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Show I MING STATUE HOLD-UP I By D. L. Alexander After brief haggling Tompkins capitulated for twenty dollars. "Come again, Mrs. Wilson," he called after her ai she started down the street "Many thanks. Mr. Tompkins," she replied, and under her breath added: "I think you'll be the first one to do the calling unless I'm mistaken." Mrs. Wilson maintained a cheerful cheer-ful one-sided conversation at dinner, din-ner, and when the doorbell rang she got up hastily to answer it. Mr. Horace Wilson followed her. wiping his mouth on a napkin. Mr. Tompkins barged In excitedly. excited-ly. "Mrs. Wilson," he cried. "There has been a dreadful mistake. The 'T' 1 1 ERE was no one In the curio s-hop but Wade Tompkins, the proprietor Mra Horace Wilson made sure of that before she entered en-tered It. Tompkins came forward 1 to meet her. "Good morning, Mrs. Wilson," he greeted "Can I serve you in any way?" 1 "I'm Just looking around to tee 1 what 1 can see." She smiled at him cofiiettishly "Very well. Mrs. Wilson," he returned re-turned with a alight bow "Just luok around, and If there is any-thin! any-thin! you want, Just let me know." "Thank you." she answered. He moved away from her. One side of the shop was equipped j with long shelves containing mls-I mls-I cellaneous pieces of statuary. Three were exactly alike, and Mrs. Wll- siaiue 1 sold you this morning belongs be-longs to another party, I've brought one of the others to trade you for It." "But I don't care to trade, Mr. Tompkins." she said. "Why? This one Is exactly like the one I sold you." He unwrapped The next fifteen minutes passed in furious bargaining, at the end of which time Mr. Tompkins left the establishment and two hundred dol-lars dol-lars behind. "I Just don't get It." Mr. Wilson s mind was very much confused. "It so happened." Mrs. Wilson explained, "that I was standing outside out-side Mr. Tompkins' shop window and saw him place a wad of money Inside Buddha's throne. I switched Buddhas on hhn when he went Into , the back room and bought the wealthy one when he came out. I opened the throne while you were grouching in the garden, and counted the money. There was only ten thousand dollars in it." "You robber, you. You she-male bandit." "Oh no, I'm not. Mr. Tompklni got his money back, didn't he?" She gave him a radiant smile. "Yes. But I can t see any differ-ence differ-ence between a thief and a hold-uo artist." j son loitered near them. The telephone In the back room rung and Tompkins went to answer it Mrs Wilson seized the moment to transpose the right and left statues, stat-ues, and wbs examining a foreign made bowl when he returned. Then she apparently noticed the statues for the first time. "Oh. how cute." she cried. "Yes." he agreed. "They are very lovely; Chinese relics.". "Indeed. So odd, too." - "I managed to pick up those three Their history dates back to Ming " "Is that so? I've heard you speak of Mr Ming." Tompkins sputtered. "The Mings was a family of rulers In China several centuries ago," he ex- j plained. "In those days a great deal of pottery was made. It Is very valuable today because of Its antiquity." "1 see." She picked up one to examine It It was a replica of Buddha, the Chinese god, seated m a throne covered with flowers. "How wonderful. I must have it." "It Is a very rare piece, I assure you. Mrs. Wilson. I must ask twenty -five dollars for It." She moved as if to replace it. "But I haven't that much money," she said sadly. |