Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-11-08

/ sought the box. He entered quietly
and the i~ntroductions We're accom-
! piisned in a moment. Besides Delroy
n his wife. Miss Croydon and Drys-
! dale were present. Their reception of
him, IL must be added, was somewhat
icy. but this he did not seem to notice.
1t 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 o IN the least self
assured. Drysdale fell under the spell
at once, and even the women. who nat
urally locked somewhat askance at the
intruder-who, indeed, had greeted him
with chances almost OF repugnance-iu
the end yielded to It..
During a pause in the conversation,
Dclroy'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 hose pearls have changed. They
seem absolutely lifeless."
Mrs. Delroy picked up a strand with
trembling fingers and looked at 1t.
$50 they do" she agreed, a little
hoarsely. That's queer. They've
changed since / put them on"
There's a superstition, you know"
iciiliIhSh bISSldlc, l!ldl pS}tEiS SOillS-
how possess an acute sympathy with
their owner. When some disaster is
about to happen, they dull, just
as these have done
"Oh, nonsense, Jack" protested Del
roy. stop your croakiug. Do you
want to frighten Edith"
Tn not SO easily frightened" said
Mrs. Delroy, smiling at her husband,
though DrysdaIa fancied she had grown
n lirltp n1la and hit his fnrru1,a for hiC
~thoughtless remark.
Fortunately" said Tremaine suaye-
iy, the defect is one which is very
easily ramedied. A few days bath in
salt water will restore their brilliancy."
We'll" asked Delroy, in some amuse-
ment, where did you u across that
bit Of Information"
Tremaine laughed.
In Utmost ashamed TO tell. I got IL
first In a newspaper story about the
Empress of Austria. She had a neck
lace of pearls that turned Gull, 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.
1T may nave been only a newspaper
yarn" said Delroy at last. We've out
grown the superstitions OF the Middle
Ages"
very possibly" assented Tremaine;
still il might be worth asking some
ieweler about. Mrs. Delroy's necklace
is worth saving" and he examined it
with the glance Of a connoisseur
1t invited examination, for 1t was
a 1n,Ast .,aFlyrA 10 to- wA-gAAAs~, II LAI
been Delroy's one 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
I ecklace could only be a matter of con-
lecture.
Yes agreed Drysdale, with a little
laugh, ut certainly il. You'd better
take it down to Tiffany. Dickie."
II WILL" said Delroy. And don't
think anything more about It, Edith"
II won't" she answered. still smiling,
her eyes unnaturally bright. Blu it's
very close in here; / should like a glass
Of water"
The w@ter 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.
Assd once again Tremaine showed his
perfect self control-he did not linger
unduly, he did not give them a chance
TO grow accustomed to him. much less
10 grow tired II him. He had not the
faintcSt air Of being an intruder; he
seemed completely al 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 whose departure one watches
with regret.
Tha box party was the wedge which
enabled Tremaine to enter the Delroy
circle: a privilege which he cultivated
with such consummate tact that he was
soon 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 q Surfeit of stale and
place-he was relished to the uttermost.
IT 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 the resumption Of the social
whirl after Easter moved Delroy 10
protest.
(Cortipund Nex4 n..