to remove It U ad now Marys Mary's attention was vas at at- acted as well a as Monas Both were vere ruck truck by tho curious tattooed design back of the hand a hand a design fa- fa liar to them as os the devils devil's sign alga consisting of at a 1 small demon dancing iian iTan inverted cross But Dut it was only rona tons who seemed to see any am real sigo sig- sig in f this Ids Mary Iary understood r 1 Ignal and they both followed fm un Jm But why asked Mary when they were on his trail r I think I know him said Mona And if I am right I believe were we're not wasting our time lime Theres There's no reason reason reason rea rea- son why we shouldn't follow him is there Theres There's nothing else that we have to do that is more moie promising I suppose not said Mary Marr But this doesn't mean much Even when the young man turned In at the entrance of the Columbian art museum Mona Moua insisted on following him And when she saw him sit down before a 0 certain picture unpack a small t easel asel and set setto setto setto to work copying the picture she was greatly excited Come on said Mona I want to seo see tho the picture I think I 1 know It It but I want ant to make sure Its the tho Monna lonna Vanna said Mary after they had slipped up behind the painter without attracting his attention attention atten aUen- tion and glimpsed the nameplate on the picture I thought so said Mona Iona triumphantly ilium Come on I want to show you something In the catalogue There she said Monna Nonna Vanna Vanna 1532 Considered by of many aMot aMo the t to master represent fe fese se Loaned a the d gt greatest to the tho fo Colum Clum- Columbian phase blan bian collection by J. J de Veers Cro Cro- gan Value estimated at I dont don't see what good It does docs us said sold Mary practically Watt Wait Now I 1 know who that young chap ap Is 18 who is copying it Harry the him Hun Mary Mary the tho most famous picture thief In lie tho world Ho has done Ilono impossible impossible im im- possible things and he has never been caught caught and and held If hes he's COPIng copying copying copy COP ing that picture its it's because ho means to steal it Well that's his business said Mary I 1 still BUU dont don't see where we como come in in- in If It we wo kno know what hes he's planning to todo do why do why i Isn't nt there a chanco for us to cut In somehow asked Mona We can cau surely find some way ay to lo profit by what weve we've found out And I do donot donot donot not mean giving him away either elthor Well Ill I'll admit frankl frankly that I 1 dont don't seo any chance said Mary But nut theres there's nothing noting else elso in sight I suppose sup pose peso we might as well wait walt for him to get through trough here hero and see where he goes No harm in that No harm harm and and a lot of good per haps Imps said Mona 1 Ive got a feelIng feel feel- Ing tug that weve we've wee stumbled on some somo good goodluck goodluck goodluck luck Mary There was a small park opposite the museum and hero they sat and ate ato their decidedly frugal repast They ha bad some time to wait walt but they wore glad to see when Harry did appear that he paid no attention at ataU atall alt all aU to them He lie hurried ort oft Instead as aa It If ho he had an appointment to keep and they had to walk fast to keep him In fu sight eight They managed It It however how- how over ever and saw him go into a 8 curious I little store The Tho shop If it its Hs sign could be believed was kept b by one I Melnotte and its ita windows Indicated that anything might be bought within or or sold The most extraordinary collection collection collection col col- lection of odds and ends was visible and among other things a few paintIngs paintings paintings paint paint- ings which Mona said sald were of no great value or importance But Mona Moua was breathing fast none the less Melnotte 1 she said Now Im I'm sur sure Mary This store is just a blind l is one of the most famous art fences' fences in iu the country country- Connoisseurs Connoisseurs Connoisseurs who care more about what is in their collection than titan how they obtain ob ob- obtain tain their treasures know him He lie has been receiver for all aU sorts of stolen art treasures for years Im beginning to think you are right and that this tills is going to be worth while Mona said Mary The thing for us to do is to establish a a. connection with Melnotte and Melnotte-and and I think I see a way to do it too too Now that Ive I've got you OU interested Im I'm sure were we're going to get something something some- some thing tiling done said Mona l confidentially Its when you cant can't see a way that I Im I'm afraid arald Mary Well youve you've got your part to do I too said Mar Mary You used to study I art Can you paint well enough to I pretend youre you're making a co copy y of the Monna onna anna Vanna vanna I Just about about said Mona Moua They woul wouldn't nt throw me out if I went there thereto to mako make a copy Next morning the paths of the two girls diverged for the time Mona with her easel and her painting things went to the museum Harry was not thero when sho she a arrived erf but after she had wandered about for a time limo enjoying enjoying en en- tho the opportunity to look at the tho pictures she sho saw him hint come in ill and take his place before the Ute Monna Vanna She Sho waited a little Ion longer Iter and then went up to him rather rathor tim tim- timidly idly Oh I beg heg your pardon sho she saidI saidI saidI said I wonder would wonder would you mind very much if I sat hero and copied tho the picture too Ho turned to her Iler with a faint start of ot annoyance But sho she was pretty enough to disarm him at once However however How how- ever It was In a rather ungracious tone that he ho replied It Is not my picture my dear young lad lady You are anyone else can come here and copy any picture you ou f like Despite this rather rater rudo rude beginning they were soon chatting amicably Mary Diary meanwhile had also been at work She had bad taken out from tho Oho trunk the two old pieces of Jewelry velry that Mona Nona had found and cleaned them although she did not clean n them so well as to make them look too new And with wilh these went sho-went went to the shop of She Show was as lucky enough to find Melnotte disengaged lie He sued steed her up at her bar timid indifferent mannerns a n woman woman woman wom wom- an in distress and because she was good looking attended JP D her himself him him- self seIr f. f A yr I I 1 I want to LO borro on theio thero if you please ea o 0 said layng J A her trines trifles before him He TIe picked them up sniffed and then