The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-11-07


I sousht the box. He entered quietly
and the introductions were accom-
plished in a moment. Besides Delroy
and his wife. Miss Croydon AMI Drys-
dale were present. Their reception OF
him, IL must be added, was somewhat
Icy, but this he did not seem 10 notice.
It was not to be denied hat 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
ut once, and even the women, who nat
urally looked somewhat askance at the
intruder--who. indeed, had greeted him
with glances almost of repugnance-in
the end yielded to II,
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 have changed. They
seem absolutely lifeless.'
Mrs. Delroy picked up a strand with
trembling fingers and looked at It.
so they do" h agreed. a little
hoarsely. That's queer. They've
changed since / put them on
There's O superstition. you know"
remarked Drysdale. that pearls some
how possess an acute sympathy with,
NAAGAAE Wv A w 0OAlG AAHd0lCI -
about to happen. they grow dull, Just
as these have DONE
"Oh, nonsense, Jack protested Del
roy Stop your croaking. DO you
want to frighten Edith2"
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
thoughtless 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 brilIiancy.''
We'll" asked Delroy, I'm some amuse-
ment, where did you run across thar
bit of information? ?"
Tremaine laughed.
I'm almost ashamed TO tell. / got II
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. FIt was
just before the empress was assassin
ated."
A moments painful silence Followed
the words.
lit 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
1eweler about. Mrs. Delroy's necklace,
is worth saving N he examined 1t
with the glance OF a connoisseur.
1t invited examination, for IL was
almost unique In its perfection. 1t had
been Delroy's n great extravaganza.
He had spent many years collecting the
1Ia~A. srrLt,l. - AA...AEA.N - ~
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
Iecklace could only be a matter of con-
lecture.
YES" agreed Drysdale, with a little
laugh, 1T certainly ir. You'd better
take it down to Tiffany, Dickie."
II WILL" said Delroy. And don't
think anything more about II, Edith"
II won't she answered. still smiling,
her eyes unnaturally bright. but it's
very close In here; I 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 soon seemed quite herself
again: the talk turned to other things.
And once again Tremaine showed his
peTIecI sell COulrOi--ne Ola not I1nReH
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 gone, and said so. He
was that wholly admirable thing--a
guest who's departure one watches
with regret.
That box narty was the wedge which
enabled Tremaine to enter the Delroy
circle; a privilege which he cultivated
with such consummate tact .4.at he was
o accepted everywhere at his face
value, His success was assured from
the start, for he brought to palates
jaded by overlooking a new and ex-
quisite tang; he was fresh and unusual,
amid a surfeit Of stale and
place-he wns 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 i'm
PRODUCTION of her sister to New York
society. Even the comparative quiet
Of the Lenten season failed to restore
her, and the resumption OF the social
whirl after Easter moved Delroy 70
49,