The Man Called X - A Ruby for Pearl

Ken Thurston accidentally meets Pagon and his date, Miss Martin, at a New York supper club. A seemingly ordinary incident without the slightest hint of the strange and dangerous things to follow. Ken says "How do you do, Miss Martin?" She says "Oh likewise, Mr. Thurston, only why don't you just call me Pearl. Everybody does, don't they Pagon?" He says "That's right, Mr. Thurston, of course it's all right with me you understand". Ken says "Pardon me, Miss Martin, I've been admiring that pin you're wearing. It's very unusual". Pearl says "Ain't it so, with all them different colored jewels in it". Pagon says "I just gave her that this evening, Mr. Thurston, two hundred simoleons. Nothing but best for Pearl". Ken says "Two hundred bucks, eh?. Miss Martin, I'll give you two hundred and fifty for it right now. Do you want to sell it?" Pagon says "Mr. Thurston" Pearl says "Gee whiz, I mean, well gosh, it's got a kind of sentimental value and all. Well, I just couldn't possibly... gosh, let me get it unpinned". Dagon says "Pearl!". Ken says "Here you are, five fifty dollar bills". Pearl says "Pagon told me about you and him going on secret missions, but he didn't say nothing about you being such a heavy spender". Ken says "Well, as a matter of fact, I came in here to look for Pagon. We've got to leave right away, on a secret mission". Pearl says "Oh ain't that the way it is, just when the party gets started". Pagon says "But Mr. Thurston...." Ken says "Come on, Pagon. Happy to have met you Miss Martin". Pearl says "Likewise, if you're ever around this way again...." Pagon says "Oh Mr. Thurston, I was just kidding her. I only paid ten bucks for that thing. I can get you a hundred like that. Ken says "You better buy them, Pagon, you will never get a real ruby any cheaper. Offhand, I'd say that's worth about a hundred thousand dollars".