The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-11-07

sought the box. He entered quietly
| and the PRODUCTION were accom-
p!ished in a moment Besides Delroy
and his wife. Miss Croydon and Drys-
dale were present. Their reception or
him. 1t must be added, was somewhat
lev. but this he did not seem TO notice
II was not to be denied that he add
ed greatly to the life OF the party: his
comment was SO apt. so brilliant, so
Illuminating, yet not in the least self
assured. Drysdale fell under the spell
at once, and even the women, who nat
urally looked somewhat askarce at the
intruder-who, indeed, had greeted him
with g~lances almost of repugnance-in
the end yielded to 1t.
During a pause In the conversation,
Delroy's glance happened to fall upon
the superb necklace of pearls which en-
circled his wife's throat.
why see there. Edith" he cried,
'how those pearls ave changed. They
seem absolutely lifeless."
Mrs. Delroy picked up a strand with
trembling fingers and looked at 1t.
so they do" she agreed. a little
hoarsely. That's queer. They've
changed since I put them on
There's a superstition. you know"
remarked Drysdale, that pearls some
how possess an acute sympathy with
their owner. When some disaster Is
about to happen. they grow dull, just
as these have done"
"Oh, nonsense, jack" protested Del
roy. stop your croakiug. Do you
want to brighten Edith"
Tn not SO easily frightened" said
Mrs. Delroy. smiling at her husband,
though Drysdale fancied she had grown
a little pale, and bit his tongue for his
t~houghtless remark.
fortunately" said Tremaine suave-
ly. the defect is one which is very
easily remedied. A few days bath in
salt water will restore their briiliancy."
We'll" asked Delroy, in some u
ment, where did you run across that
bit of information?"
Tremaine laughed.
I'm almost ashamed to tell. l got 1t
first in a newspaper story about the
Empress of Austria. She had a neck
lace of pearls that turned dull, and she
sent them down to the Mediterranean
to be immersed"
What made them turn dull?" Drys-
dale inquired.
mo one knew" answered Tremaine
with seeming carelessness. 1T was
just before the empress was assassin
ated."
A moments painful silence followed
the words.
ut may have been only a newspaper
yarn said Delroy at last. We've out
grown the superstitions of the Middle
Ages"
VERY possibly" assented Tremaine;
still it might be worth asking some
jeweler about. Mrs, Delroy's necklace
is worth saving" and he examined it
with the glance of a connoisseur.
1t invited examination, for it was
almost unique in it's perfection. 1t had
been Delroy'S n great extravaganza.
He had spent many years collecting the
stones, which were of a beautiful iri-
descence and perfectly matched, and
they had formed his wedding gift to his
wife. The value of the separate stones
was not less than a hundred thousand
dollars; their value combined in the
+ ecklace could only be a matter of con-
lecture.
Yes" agreed Drysdale, with a little
laugh. cit certainly il. You'd better
take it down to Tiffany. Dfckie.'
Il will" said Delroy. And don't
think anything more about 1t, Edith"
her eyes unnaturally bright. But IT'S
very close in here; 1 should like a glass
of water"
The water was procured in a moment.
Drysdale. blaming himself more and
more, was relieved to see her colour
return. She o seemed quite herself
again; the talk turned to other things.
And once again T%rennaine showed his
perfect self control-he did not finger
unduly. he did not give them a chance
to grow accustomed to him, much less
to grow tired of him. He had not the
faintest air of being an intruder; he
seemed completely at home: and when
he left the box, the men, at least. were
sorry he had one and said so. He
was hat wholly admirable thfng-a
guest whose departure one watches
with regret.
That box party was the wedge which
enabled Tremaine to enter the DeIroy
circle: a privilege which he cultivated
with such consummate tact that hi was
soon accepted everywhere at his face
value. His success was assured from
the start. for he brought to palates
faded by overfeeding a new and ex-
quisite tang: he was fresh and unusual.
amid a surfeit of stale and common
place-he was relished to the uttermost.
1t appeared. however, that the press
of social duties and the trying spring
weather were proving too much for
Mrs. Delroy's strength. which was
never great. and which had been es-
pecialiy taxed. this season. by the in
PRODUCTION Of her sister to New York
society. Even the comparative quiet
of the Lenten season failed to restore
her. and h resumption Of the social
whirl after Easter moved DeIreY to
| protest.
tContinued Next Weekly