Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-01
THE BLOOD RED CROSS"

SYNOPSIS
bruce is invited to spend week with bis
friend George Rowland, owner of a famous oio
heirloom In the shape Of magnificent pearl neck
lace Rowland is about to be married to Antonio
Ripley. beautiful girl. about whom little q
known. but who persstentiy refuses TO appear In
evening dress She goes Nine. Sara. Druce
tells vandeleur of the visit. He decides that
Mime Sara is trying to gain possession of the IA
nous pearls
What do you want me to dor 1 asked.
Go back and watch. If you see anything
to arouse suspicion wire to me-"
What about telling Rowland?
If would rather not consult him. / want
to protect Miss Ripley and at the same
time to get madame into my power. She
managed to elude US last time. but she
shall not this. My idea is to inveigle her
to her ruin. Why bruce, the woman is
being more trusted and run after and ad-
mlred day by day. She appeals to the
greatest foibles of the world. She knows
some valuable secrets and is an adept In
the art of restoring beauty and to GER
tain extent conquering the ravages of time.
She Is at present aided by an Arab. one
of the most dangerous men l have ever
seen. with the subtlety of serpent ana
legerdemain in every one OF his ten myers.
1t is not an easy thing to entrap her.
And yet you mean to do it?'
Some day-some day. Perhaps now
His eyes were bright. hau seldom seen
him look more excited.
After short time l left him. Miss Rip
ley met me at Euston. She was silent and
unresponsive and looked depressed. Once
l saw her put her hand to her neck.
Are you in pain?' i asked.
You might be doctor. Mr.. bruce, from
your question"
But answer me-" i said
She was silent for minute; then she said
slowly:
You are good and think l ought to tell
you. But will you regard 1t as a secret?
You wonder, perhaps. how II is that l
don't wear a low dress in the evening.
will tell you why. On my neck just below
the throat there grew a wart or mole
large. brown and ugly. The italian doctors
would not remove 1t on account of the po-
stion. 1t lies just over what they said was
an aberrant artery. and the removal might
cause very dangerous hemorrhage. One
day madame saw it; she said the doctors
were wrong and that she could easily take
1t away and leave no mark behind. / hesi-
tated for long time, but yesterday, when
Lady Kennedy spoke to me as she did.
made up my mind. l wired to madame and
went to her today. She gave me chloro-
form and removed the mole. My neck is
bandaged up and it smarts a little. l am
not to remove the bandage until she sees
me again. She is very pleased with the re-
suit and says that my neck will now be
beautiful like other women's and that I
can on the night of the ball wear the lovely
Brussels lace dress that Lady Kennedy has
given me. That is my secret. VIII you re-
spect it?''
| promised, and soon afterward we
reached the end of our journey
few days went by. One morning at
breakfast l noticed that the little slgnora
only played with her food. An open letter
lay by her plate. Rowland, by whose side
she always sat- turned to her.
What is the matter, Antonia?' he said
Have you had an unpleasant letter."
1T Is from
From whom. dear?"
Mime. Sara"
What did l hear you say?" cried Lady
Kennedy.
THAT shocking woman in the Strand
that adventures? My dear, is it possible