Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-06

sympathy offered it to her for the
dance. At first she didn't the responsibility of it,
and refused but could that she crazy
it. 1t the finishing touch to her costume So l
insisted and she took it away. l glad, after all.
The necklace had caused much suffering that 1t
seemed to it right to it, for to make
LAST night when my husband came home felt some
thing wrong. You know woman gets things. l
didn't feel right near h1-I can't express it in any
other way There was some constraint about him had
felt before. | simply got something near him,
and made me fearfuly nervous depressed But out
wardly he the ever, and my first impression
off little Then when he said he had present
for me- was all right agn, and hated myself for think
ing anything sinister The reaction carried into high
spirits loved him than ever. thought him the
purest and the BEST Oh how tried to make up for
nomentary inustice present! He had such an
adorable way of presenting things-t made them vastly
more valuable. Ibuzzed round him like humming-
bird in my delight. ~ r. 49,
Ae took package out of his pocket and handed it
me, after had paid him in kisses: was as happily
impatient child. snapped the string, laughing,
off the paper opened the little leather case This
necklace was nsde-my necklace, which had lent my
friend few days ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS drops of blood.
Il suppose | must have thanked him, somehow. |
may have kissed him again. with that horrible thing in
my hand. Women strange creatures. The most
ignorant woman become great actress under the
of emotion The ages have taught us to defend
ourselves Some maternal instinct inspires
"But what did, what l said don't know 1t
so long ago-and it was only last night! think
he suspected nothing. | remember that / pleaded a
headache, and got off to rOon1 somehow, locked the
door, and went to bed He knocked later and said
Goodnight, Giry! 1t comes back to me now; but at
the time l hardly realized it.
"The ruby necklace! My brain whrled with it! 1t
the most horrible night had ever spent. What did
it mean? Oh, went and over it till thought
should go mad. Had he discovered my secret? Had he
had a similar necklace made? | thought of every
PLANTATION except the right
"The next morning found couldn't stand it unless
found out the truth Immediately. When he left, told
him was going visit friend in Poughkeepsic
night, He said he might be gone himself when | re-
something horrible between | thought at the
time that he felt it too. Now know he did.
IL took the first train to New Haven. On the way
there fearful thought came to me. You know told
you used visit together? Well, recalled that
after my marriage spent weekend with some
friends in Wilmington. A few days afterward burglars
entered the house and stole considerable ewelry and
sverware Nobody thought anything of till another
house robbed in Richmond shortly after had
been there Then they began to call me hoodoo and
laugh at 1t good joke for awhile, especially
it happened once twice later. thought of it only
queer coincidence Now recalled the facts the
idea grew like wildfrc-it burned me up l couldn't
stand the suspense 1t seemed if pushed the train
all the way to New Haven.
II found my little friend in tears. Oh suppose you
have guessed what | never suspected. Her house had
been robbed the day after the dance, and the necklace
gone. l the wife of burglar, at least the
associate of burglarsi The for whom had fought
my fight, for whom | had won, the whose love
inspired me, a criminal!
"You imagine my situation had to comfort my
friend who almost distracted at the loss of the
necklace-and had it in my purse all the time! had
to tell her it would be found; had to leave
her with that burden her conscience knowing that
she would probably work her fingers off trying make
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