Show Men at Her Feet By ROB ROIl EDEN EDEN CHAPTER 29 The black limousine slid up In front of Creelman's Ci-celman's jewelry shop and the doorman sprang to Mrs Richards' Richards a. a assistance She walked up t to the girl who was waiting at the C. C You should have gone Inside Sorry Im I'm late but the traffic was bad Vicki found herself trailing a after ter Scotts Scott's aunt Bunt into the shop as ns bewildered dered as she had been when Mrs Richards' Richards maid had called her in the theM morning to tell her she he was to meet her mistress at nt Creelman's at 1 The TheR maid offered no more information and Vicki was too surprised to demand de mand more for the innocent request was In reality a summons she could not ignore Id ld like to look at some watches Mr Simmons Mrs Richards was ex ex- to the man who hurried up to o her Watches If It you'll youIl come with me me- me mc-It mc He lie led them past the plate glass counters to the end of the lon long showroom and opened a door deftly Vicki looked curiously around the small smaIl cubicle which was hung in black slack velvet and contained three com corn cornS chairs and a low onyx top table able Mrs Richards unbuttoned her black alack lamb jacket lET SOMETHING ING DAINTY A mans man's watch No a woman's womans and womans and something very dainty Mr Simmons disappeared quietly after lighting Mrs Richards' Richards He came back presently bearing four satin lined tra trays s and set them on the ther table murmuring something about looking at these while he got more from rom tb the safe Mrs Richards fingered a few of the watches here and there and final finally I picked up one set with baguette dla dia- dia- dia monds Rather pretty prett Isn't It Vicki heard herself saying it was It was the first time she had spoken since she had met Scotts Scott's aunt in front of the shop Why should she want her advice on watches She didn't the girl decided Creelman's was simply a meeting place because Mrs Richards had an nn errand there After the purchase of the watch whomever it was for Mrs Richards would say what she had to say She hadn't seen Mrs Richards since that hat Sunday two weeks ago when she had iad left Nor had she heard from her until her until this morning TRY IT ON Youre going to like these better Mrs Richards Mr Simmons said when he came back with two more trays He was the manager of Creel Creel- Creelman's mans man's and always waited on Mrs Richards and Richards and Mr Jameson when he came in in personally Mrs 1 Richards dropped the watch I she was holding and picked up one from the new top tray It was small oblong tho the face bce of it little more than I an inch long and less than that wide and around the face lace were rows of 01 r small d diamonds monds There was a platinum platinum num wrist band attached to it with 1 clasps of emeralds This is more marc what I mean dont don't you think Vicki Vicki obediently said it was The Th r watch was the daintiest she had ever seen and the smallest When Mrs Richards handed it to her to examine i she wondered how the tiny bauble could possibly keep correct time Mr Simmons showed Mrs Richards 5 other watches watches there there were about 51 50 in the trays but she kept coming back bad to the sm small one You might try I it 11 iton t ton on Vicki to see how it looks she said at last and Vicki did Mr Simmons Sim mons showed her how to fasten the tin r emerald cla clasp p. p It fitted perfectly ITS IT'S YOURS Well Mr Simmons I gue guess guess- guess wel wen well I have this one And you'll put it on or I Imy m my account please e. e VIcki started to ta take it off oft but bu t Mrs Richards stopped her No leave leav r rit it on Its It's yours Mine Y Yes That's wb why I wanted you t to come here to pick it out And if you yot I Iare are arc satisfied I am aim But Mrs Richards Richards- Never fo for fora r ra a moment had Vicki thought th the watch would be hers When Mrs Richards had told her to try it on I she had imagined Scotts Scott's aunt simply wanted to see how it looked on a i ismall small wrist Its a little gift girt for tor you my mv dear A wedding gift if you like I wanted wante I to make up to you somehow the weekend week end at nt and I haven't had hn I time to think about it until today But this is too much much- Too much How much is the thi r watch Mr Simmons Mr Simmons cleared his throat am and I looked under the satin cushion Seventeen Seventeen Sev Se P. P enteen hundred Iri Mrs Richards Ver Very y reasonable for that type of imported 1 watch Vicki looked from the watch to th the C slip of paper Mr Simmons was