Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18
CHAPTER XIX.
Miss Forde Paws a Call.

Two or three days after TIE reception at
the Villa Andaiusia Miss Forde drove
there in the afternoon to pay her prom
Used CALL THE Duquesa was at home
and would receive her. was the message.
And she followed the man-serYant into a
somewhat gloomy. overcroTded boudo.r.
and there discovered the lady of the
house In splendid tea gown which had
seen It's best days. The Duquesa looked
tired and fabby. as if she had been sit
ting I'D for several nights: the air was
close and laden with the scent of hya-
cinths and patchouli.
The lady seemed bored and out OF spir-
it's and Hester felt instinctlvely that she
had come at q bad moment. Converse
tiOn was not easy. They discussed ths
recent ball. the weather, la Sonora DE-
quesa's health and the health Of her PEI
dog
1.-The little darling is being washed
she announced. or 1 would snow her ii
you. She is such a beauty. l am Sc
proud Of her. She only weighs TWO
pounds."
Would you"-Hester hest ted-"would
you show me instead yorr celebrated
necklace. admire old things especially
jewels I should like so much u see it,
At TIE word necklace the .aiy's fac7
changed; instead Of being placidiy civil.
it became suspicious and almost fierce.
NO no. She answered. quickly that
/ really cannot do, / am sorry To disap-
poinl you, but it Is not here"
Had this girl cast some evil spell over
her? Certainly she rad reminded Mer-
cedes Of the jewel Mercedes had been
rs much attached to the Luck of the
Sara zns'' as il she had not married out
of the family! Now. here was this red
haired girl again asking to see IL! Curse
upon her! Little did she imagine that
the necklace was in that very girls pos
session: no more than did Hester sup
pose she was The present owner OF the
celebrated Luck of the Sarazins."
In moment of desperate money diff
culties. ard possessed with the demon OF
play. the Duquesn. half frantic and be-
side herself. Rad sent the jewel 10 cen
fidential Jeweler in Madrid. He had qur-
chased it and the money was already
gone, In all her reckless l!fe this was
Maria de San Telmos most daring deed;
but size trusted to lack Luck was her
idol! The necklace was never worn: it
was only kept as n fetish to be wor-
shiped. and was not glanced AZ. From
years end to years end me case re-
manned unopened Well the case was
the loss naturally she would lay il upon
thieves. Should he die ignorant of It's
sale. Paul would come after him. He
knew Ter straits; he was not old-fash-
Toned. Deb.s Of honor must be paid and
tie would forgive har. But if this white
faced Englshwoman began 10 remind the
entire family of the much-prized neck
lace. and Mercedes asked questions and
put ideas into the head OF G1spar her
brother great troubls would arise. Gas
mar. when he vas reused. had he me-
dievai temper. which IS ready To punish.
Danish. inprison or even put 70 death,
He would ransack Europe for the jewel
once IL. was told TIE truth At present
his emotions and suspicious s!Unbered.
He believed the Lack" o be in the safe
with her other valuables. oh. lie would
never dream that it could he elsewhere.
Hester's unfortunate question had the eff
:ect OF turning the Duquesa's easy good
will into a sudden and violent animosity.
Fear Is powerful factor In altering peo-
pies plans
AS Hester sat here. wondering why the
Dunuesa seemed so cold and lrresponsive
TODAY she Lite drea ut tnat his sleepy
J oi,ing. much-powdercd lady lad just
made uO her mind that La RIoia $50
she was ricltnamed by the Spanish seD
was the last woman in the world to
marry her son Paul. And when Miss
Forde made her somewhat t!mid adieu.
and was driven back to the hoIel. she felt
a ,iisagreeable conviction mat. for some
unexplained reason. the visit had not been
a success.