safely ensconced in his new
quarters in the Warford House before opening the
instructions Mr. Hainey had given him.
Here is what he read:
“Go to the jewelry store of Hazelton Freres and ask to see their diamond stickpins. After
looking at one tray, demand to see another. While the clerk has his back
turned, remove the glass eye from your head and put it in your pocket. As soon
as the clerk turns around again, appear to be searching frantically on the
floor for something.
“The following dialogue will then
take place:
“Clerk: ‘Have you lost something,
sir?’
“You: ‘Yes, my eye.’ ( Here indicate the opening in your head with your index
finger.)
“Clerk: ‘That’s unfortunate, sir. I’ll
help you look, sir.’
“You: ‘Please do. (With
much agitation.) I must find it.’
“A thorough search of the premises
is then made, but of course the missing eye cannot be found because it is safe
in your pocket.
“You: Please may I see one of the
owners of this store; one of the Hazelton Brothers?’ ( Note : Freres means brothers and is not to be mistaken for
the storekeeper’s last name.)
“In a few minutes the clerk will
bring Mr. Hazelton from his office in the rear of the store.
“You: ‘Mr. Hazelton, sir, I have had
the misfortune to lose my eye here in your shop.’
“Mr. Hazelton: Perhaps you left it
at home.’
“You: ‘Impossible! I would have felt
the draft for I walked here from. Mr. Hamilton Schuyler’s
house on Fifth Avenue. No, I’m afraid that it was in its proper position
when I entered your place.’
“Mr. Hazelton: ‘You can be certain,
sir, that we will make a thorough search.’
“You: ‘Please do. I am, however, unable
to wait the outcome of your efforts. I have to be in the Spanish embassy to see
the ambassador, Count Raymon de Guzman y Alfrache ( the y is pronounced
like the e in eat) within the hour.’
“Mr. Hazelton will bow profoundly on
hearing with whom your appointment is.
“You (continuing): ‘The eye I have
lost is irreplaceable. It was made for me by a certain German expert, and cost
a very large sum. I cannot get another because its maker was killed in the late
war and the secret of its manufacture was buried with him. (
Pause for a brief moment, bowing your head as though in sorrow for the
departed expert.) However ( you continue), please tell
your clerks that I will pay one thousand dollars as a reward to anyone who
recovers my eye.’
“Mr. Hazelton: ‘That will be
entirely unnecessary, sir. Rest assured that we will do everything in our power
to discover it for you.’
“You: ‘Very good. I am going to
visit friends on Long Island tonight, but I will be in your shop tomorrow. If
you have the eye, I will insist on paying the reward.’
“Mr. Hazelton will then bow you out
of the shop.
“Until you receive further
instructions from Mr. Hainey , you are to stay away
from the near vicinity of Hazelton Freres .
“On the day following your visit to
the shop call the Ritz Hotel and ask for Mr. Hainey’s secretary. Tell him whether or not everything went off in accordance with these
instructions. The slightest deviation on the part of Mr. Hazelton from the
prescribed formula must be reported.”
16
Lem’s job
was a sinecure. He had merely to enact the same scene over one morning a week,
each time in a different store. He soon had his part by heart, and once he had
lost his embarrassment over having to say that he knew the Spanish Ambassador,
he quite enjoyed his work. It reminded him of the amateur theatricals he had
participated iii at the Ottsville High School.
Then, too, his position permitted
him a great deal of leisure. He used this spare time to good advantage by
visiting the many interesting spots for which New York City is justly famous.
He also made an unsuccessful attempt
to find Mr. Whipple. At the Salvation Army post they told him that they had
observed Mr. Whipple lying quietly in the gutter after the meeting of the
quarters in the Warford House before opening the
instructions Mr. Hainey had given him.
Here is what he read:
“Go to the jewelry store of Hazelton Freres and ask to see their diamond stickpins. After
looking at one tray, demand to see another. While the clerk has his back
turned, remove the glass eye from your head and put it in your pocket. As soon
as the clerk turns around again, appear to be searching frantically on the
floor for something.
“The following dialogue will then
take place:
“Clerk: ‘Have you lost something,
sir?’
“You: ‘Yes, my eye.’ ( Here indicate the opening in your head with your index
finger.)
“Clerk: ‘That’s unfortunate, sir. I’ll
help you look, sir.’
“You: ‘Please do. (With
much agitation.) I must find it.’
“A thorough search of the premises
is then made, but of course the missing eye cannot be found because it is safe
in your pocket.
“You: Please may I see one of the
owners of this store; one of the Hazelton Brothers?’ ( Note : Freres means brothers and is not to be mistaken for
the storekeeper’s last name.)
“In a few minutes the clerk will
bring Mr. Hazelton from his office in the rear of the store.
“You: ‘Mr. Hazelton, sir, I have had
the misfortune to lose my eye here in your shop.’
“Mr. Hazelton: Perhaps you left it
at home.’
“You: ‘Impossible! I would have felt
the draft for I walked here from. Mr. Hamilton Schuyler’s
house on Fifth Avenue. No, I’m afraid that it was in its proper position
when I entered your place.’
“Mr. Hazelton: ‘You can be certain,
sir, that we will make a thorough search.’
“You: ‘Please do. I am, however, unable
to wait the outcome of your efforts. I have to be in the Spanish embassy to see
the ambassador, Count Raymon de Guzman y Alfrache ( the y is pronounced
like the e in eat) within the hour.’
“Mr. Hazelton will bow profoundly on
hearing with whom your appointment is.
“You (continuing): ‘The eye I have
lost is irreplaceable. It was made for me by a certain German expert, and cost
a very large sum. I cannot get another because its maker was killed in the late
war and the secret of its manufacture was buried with him. (
Pause for a brief moment, bowing your head as though in sorrow for the
departed expert.) However ( you continue), please tell
your clerks that I will pay one thousand dollars as a reward to anyone who
recovers my eye.’
“Mr. Hazelton: ‘That will be
entirely unnecessary, sir. Rest assured that we will do everything in our power
to discover it for you.’
“You: ‘Very good. I am going to
visit friends on Long Island tonight, but I will be in your shop tomorrow. If
you have the eye, I will insist on paying the reward.’
“Mr. Hazelton will then bow you out
of the shop.
“Until you receive further
instructions from Mr. Hainey , you are to stay away
from the near vicinity of Hazelton Freres .
“On the day following your visit to
the shop call the Ritz Hotel and ask for Mr. Hainey’s secretary. Tell him whether or not everything went off in accordance with these
instructions. The slightest deviation on the part of Mr. Hazelton from the
prescribed formula must be reported.”
16
Lem’s job
was a sinecure. He had merely to enact the same scene over one morning a week,
each time in a different store. He soon had his part by heart, and once he had
lost his embarrassment over having to say that he knew the Spanish Ambassador,
he quite enjoyed his work. It reminded him of the amateur theatricals he had
participated iii at the Ottsville High School.
Then, too, his position permitted
him a great deal of leisure. He used this spare time to good advantage by
visiting the many interesting spots for which New York City is justly famous.
He also made an unsuccessful attempt
to find Mr. Whipple. At the Salvation Army post they told him that they had
observed Mr. Whipple lying quietly in the gutter after the meeting of the
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