hold I. I mg ing in his hands Seventeen hundred dollars for a wrist watch And Mrs Mn Richards had nodded when he men mci rt ti the price I cant I cant can't take it it Why not When its it's a wedding g gift Nonsense I shall be perfectly f fh urious furIous if you dont don't Scott told me rae how h low ow brave you were in the speedboat a and nd how cheerful Its It's only right t hat that I 1 up to you Wear the t trinket arid and and get some pleasure out o of f it That's what its it's for I would h have lave ave bought it myself but I wanted y you ou to me with me to pick it out Now un run r along alone Ive I've more business with M Mr r. r Simmons Vicki tried to thank h her r but Mrs R Richards ichards wouldn't be thanked ked She t old told the girl again to run along and t there here was nothing for lor Vicki to do but buto g go o the diamond watch on her wrist and a nd a little fear in her heart that s she he should not have taken it The casual way Scotts Scott's aunt had L b ought the tho watch that cost seventeen h hundred undred Calling it a trineL trinket trin trine k ket eL Gwen noticed it the first time timo she c came ame to the desk after alter Vicki returned I Io t to o the Mayfair Diamond watches watch es I V Vicki let me rae look She examined L t the he tiny tilly watch intently Beau Beautiful S Scott cott Jameson hand it to you A AM 1 M I RIGHT EIGHT What Wh in the world makes you L think that Well I presume Ray cant can't afford I Io t Lo to o give you a diamond watch can he heo S So o Im I'm suggesting the ne next t best man A And nd Scott Jameson can afford to give y you ou a n diamond watch Logical AmI Am Air I I right Youre wrong His aunt gave it kae to k tome tome r me ae for a wedding present th this noon V Vicki straightened the watch and I l looked at the dial It was hard to tc r read ead She liked tho the way vay the diamonds t twinkled winkled when she moved her arm T Too oo lovely to wear to work yet to too p precious to leave at home in her hei r b bedroom Mrs Richards Gave it to you I Gwen wen laughed Listen Vicki you'll 1 h have ave to tell me a better story than thai i t that hat or I wont won't believe belleve you But she did Yeh Gwen went away shaking h her er head She showed the watch to Carol am amohn and I J John ohn that evening at dinner Carol Caro I s said aid it was very nice but John didn't t tay say s ay anything about it until unU after din nero ner Mrs Richards gave you the watch y you ou say ay Yes Johns John's face was grave and his eyes eye S were very serious THAT'S THE TRUTH Youre oure sure Scott Jameson didn't t tive g give ive it to you I told you ou John that his hs aunt gave i I It t to me rae She Slie was a little a ted First Gwen doubting her then her brother Because if Scott ott gave it to you IC I want you to return it it and Im I'm surRay sure sur C Ray would want ant you to return it ii it 1 t too loo oo But he didn't John And that's the truth John sighed I do believe you yoc now Vicki but at first it seemed to tome t. t me ne that Jameson must have given you ou the watch and I didn't want you to take presents like that from him Youre You're young anyway to be wearing diamond wrist watches Want me to take It down to the safety deposit box and keep it there for you ou Id rather wear it The cl cIp p is good and I wont won't lose It it Mrs Richards Richards Rich Rich- ards had told her to wear it and enjoy en en- joy it John said nothing more about the watch but Carol did DONT DON'T WEAR IT rr better not wear it tonight when youre you're with Ray Vicki Vicki- He might be like John and not believe you either You see what I mean dont don't you Its really a wedding gift Carol Its It's as much his as it is mine That's what Mrs Richards said And its it's so perfectly apparent that Mrs Richards Richards Rich Rich- ards gave it to meTo me me- me To you yes but it wasn't to John and it might not be to Ray Its It's very easy to jump at conclusions That's what John did did did- You believed me when I told you where I got it didn't you Vicki d de demanded de- de Yes Yes but but I admit that the first minute I saw it before you explained I thought that perhaps Scott had hac bought it for you Not only Gwen and John but Carol too She was smiling t to herself when she polished her engagement ring i with ammonia under Carols Carol's directIons directions so it would be as bright and shining as the new watch Of course she w was going to wear the watch tonight Why shouldn't she Wasn't it a wedding present And Am shouldn't Ray be interested in their wedding presents To be continued |