Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-27

1t was on the beach that we first saw
her
She walked across the stretch of ecru-tin'-
cd sand. running the Gantlet OF a hu"u'eu
curious eyes with as perfect a sang ifoio
and easy grace as If she had been DIANA
bathing in some lonely woodland pool.
And even at Buona Ventura, where beau
+irul mysteries were common, she formed
SO distinctive d type of her own that Bueha
Ventura paused tn the midst of its morn
ing dip to take second look at the
stranger.
She was dressed entirely in black. even
to the chic satin cap that shielded her
bright blonde hair from the wares And
pinned in the center of the black satin bow
knot above her forehead was diamond
ornament 50 unique and bfillian. that 1t
riveted attention.
Ii was a small. perfect griffin fashioned
of diamonds, and it caught every gLdhcinS
beam of sunlight with the radiance of the
raiubow-hued sea foam.
She was watched from the time she
stepped into the sea. There was no hesl-
fancy, nor lettering along the beach; she
plunged freely into deep water and swan
far out until the satin cap was mere dot
on the wave CreStS.
ChaGhourne followed the course of the
dot through his eyeglasses. When she
emerged from the water and passed quickly
up the walk to the bath houses he followed
her. saun,ering along in idle fashion, until
suddenly he stopped and picked up some
thing from the sand a his feet.
collecting Shells l asked, casually.
Ilc smiled, the grave. faraway. half cyni-
cal smile Which won him few friends, and
turned toward the hotel.
NO" he said pearls.
After dinner we sat together on the hotel
ver; uda smoking. 1t was a glorious August
night The waters of the bay Were as
smooth as glass, with the waverlnS rehec-
tons from the shore lights like watered
silk out at sea Il schooner passed up to-
ward the Golden Gate, gray and ghostlike
u; tie Flying Dutchman.
she is a widow, | imagine said Chad
bourne. irrelevantly. she calls herself
Is ellie Dorian. Letters come addressed to
Mrs. l.. Leland Wade, and | heard her COM
panion at dinner call her Nell
MIR. l.. Leland Wade?'
lie blew long. hazy line of smoke
wrcaths into TIE air with lazy deliberate
ness.
No The initials on his suit case We're
n. X. He returned to San Francisco to-
night She is a widow
a tall, slender figure in black stood out
liked in silhouette a moment in one of the
lCug French windows of the hotel parlor
Their crossed the verdnda and went down
into the gardens. Chauoourne waited until
81 had vanished among the shadowy palms
and vines and rose and followed il. Half
an hour later he returned will the figure in
bl't;h. ana as lHtN passed me caught ire
sparkle of diamonds on her breast. and
knew Chadhuurne had restored what he
had found In the sand
For week Buena Ventura had the pleas
urc of seeing Chadbourne play cavalier to
the trail of the diamond griffin. His yacht
lay at anchor idly in the bay. except when
Mrs. Wade chose to sail kilograms be
gan to arrive from the east for him, and
lay unopened at the hotel desk. He left
word that he did not wish TO he annoyed
with any business which appeared to be
urgent. The only urgent business which
concerned him was Mrs. Wade's pleasure.
Widow" | asked one morning, as he
waited beside his auto car.
Il really don't know" he answered. slow
". she is the most charming woman l
have ever met: the kind of a woman a
man might love and never even question
what her past had been"
Love" | agreed; but marry?'
lie looked up at the doorway where Ms