The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-11-24
CHAPTER 1.
In the Diamond Horseshoe.

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Song. and in q moment the Metropoli-
tan Opera House was In confusion.
The cry, half suppressed, broke the
spell peculiar to a Faust" night. The
somewhat portly Marguerite, her
voice soaring like cage-born bird
suddenly freed, was decking her ma
ture person with the glfstening stage
gems left on her scenic doorstep by
the suavest Of devils. AS the singer
hung about her neck the rope of pearls
with which Mephisto planned to fet-
ter her soul. Mrs. Missioner. swinging
her fan with freer motion, struck
the slenderest part OF her diamond
collarette. The blow was sharp. The
golden thread on which the choicest
OF the Missioner Jewels in their per-
forated settings were strung, snapped.
Instantly most OF the freed drops OF
frozen fire that constituted Mrs. Mis-
sioner's magnificent necklace-the
one with the Maharanee diamond
were rolling on the floor of the box.
Mrs. Missioner, as the little scream
broke from Dorothy March, a debu-
tante she aad taken under her wing
for the evening, clutched at the few
diamonds that fell into her lap. Miss
March drew her skirts tightly about
her ankles and shrank into corner
OF the box, making room for the man
who sprang to Mrs. Missioner's aid.
Before another moment sped, Curtis
Griswold was on his knees scooping
together the scattered jewels with
Bnow-gloved hands. Bruxton Sands,
slower Of movement, bent with more
dignity to the task. In the next box.
separated from Mrs. Missioners only
by low velvet rail, man of Orien-
tai features and complexion turned
TO watch the scramble for the jewels.
Though he did not stir from his place,
his hawk-like face seemed to thrust
itself into the center OF the excited
group.
Continue! Continued" the singer
urged, as she bent her gaze from the
box to the conductor.
What's the matter? Go on! Go
on" the stage manager cried in I'M
dertones from the wings. Ushers in
the back Of the house sought to cover
the confusion with ill-timed applause.
The moment was big with potential
tragedy. One cry Of Fire." might
have sent those thousands of startled
women and men battling along the
aisles in an elemental fury of self.
preservation. Mere prolongation Of
the situation without that terri.
bic tocsin might have ended in a
smaller panic. But the liquid tones
Of the soprano soaring again in the
pyrotechnics OF the Jewel Song re-
claimed the attention Of the audience.
Tha conductor, evidently eager tr hidr1
hid own mounentary loss Of r.oisss sfaacs.
" lifted Ills men through the intri-
cacies Of the accompaniment
Promptness Of action by the stage
manager restored order behind the
scenes.
Nothing Of all those incidents struck
the sense Of anyone in the Missioner
box. ALI four Of Its occupants were
concerned for the immediate recovery
Of the diamonds that had sprung from
Mrs. Missioner's neck to her lap, and
then stampeded across the floor.
Griswold. still on his knees, rescued
the greater number. Sands, a man of
action as well as of millions, picked
up the larger gems. Miss March
shraak further into her corner OF the
box, and dragged her petticoats ever
more closely until her immature form
seemed chiseled In tulle.
Look in all the corners-look
everywhere" Mrs. Missioner urged.
There's one behind the chair" she
pointed.
There's another" cried Dorothy.
pointing at Griswold's feet. A glance
from the dark stranger in the next
BOX directed the searchers toward
still another part Of the floor, and
svery move was rewarded by the re-
eovery Of a cleaning stone. One by
one. by twos. by threes. the diamonds
were gathered. and still the search
went on. Fast as they scooped them
up. Sands and Griswold poured the
glittering treasure into Mrs. Mis-.
sioner's lap.
"Are they ali there7" asked the
millionaire.
mo. no." answered the widow.
There are several more. Please look
asain-look everywhere. Dorothy.
help me count them"
Griswold and Sands renewed their
search, peering into the remotest cor
ners, pushing chairs about. looking,
reaching, gasping with the zeal Of
Klondikers, urged again and again
BY the owner of the Jewels.
The glittering horseshoe Of the Met.
ropolitan deserves its name. The
Kafflrs Of Kimberly, the pearl-divers
Of Polynesia. the gold.seekers of the
Klondike. the diggers into earth's Sc
crets the world over toll ceaselessly
to maintain the bril)lance Of that big
jewel show. They send their dia.
monds and rubies and emeralds and
sapphires. their pearls and opals and
gold, to CLEAN on the heads and
breasts and gowns Of women whom
tho industry of one generation, or the
stock-market luck Of another, has
crowned with riches. A night at the
opera Is a parade Of the wonders
gems can work and Of that which. too
nftan. gems ean buy.
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