The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-03
THE EVENING STORY
The Princes Pearls.
(By lola Forester. !,

| Lorraine Sm1led SLgntIy, aSSraVaI-
ingly, and lifted her supple, express
it was none of Mr.. Maxon's business
what she accepted from a certain
party.
Doesn't it seem glorious to see
dear old New York lift out of the mist
again ?" she said, leaning over the
rail as the liner slipped leisurely up
the bay after they passed the Narrows.
Il shouldn't think you'd care much
about it, or any other share of your
native land retorted Maxon bitter
ly. you're ready and willing enough
to throw up the whole thing and live
abroad the rest of your life in some
| miserable, deserted, moldy old castle
in Hungary that's as decrepit and
played out as the princely line you
will belong to. Lorraine"
do be quiet. There comes the Gus
| tom house people"
What of it?"
Lorraine hesitated and laughed.
Il hardly think that mamma has
the cash t. pay duty on the princes
pearls" she said. Wont it be a
tragedy if they take them away from
| me?''
Il hope they do" Jack Maxon's
| lips set in a close line. He stood just
| behind Lorraine, his hands folded,
his cap pulled well over his dark eyes
| and watched the arrival of the Gus
tom people and health officers.
w mere are IneX asked MIS-. FL
| lison's voice behind them. She did
not look worried at all, merely inter
eSted and alert.
Lorraine answered without looking
up from the dancing. churning waters
about the PROV.
Around my throat"
| Beneath your gown"
Lorraine nodded and smiled. and
Mrs Ellison said no more, but smiled
out at New York Citys outline COM
placentIy.
Jack, my dear won't you fetch my
binoculars?'' she said tactfulIy.
marie viii give them to you. No. II.
you know, outside to your left. So
| sweet of you"
AS Jack strobe haughtily away out
of hearing she leaned over Lorraine.
| Somebody has told that you are
wearing the princes pearls. The
| newspaper men, think. One tried to
talk to me Just now"
Glow would they know" Lor-
raine's tones were curiously disinter-
ested. She was thinking of all Jack
Maxon had dared to tell her since
they first sighted Sandy Hook that
morning. The slender, corseted form
of the prince faded almost in obscur
ity beside Jacks stalwart American
ism, and Lorraine was thinking or
many other things besides the pearls.
Yet she had told the simple truth.
She wore them, the entire five strand
necklace of exquisitely matched sea
treasure, beneath her travelling gown
of gray serge. And rumor over in
Rome and Paris had more than hint
ed that the pearls were worth close to
half million dollars The center,
pear shaped pendant alone had come
from the turban of the Nadir of
Afghanistan once upon time. and
had cost the house of RaVenelli over
100000 Yet the prince who had
purchased it had hung it on the fore
head of his Tuscan bride and vowed
it too poor an ornament matched
against the splendor of her flashing
eyes. The present prince had men
toned something of the same senti-
ment when he had sent the necklace
to the Ellison hotel the day before
they sailed for home. And there had
been trouble.
81 will never accept such a gift
from a man whom I dislike" Lor-
raine had said passionately.
eff you are fool enough to refuse
them said Mrs. Ellison, thoughtfully
examining the strands, ST shall ac-
gagged yet, dear. and under no obliga-
ton. These pearls might be mere
philopena present"
yes, they might mamma, they
might" Lorraine's tone of scorn had
been indescribable. But the pearls
had not been sent back. First. be-
cause the prince himself had left for
Hungary on a shooting expedition
with the crown prince of some little
principality. and the pearls remained
around Lorraines throat as the SAT-
est place for such a treasure.
One mistake she had made. She
had worn them openly at the ships
concert. Not that any one on board
had known their history. but Jack
Maxon had seen them and noted them,
and he alone of their fellow passen-
gers knew that the Ellisons did not
have cash or credit enough in the
world to buy the smallest pearl on the
princes necklace not the smallest one,
large as a haZelnut, and flaWleSS, and
worth ten thousand in the market at
Ceylon. Jack had been her faithful
adorer and comrade ever since they
had built sand tunnels together at
Atlantic City years ago.
Sometimes, in spite of Mrs. Ellisons
careful training. Lorraine would look
at JAG and speculate on several points
not down in her mothers code of word
ly welfare.
He was such a splendid p1eader All
the way over he had begged and scold-
ed and made love to her and stormed,
and Lorraine had kept silent. And al
ways while she listened to Jack Max
on's pleading she felt the slender
strands of pearls press like lead about
her throat Sometimes it seemed as if
they would choke her.
Mrs. Ellison kept close to her as they
landed and went to the custom officers.
She had declared everything, every
thing except the princes pearls. Jack
stood with Lorraine, talking earnest
| ~ while the trunks were gone through,
and Mrs. Ellison answered questions
for both in the superbly disinterested,
tactfuI way she had. But all at once
Lorraine's quick glances saw what was
happening. A young chap had entered
quietly and caught her eye. He went
to the official who was conducting the
appraisal and whispered to him, and
that worthy went past Mrs. Ellison
straight to Lorraine's side.
You are wearing pearls undeclared
Miss" His tone reached Lorraine from
far off. Her mother had turned swift
ly to the rescue, but already Lorraine
| had smiled slightly and nodded her
pretty head.
DO you wish to see them?" she