pushed I. I I them back to herFor herFor her For heavens heaven's sake what sake what do you bring me mo stuff like this for he asked contemptuously This is nothing but I junk youve you've got m my dear And this isn't a pawnshop We buy and buy and of ot I course for tor a a. good customer we will I sometimes arrange a loan I Mary looked at him piteously sly And I Ithen then as she ahe picked u up thin the pin and the bracelet she began to weep Oh Oh oh sho sobbed What am amI I to do What am nm I to do I have nothing else left left and and you say these are worthless Oh I dont don't know what to do I do-I I have got to have money or orIll orIll orIll Ill I'll be put out of my room Melnotte was as a a. pretty thoroughpaced thorough thoroughpaced thoroughpaced paced scoundrel but he ho had a a. streak of sentiment in him that made him sorry for lor Mary He might have conquered conquered conquered con con- that and have hardened his heart if she hadn't been so unusually 1 attractive But the whole thing was too much for him He Ho may have havo had hada a a. vague idea that f if he put so pretty a a. girl under obligations to him he might make her like him well enough h to be rather nice to him later So Soho Soho 0 ho came camo around the counter and took another look at her offering Well now Ill I'll tell ten you young lady he said I ought not to have said this was vas junk Its It's old stuff and andI I 1 suppose the things are heirlooms sobbed Mary Theve Oh Oh yes es been In ht my family ever so long and I 1 would not dream of or parting with them Jf It I were not so desperate Well well dont don't cry cr said Melnotte Mel Mel- notte nolle Ill tell ten you you the the value of these things thing is 18 sentimental No one would buy them from me BO eo it would not be business for me to give giro you anything for them But Dut I dont don't like to see sea you In trouble You keep the Ule things and Ill I'll seo what can bo be done for you Suppose you OU let me walk around to your rooms with willi you and see Bee if I 1 cant can't keep your landlady quiet Mary understood his purpose perfectly perfectly per per- well lie He wanted to see if it sho she ha har Mach been telling the truth But she agreed tearfully and in a few minutes gave save him ample proof of her story Ha lid was Impressed by Jy the barren bar ren poverty of the Ule room she bho shared with Mona and he did not notice that an anyone ne else lived in the room There was little enough Indeed to indicate that th there re were two of ot them there How lIow much do you OU owe owe he asked Mal Man Diary told him the exact amount amount be be- be cause caune of course she expected indirectly indi to get much more out of him than she could have bave done by naming a greater sum which must still sWI have bavo been petty There you are are he said Ill lend you OU tho the mone money and when your ship comes in you can pay PaT me back Mary was overcome with gratitude and she did not resist when be he took her hand and comforted her by va patting pat ting it it Sho She did cry hOW however Ter J Oh Olt its it's hard bard to take charity chanty she sobbed Could you you you-isn't isn't there some I work I could do for you in your our shop Then Id I'd feel I was earning the money at least and struck Why he said paused by the idea ideo Mary would be near him under his Influence If it he gave her hera a place And who And who could tell Yes I think there might be he said Come around in the morning an and Ill I'll find something for you to do o I told you said Mona Iona exultingly when she heard what had happened I See were we're sure of our room a a. little longer and everything evel is working out just the way we wanted It to Im I'm more certain than ever that Harry Is going to steal the picture And I if youre you're going to be in the store you certainly ought to be able ablo to find out who they're going to sell it to I said what puzzles me Mary They must have some plan I This picture is too well eU known for anyone to be able to show it as his II own after It has bas been stolen Isn't it IL And who would pay a a. great price for fora a picture that he would have to keep hidden after he got It Mona Ionn perfectly true said But nut Harry doesn't waste his time I You may be sure that If it he takes the I risk of stealing the Monna Vanna he and Melnotte l have got a purchaser picked out for It already Wont tho theft be discovered at once I 1 dont don't know Not If Harry Barry Is as clever as he ho usually is He lie stole a n. Gainsboro from the national gallery In London and the tho theft was not discovered die dis covered for six months Even then thc they only suspected him they could not prove he hc was the thief The This next day Mary Mar reported to Melnotte and went to work and Mona resumed her copying at the tho museum For a few days nothing of ot importance happened Ho lie keeps me upstairs most moet of tho the time Mary told Mona Im rm sorting out a lot of things he lie has there thero in a sort of storeroom Theres There's a copy ropy of your Monna 1 Vanna picture by tho the way that looks quite old and that is pretty good I 1 imagine It has been faked to make it look old oM probably said Mona 1 Well ell I haven't much to report Harrys Harry's getting getting get get- ting a little nervous because Tm Im there I think ink You see if he Is 15 going goine to steal the picture having mo me around must be embarrassing He Ile cant can't very well take it while Im I'm looking on you see He lie offered to help me with my copy today I Let him tomorrow him tomorrow said Mary 1 I think Its It's time Im I'm pretty sure I know what they've got up their sleeves now Too bad about Harry said Mona Nona J lie He could have made good as 88 an arI arU artist ar ar- U I I suppose It 1 is fA the old story said Mary Iary bitterly Just as it W was S with us If wed we'd had hatt a chanco chance to make a I. I living without tho the schemes weve we've had bad to resort to wed we'd have been right too So the next day Mona gladly accepted accept accept- ed Harrys Harry's offer to help her with the finishing touches her copy required She thanked him when it was done and went away But Dut she lingered and saw him come out and then she returned returned returned re re- turned and took up the watch from Irom a nook she had discovered in her wanderings wanderings wan wan- in the museum It Il seemed however ho that she sho was doomed to be disappointed for Harry did not return as she had bad supposed he be would Mary lary however saw him come into l and she was ablo able to he hear ar arhim him tell the tho dealer that he lie was going to turn the trick about noon |