Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-11-17


rather earlier than usual, dlned WIN
only little Dorothy March as a Visa
Wis, and, after an hour or so spent III
working out pretty problems VIII
her youthful protegee, rang Tor her
limousine and was whirled away TO a
dance at the home of one Of her dear
five hundred friends. Mrs. Missioner
arrival was an instant triumph, a roy
al progress. She laughed and chatteu
with men who adored her, and WIN
women who would lave done the same
If they had not been-women.
Yet there was a monotony about 1t
all to her, for although she was fond
of society, she had seen the ans
faces, heard the same small talR' IFS
tened to the same music, n dahceu
the same dances many, many times III
the course of the season. just when
her vague wish for the unusual was
shaping itself into a materfal1zatlon OF
the grisly phantom, boredom, a llIIie
stir at the entrance to the ballrooLh
heralded the arrival Of a man VINO
quickly drove the little drab devil OF
ennui from his perch upon Mrs. MIS-
sioner's satin shoulder.
The newcomer was a tall person,
wearing the ordinary evening ATTIRE
of gentlemen, with addition, however,
of a snowy turban that crowned his
long black hair, like a wreath OF sno"
Upon a darkling mountain-s1de. IL
needed no second glance to tell MRS.
Missioner that they had already met
She knew it long before the Swamls
dark eyes swung their twin search
light glance in her direction. Mrs.
Missioner recognized readily the mvs-
FERROUS stranger of the opera box. IL
was the first time h had seen
him since the night in which she dis
covered the falsity of her jewels. For
a moment, the sight Of his swart face
and piercing eyes recalled the pang
with which she had learned Of the loss
of the Maharanee diamond. So 1t was
with a most gracious smile hat she
interrupted an Introduction by her
hostess and said:
I'VE have met quite recently" as
she touched the tips of her white
gloved fingers to those Of the ORR
entail. She went on: You see am
more composed than at our last meet
ing; but then, I dare say, you were not
troubled. Jewels, you know, mean so
much to a woman"
Some jewels mean more, Mrs. Mis-
sioner," said the Swami suavely- Il
thoroughly understand the sense OF
loss-in fact, the bereavement that
came upon you when you found that
beautiful necklace was not what you
had supposed it to be-"
Il rather imagine" Mrs. Missioner
returned, that you are not unfa-
miliar with the fact that it was the
loss of one stone among the many
which really grieved me-"
"You are right, my good friend,
returned the Swami. II will not pre-
enc to be ignorant of he value you
attached to the central gem-the Ma
haranee diamond. You are not alone
He checked himself abruptly. at was
a stone which we'll might command af-
lection from it's ~possessor. Time was
when devotion would have been the
word"
They were strolling across the floor
as they talked, and In a corner dis
tant from the music the widow seated
herself on a Louis Quinze chair and
said. almost coaxingly:
II feel pretty sure you know more
about the history OF that jewel than
| do"
Indeed" was the Swami's only con-
cession.
Eyes. indeed and indeed" said the
widow, with a gay little laugh. "Of
course, a sage cannot be expected to
occupy his thoughts with anything Sc
frivolous as a diamond, however beau
tiful. Yet am convinced that If you
we're to unbend from your meditat1ons
of the occult long enough to scan you
memory, you would recall facts in
connection with it that would be very
interesting to me-
May l inquire your reason for SO
thinking, dear madam"
ut is a reasonable request on your
part she replied. 81 remember my
husband told me the stone had come
from the treasure casket of he mos
beautiful queen in India-is not that
why it is called the M~aharanee d1a'
mond?"
TT would be difficult to explain the
name of every great diamond in Hin
d~ostan,'' said the Swami evasively'
since your husband gave you a his
tory of the stone, surely you cannot
doubt its authenticity"
"Oh, of course not" said the widow.
1T is not in regard to its more recent
history that l am questioning you. i
think you know not only all the ira
ditions Ringing upon it, but that you
are also conversant with Its journey
inRs through your native land before
it became the possession Of the Ma
haranee from whom my husband
bought it."
Really, Mrs. Missioner" replied
the scholar, Il a imagine nothing
more delectable than to carry out your
slightest wish; but we of the East
have things on which to concentrate
our poor intelligences that are too
grave to make room even for SO inter
esting a diversion as historical study
among precious stones"
Come. now!" urged the widow.
please search your memory again.
Unbend. Mr.. Philosopher"