"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 335 - Riddle of the Rangoon Ruby" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

created comment among onlookers who saw it pull up beside Tolliver's rather
fastidious place. Also, it was Weston who insisted upon a private meeting with
Jon Tolliver himself, which took place in a beautifully paneled office that
had
belonged to three generations of Tollivers.
Also, Commissioner Weston insisted upon telling why his friend Cranston
wanted to buy the replica of the star ruby, which caused Mr. Tolliver to raise
his eyebrows and say, "Of course! Of course!" as though he did understand all
that Weston was saying. By then, Tolliver was opening a small safe built into
the exquisite wall paneling. From among a few dozen jewel boxes he brought out
one that was elegantly inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Laying it on the table,
Tolliver placed a finger against the catch and announced:
"The Rangoon Ruby! How beautiful it looks against the golden velvet which
causes its crimson hue to shine in full glory!"
Tolliver pressed the catch; the inlaid box popped open. All eyes were
fascinated by a wealth of golden velvet; but there wasn't any contrast. The
replica of the Rangoon Ruby wasn't there!


CHAPTER II

Finding the replica of the Rangoon Ruby gone, old Tolliver pawed
frantically among the other jewel boxes in his safe, fearful that they, too,
had been rifled. All proved intact, but he still forgot his visitors while he
shrieked wildly for someone named Cobley, who proved to be a solemn, baldish
clerk who came from the outer office. Gesturing to the safe, Tolliver regained
his voice:
"The replica - the synthetic Rangoon Ruby! It's gone!"
"Why - why - of course," stammered Cobley. "I - I sold it only a few days
ago. Didn't you see my memo, Mr. Tolliver?"
"Sold it! Without waiting until I returned! To whom?"
"To a customer who asked for it. I had never seen him before, but it was
in the catalog. He gave me cash, all in hundred-dollar bills, but I kept him
here while I sent Marcia around to the bank with the money, to make sure it
wasn't counterfeit."
"And you didn't even ask his name?"
"Oh, yes. It's Henry Yomer. I put that on the memo, too, along with his
address in Greenwich Village."
Somewhat mollified, Tolliver found the memo and gave it to Commissioner
Weston along with his apology for becoming so excited. Cranston and Margo left
with the commissioner, and while riding in the official car, Cranston
summarized the situation.
"Whoever bought the original Rangoon Ruby from the International Museum
could have sent someone to buy the replica, too," stated Cranston, "just as a
safeguard against someone else buying it in the hope of stealing the original
and leaving the replica in its place."
Grimly, Weston agreed on both counts and suggested that Cranston check
with some of the wealthy New Yorkers listed among those who might have bought
the original ruby. They dropped Margo Lane off to do some shopping before she
met Zelda Mycroft for dinner; and a few hours later, she called Cranston at