"Why not one of these?" she cried impulsively, indicating the watch.
"Father has some beauties at the shop."
"Oh, good," exclaimed Elaine, "how sweet!"
She welcomed the suggestion, for she had been thinking that perhaps
Bennett might be hinting too seriously at a solitaire.
"So that strikes your fancy?" he asked. "Then let's all go to the shop. Miss Martin will personally conduct the tour, and we shall have our pick of the finest stock."
A moment later the three young people went out and were quickly whirled off down the Avenue in the Dodge town car.
It was too gay a party to notice a sinister figure following them in a cab. But as they entered the fashionable jewelry shop, Spike, who had alighted, walked slowly down the street.
Chatting with animation, the three moved over to the watch counter, while the crook, with a determination not to risk missing anything, entered the shop door, too.
"Mr. Thomas," asked Susie as her father's clerk bowed to them, "please show Miss Dodge the wrist watches father was telling about."
With another deferential bow, the clerk hastened to display a case of watches and they bent over them. As each new watch was pointed out, Elaine was delighted.
Unobserved, the crook walked over near enough to hear what was going on.