The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-04-01

of the duty on your pearls" she haz-
arded. I,
My dear. it's more than the duty
would be, and so I've simply got to get
them through. All, it is my turn now!'
She FASTENED away to give up the Key
TO her trunks, and Eleanor heard ner
shril treble rising In expostulauon
against the quick decisive tones OF the
customs official.
And after awhile the official con.
suit ed notebook and read something
therefrom to Mrs. Foster. With q bit
ter cry she gave up her umbrella. ana
with a quick turn Of his wrist the Of
ficiai compelled that carefully manu-
featured article to disgorge the pearls.
After the confusion surrounding this
incident had died away Mrs. Freer
found herself growing quite nervous,
as the other passengers In the IF Sec
ton quickly made their declarations
and were promptly released. At lass
she alone was left. and she came re-
luctantly forward with her keys.
One by one the trunks were thrown
open and her dainty belongings tossed
about for inspection. Memorandum
was made OF her dutiable articles aud
the trunks closed Then her hand
luggage was gone over carefully with
out result
At last the official Strengthened him.
self and looked her calmly IN the eye
THAT is all you have to declare,
madam he asked
Il have given you my keys-you see
| what is there" returned Mrs. Freer
| hnughiily
/ How about the damonds? he ask
! ed unpleasantly.
Diamonds" gasped Mrs. Freer.
| He nodded and consulted the same
notebook that had been the undoing
| of little Mrs Foster.
| Our agents report that you purchas-
1 ed diamonds to the value OF SiO,0OU
when you were In Paris" he announc-
/ ed Where are they?'
! This is an outrage" siammered
| Eleanor tearfuIly.
1T is the law, madam he corrected
sternly. and then, Il trust you Will
: not UJdhb d IbGISOudi avn hNNSs'''"ir
Mrs Freer hesitated. and then pride
| came to her aid. TO admit that she
had tried to smugge diamonds through
the customs was too notifying to en-
| dure. She would face 1t out They
| would never guess where she had hid
den them-it was her own idea and
30 clever.
No
IL you WISH" she said sweetly. And
then she was conducted 10 small
room and placed in the hands of a
sharp eyed woman, who consulted witt
the official In low tones before SHE
turned to Mrs. Freer.
"Wnl you please remove your hat
madam" she asked courteousiy.
..CertaiDiy," returned Eleanor. wit
little hysterical laugh. y suppos
you believe | have diamonds conceaie
IN my hair"
II have heard OF stranger cases." r
turned the woman grimly IN
madam, you needn't take down yo1
hair. | think | can locate them wit
out"
She took the charming hat fro
Eleanor's shaking hands and held
under strong drop light Then sh
drew forth pair OF sharp scissors an
deliberately shipped one of the gree
grapes from its stem. tore it open an
pulled out stufing OF cotton wool
from which dropped glistenng gem
While Mrs. Freer suffered mild hys
terics, the woman calmly denuded the
hat of its green grapes, and from each
one she produced stone, which she
laid in a tray. She counted them care
fully and then called in the official.
What do you make of themy" she
asked
He smiled broadly and nodded APP
prevail at Mrs. Freer. Pretty clever
trick, madam" he said. and she felt a
grain OF comfort In the knowledge that
her dishonesty was of high degree.
How did you guessr' she faltered.
mo guesswork about It," he said
| cheerfully. THE man who made your
grapes-to order. wasn't it?-happened
to be one OF our spies: that's ALL"
He was examining the stones with a
strong glass Then he turned to Flea
nor once more. Why did you take
pains to smuggle through false stones,
| madam" he demanded
"False?" she gasped. why, my
husband paid $4,000 for themw
Then be was badly bitten. They're
not worth 500"
1t was at this moment that John
| Freer chose to arrive. admitted by the
! magic of his card and coin of the re-
! public.
| His sharp eyes took In the situation
at a glance-his fearful wife, her de-
nuded hat and the heap OF imitation
1 diamonds.
Eleanor" be chided gently, what
did | warn you? Tell me what sort
Of trouble you're in that may help
| you out of It,"
| She told him unreservedly, and he
| laughed when she had concluded
| laughed heartlessly.
False, you say? Yes. my dear, they
are. The genuine diamonds came over
| with me a fortnight ago and were
properly declared and the duty paid