Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-27
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CHAPTER XIII.


Mrs. Missisner's Visitor.
Mrs. Missioner, after the ball, took
In tho fag-enl Of . bridge party, and
stayed 50 late that when she returned
70 her home the east was striped with
dawn, and tho maid who had waited
up for her was sleeping soundly In
chair. The widow was not yet dis
posed, for alumber. It. had been an
exciting night. Her fancy had been
stimulated 80 greatly by her brief
talk with tho Swami in the ballroom
that she was unable to turn 1t from
the mysterious Oriental history of
the Maharanee diamond. She knew
no more of the jewels past than she
had related to the sage, for her hus-
band had not acquainted her with all
tho details connected with his acQuisi-
ton OF it. Something in the Swami's
manner caused her to regard the stone
gan to doubt the purity of its record.
Fond though she was of gems, even
to tho point Of being Jewel worship
.er, she was American to her finger
tips, and would shrink in terror from
any bauble that came to her stained
with the tihiest drop of human blood.
She had loved her husband In a
way. at any rate, she had always re-
spected and admired him. It seemed
impossible he would be party to
wrongdoing. Yet she could not shake
of sensation Of dread whenever she
remembered how intimately the jewel
had nestled in the SHOWS Of her throat,
and rivaled the brightness of her eyes.
Could It be she had worn gem whose
fire was more suited to tho glow Of an
Inferno than to tho Eden Of good
twoman's love1iness?
Drawing STOUT her shoulders . soft,
warm shawl, she took seat at q win
dow in her boudoir and sat gazing into
sky pink and gray with daybreak.
trying to solve her real feelings IN
regard to the recovery of the Mahara-
nee diamond. She was in the midst
of her meditation when she heard the
faint ringing Of a bell at the other end
of her big house. In little while,
a footman raped on the door Of her
jboudoir. It awakened her maid, and
the girl, her eyes swollen with sleep.
approached the widow with card
bearing no name. but inscribed with
the message:
cit ia important that be permitted
to see you It 0nce."
At such IN hourr Mrs. Missioner
was astonished BY the request. Who
could her early visitor be? Surely no
one in her own circle Of acquaintance
would venture upon such = liberty. If
it were a question of life or death,
there was still the telephone. Score
cy was indicated by the attempt Of
the person to SEQ her face to face.
Haste bresthed in every word Of the
scholarly scrawl. Mrs. Missioner was
not ultraconventional, but the request
for an interview at that time Of day
an hour that almost might be called
a time Of night-was beyond the scope
of even her liberal views. However,
curiosity conquered, as 1t has been do
ing in the cases Of women, jewels, and
apples since the world began, and she
Informed her maid she would see the
visitor In the library.
She controlled her eagerness for
understanding Of the request, never
,the1ess, so we'll that when in leisure
ly way she reached the big room on
the madnllioor, the visitor was already
within It. He stood at window look
ing into a, street and shielding him
self behind curtain from chance
lglances. AS his head was bare, 1t was
mot untflrt second glance that she
Irecoxnized the Swami. She was not
only astonished. but startled BY the
recognition. What could this mystsri.
lous student Of the occult want with
her? What could possibly be the OBJ.
1ect Of his visit to her home at such
IAN hour? He was an old aequaiht.
ance in q sense, but one Mrs. Mis-
lsioner had not cultivated in this part
of the world.
He waited until she, was close Il
the hearthruE before he turned. and
said with Q profound bow:
Madam, my intrusion is excused
by the fact that can restore your
jewels"
els It possible!" she exclaimed.
at is more than possible. 1t Is a
fact accomplished" he answered
Taking from an inner pocket a pack
ago in silk tissue, he extended It
toward her with the words:
"You will find in this parcel, madam
all the diamonds Of your necklace,
with the exception of the largest
the Maharanes."
~But tho big diamond Of the whole
lnecklace-the Maharanee!" cried Mrs
missioner. Glow did you ind these
and not find that?"
! y have net said that did not re
cover IT," said the Swami. ION the
contrary, confess to you that
gained possession Of the Maharanee
lat the time when got these: but II
must not, cannot. be restored to YOU
n am grateful for what you have
done" tho widow said gently; but
lam unable to understand your atti
Itude In regard to the missing stone
Why should I net have that, too? h
is mine"
! MADAM" said the Oriental, IN the
icoursiisst way, II would not for the
world say anything to disturb your
faith In your husband. There is nc
need Of doing 20 Your faith 10 war
srapted. Mr.. Missioner, when he aaid
that, thought he was telling ne truth
iUnfortuAatsly for you, - we'll al fer
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