Her eyes roved aimlessly toward the man at the ring counter. She saw him cast a quick glance about. Then he walked rapidly away, making for the nearest exit.
Penny’s keen blue eyes riveted upon the ring tray. The large diamond was missing.
She had not seen the customer actually take it—his movements had been too deft for that—yet she knew for a certainty that while the clerk’s back had been turned he had secreted it somewhere upon his person.
Penny did not hesitate. She darted after him.
“Stop!” she cried. And then to the surprised shoppers who turned at the sound of her voice: “Don’t let that thief get away!”
The man wheeled sharply, his face convulsed in anger. With his cane he struck viciously at a stout woman who clutched him by the coat.
A store detective blocked the main exit.
Recognizing that he could not hope to escape that way, the thief turned and bolted up a moving escalator which was carrying a capacity load of passengers to the second floor.
Penny, the detective, and a few of the more energetic customers took up the pursuit.
In a desperate attempt to escape, the thief elbowed women roughly aside as he darted up the stairway. Upon the uncertain footing of the moving treads, several stumbled and fell. In an instant hysterical women were screaming and clutching at one another for support.