The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-24

consult me about some jewels; pray let
| me see them"
There was no one else in the salon
| at that time. the few people In the note
| being al dinner The girl had, there
fore no hesitation in opening a bracelet
case which she had carried under her
| cloak, and showing me a plain band ot
| gold which served as mount Tor sinal!
large rose-pink topaz, which possessed
all the luster OF diamond. saw az
once that the gem was from Brazil, ana
| was large enough and rich enough TO
| be worth Il considerable sum, but | have
never known hunger for the topaz my
self, and whom ] had taken one look al
| the bracelet handed II back 10 her.
"Its exceedingly pretty, said ]. ana
your stones are very good. There is a
little green at the base OF The large
turquolscs, but you will hardly match
! know the value of it?"
| "I would never ask that" she an
| swered quickly; ut was GIT from my
Aance, Mons. Georges Barre. whom YOU
| may know ny name.
vow IT was very bewitchIns, to watch
the rosy blush which suffused her cheek
when she made this confession. Yet she
| spoke with the ring OF pride In her voice,
and / replied 10 her encouraginsly wMie
as though she feared that other eyes
| than hers should rest even upon the case
of Mons Il; Barre Is we'll known to me by
name" said |: ''his bust OF Victor Hugo
from last Years salon is at this moment
| the chief ornament OF my library. l
must now congratulate him for the sec
| ond time"
At this she laughed. but the ripples
died away quickly upon her face, and the
look of haunting fear again troubled net
| eyes. | observed that she was retlcent
In speaking plainly TO me, ana did my
f, best To help her out with il.
You have not yet put 10 me, said /,
the precise question which brought you
| the bracelet, Ol
course?''
"Ye-yes." said she. but I am very
much afraid you win laugh at me. !
wanted TO ask you If, in your Judgment
that is with your eNperience-therc is
any reason why l should not wear my
present at. the Opera ball tonight
! burdened herself was overwhelming.
| She scarce dared to lift her eyes to mine
as she spoke and one OF her hands
played restlessly with the railway guide.
while the other was closed FIRMLY about
her bracelet Nor did l. who know the
potency of woman's superstition In the
matter OF their Jewels. leel inc touch ol
| a desire TO draw amusement from her
dilemma.
Come" said l. with all the gentleness
OF voice | could command; you nave
been reading something silly. The topaz
is the emblem OF fidelity, II is also ira
ditional cure for Indigestion. In other
words the ancients were wise enough TO
know that love and good cooking are not
so far apart after all. Wear your jewel
at the opera by all means. and regard
II as an antidote to the confetti you
will consume.
She heard me thus far with a re-
strained smile upon her face, and Indeed,
she half rose, as though 10 end the IN
terview; but the evidence OF lear was was
SIN about her eyes, and there was the
note OF unsatisfed questioning In her
voice when she said.
Il was sure you would tell me that
but l am keeping you from your dinner.
and have already troubled you too much
I {a,. fear ,,,.u,or 70 t,is onnsa, was 70 close
the door Of the salon which had been
open during our interview. and TO draw a
chair close to hers.
..Mademoisclc Bernier" said l.. "the
most important part OF the inte!ligence
YOU meant to bring to me remains un-
spoken. Let me encourage You to tel!
me everything freely. and be assured
that without your express permission
nothing. you may say Will be rememoered
"Thank you very much" she said
quietly, evidently regain!ng complete
ceal. a week ago, Mons. Barre gave
me this bracelet with the stipulation that
l should wear It at the ball tonight Two
days ago / received this letter. which
hcsltated to show even 10 you. lest IL
should be an injustice TO the man | love.
She passed. with her words. dirty
scrap Of q note TO me, the leaf OF sheet
OF the commonest lined scrlbblng pa
per; and | read upon ii. written In very
bad French. the warning:
"Madernoiselle. If you wear the topaz
bracelet at the Opera ball tonight you
carry death upon your arm"
Thrice | read this. and as | read the
words. the third time aloud. saw,
shaping about the simplicity OF the girl;
a mystery which seemed as deep, and at
first sight as unfathomable. as any that
! had known AS for the momentary VIC
tim OF II she sat watching me while l,
! all amazed. held the paper still in my
| hand. and did not hide my surprise, or,
! indeed. attempt TO.
! "Mademolselle," said ], You speak to
me OF very deep matters, | fear. But,
OF course. you have SHOWN this letter 10
| your relatives2'
81 have but one relative in the world" ;"
| said she my mother. who is a paray-
tic. ] dare not mention such n thing
to her; she would die OF fear"
no faint idea OF the cause OF such let
ter as that
II cannot even attempt to guess at it,"
| There arc none OF your lady friends
who would hazard a joke with you?"
"Oh. no; they could not think Of such
a joke. as that, and my few friends love
me. ! believe"
I had now begun to pace up and down
the room. being In very whrl of the
| ory and conjecture. And in truth. the
| problem presented so many possibilities
| that IL might well have troubled man
whose whole occupation was the solu-
tion Of mysteries, Not that lacked any
| Of the heartburnings, the jealousies, and
the crimes which hover over the pos
session OF precious stones at once com
PEELED me TO the conclusion, either that
NJ. Georges Barre had been the victim
of previous affaire du occur or that