The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-06-28
~ 4IIil4l rAlrI0N

tH Ii4ta tEat thu cr!ebFAtt9 AvgsAi}!ca
aapphites. set IN tplea3ld Hechiaer, had
btan ~etoltn; Inc secoad was u notification
ti.slt lsi!l Snyder. %smu2sier. had sailed
nom G~he!boafg on ihe nyiyaf.ta- Natural
~ the chief had put ths Two shrcda 10
gsthef and expected 10 pun off the truck
without Ii struggle.
But the Sylvania had arrived and shy
der was not on The passenger list NO
sapphiies had been declared, and the cN-
animation of the agghGe nov almost
completed. disclosed no gems. Barnes bit
his HIPS vexatIously. The Versailles sap
phires were numbered among the worlds
greatest gems. The thought Of permitting
them te sEp through his fingers was mad
dening. AT one time they had ranked
with the state jewels of France. Their
distinction came not so much through tholr
value-althougil that was more than $1,000
as from their perfection. The cut was
the finest ever turned out by a lapidary.
They were known to gem experts as the
Blue Cornfiow4r. The cut of each stone
made an cpalescent star of six rays. which
held In a certain light, glittered like pure
diamonds. There We're forty perfect stones
In the necklace, none less than a carat
and a half.
Barnes determined to make a second
tour of the boat. and in the course of his
wanderings came within t.e rays of a pair
of piercing black eyes. The owner of the
bright orbS raised a small white manicured
hand, very much beringed, and drew it
across a narrow forehead. The next mo-
ment the same hand wearily stroked a
luNuriant black m~ustache. betraying, by
the movement, two rows of even, white.
glistening teeth. He was one of a little
group which, besides himself, Included q
young man and a young woman and an
elderly person who might have een-as
she was the aunt of the girl. Barnes
quickly learned, through the captain of
che boat, that the stout, elderly person
was Mrs. Harrington, a widow, with a
comfortable income, whose consuming am
5ition was to wed her niece, Elsie, to a
title. The young man was John Hasson, a
strong llEbed, clean faced American
lawyer. The man with the piercing black
eyes was addressed as the Count de Won
.ais.
Yea voyages are conducive to quick in
dniacies. Hence the captain of the Syl-
sania was able to tell many things to the
chief of the customs. The most enter
saining was he fact that the nobleman
and thel lawyer We're keen rivals for the
%ffections OF Elsie Harrington. 1t did not
require second SIGHT to discover that the
girl loved the American. and that the
count was the aunt choice. Indeed she
ead taken the girl abroad a year before
IN the hope of breaking off tine attach
nent with Hasson, but fate or the per-
slstence and ingenuity of the love snitten
young man had decreed that the two
should return to the United States on the
same vessel.
After learning these things. Barnes de-
voted his attention exclusively to the little
party. The girl was Enthusiastically beauti-
ful. She was tall and slender, with great
brown eyes and a whimsical droop of the
mouth, which looke4 as if it might, in
simultaneously, turn either to sadness or to
laughter. Hasson gazed at her with a
Jock of alteration. The older woman and
the count stepped aside for a moment. I'M
metiately the young mar grasped the girl
by the hand.
"Elsfe!" he exclaimed, with a significant
squeeze.
Her white face crimsoned; the dropping
mouth suggested joy.
PLEASE Cont John; not here,' she cried.
Mrs. Harrington returned with the count.
Elsie and John discreetly gazed into space.
The count looked Hurried. He wore the
tashlonably trimmed cloak and the high
SILK hat with fiat brim popularity associ-
ated with Frenchmen of the higher class.
4ie began to talk with the aunt in anil
mated tones. In the meantime Barnes had
been attending to routine business, keep
ing the group in sight, always. Presently
he summoned Con Clancy, his assistant,
to his side.
Have the count and the ladies made out
their paper?"
Yes"
Did they declare any gems?"
Make the Investigation of their bag
gage rigid. After that make a careful ex-
aaniilation of the counts stateroonl."
The buzz of expectation was everywhere.
Ihe thought of home caused the travellers
to bubble over with eager good hunlor.
The ships officers ran about hurriedly,
performing the last civilities TO those who
had been their guests for more than six
days, The chief was standing on a little
platform directing the disposition of the
luggage. : when some one CRASHED the
sleeve otslis coat. He looked around. Nh
count was by his side, his small eyes exld-
ing indignation.
You are the chief fnspector?- he
queried In marvellously good English.
Il have that honor was the bland re-
ply.
"Well,' continued the other llurriedIv
your men are tlinsins the things out of
our trunks.
NOT fiinging, surelyee" with a little
laugh.
We'll. emptying 'em out,
That's why they're here was the good
natured rejoinder.
But" protestingly, this sort of ezami-
nation is most unusual; the baggage is
w. Without Idl1lllg 1t out OF
the trunks"
Not always corrected the chief. I'm
this instance We hope to expedite YOUR
landing by finishing the work in a sys-
tematic manner"
oh" said the count, disappointedly.
Then tho men have been ordered to do
this? ?"
Yes" said Barnes, with a queer look.
Then very slowly, count, this isn't your
first voyage over"
How do you know?" angrily asked the
man, his face flushing.
Because ironically, you're so we'll
on American customs business"
The count made no reply to this thrust,
irritably stalked away.
The ~Sylvania's dock was crowded with
friends and relatives of the returning tour
lists. Waving handkerchiefs Frightened
the scene; shouts of recognition noated
across the roped off portion of the pier.
Clancy approached the chief, who was
listening to the complain. of a
passenger who could not locate his trunk.
Barnes instantly stepped aside to hear
from his assistant. Clancy wasted no time
In preliminaries.
ITS no USE" he exclaimed In a whis-
pered voice. II cont find the sapphires.
I've searched everywhere"
HArd the Staterooro. 1;1p,< Fo,roA