The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-11-13
rs. I'reer's eyebrows went up In sur.

ana hOllOw-a string OF pearls TOT DOT
othy. The handle screws On. The
cleverest artisan In the Rue de hi.
laire made It for me. and I bribed him
10 secrecy. The whole thing. umbrel.
u, pearls and bribe. cost-guess bow
many thousand francs"
II couldn't" declared Mrs. Free
t.sathlesaly.
Mrs. Foster whispered In her ear.
and the other smiled incredulousiy.
"Why. that must equal the amount
Of the duty on your pearls" she has-
arded.
my dear. it's more than the duty
would be. and 50 I've simply got to get
them through. Alb. It Is my turn now"
She FASTENED away TO give up the key
to her trunks. and Eleanor heard her
shrill treble rising 10 expostulation
against the quick decisive tones Of the
customs official.
And after awhile the official con.
suited u notebook and read something
therefrOm to Mrs. Foster. With q bit.
ter cry she gave up her umbrella. and
with a quick turn Of his wrist the OF.
dcial compelled that carefully maui.
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 last
she alone was left. and she came r.
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 and
the trunks closed. Then her hand
luggage was gone over carefully With.
out result.
At last the Ofiicial Strengthened him.
self and looked her calmly 10 the eye.
THAT IL all you have to declare.
madam" be asked.
II have given you my keys-you 80
what 10 there" returned Mrs. Freer
haughtily.
How about the diamondsw he ask.
ed unpleasantiy.
Diamonds" sasped Nrs. Freer.
He nodded and consulted the same
notebook that had been the undoing
Of little Mrs. Foster.
"Our agents report that you purchas-
ed diamonds to the value Of $1,000
when y,u were In Paris" be announc.
ed. Where are theyr
"'rhis il M outrage" stammered
Eleanor tearfully.
1T is the law. madam" he corrected
stcraly. and then. Il trust you will
not make n personal search necessary"
Mrs. Freer hcsiiated. and then pride
came to her aid. 70 admit that shc
had tried to sm,'ggle diamonds through
the customs WAS too notifying tO IN.
durc. She would face 1t out. They
would never guess where she had hid.
den them 1t waS her own idea aud
40 clever.
"You may make the personal search
II you WISH" She said sweetly. And
then she WAS conducted to q small
room and placed IN the hands Of
sharp eyed woman. who consulted with
the official In low tones before she
Turned III Mrs Crsssr
will you please remove your hat.
madam" she asked cOurtcOusly.
Certainly" returned Eleanor. with
. little hystericai laugh. Il suppose
you believe have diamonds concealed
10 my hair"
II have heard Of stranger cases." re.
turned the woman grimly. NO.
madam. you needn't take down your
hair. think cSn locate them with.
out
She took the charming hat from
cleaners shaking hands aud held Il
under a strong drop light. Then she
drew forth a pair Of sharp scissors and
deliberately shipped one Of the green
grapes from its stem. tore II open and
pulled out a stufiing Of cotton wool,
from which dropped a glistening gem.
While Mrs. rreer suffered mild hys-
terics. the woman calmly desuded 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 Ofllcial.
"What do you make Of themr' she
asked.
He smiled broadly and nodded ap.
prevail at Mrs. Freer. "Pretty clever
trick. madam" he said. and she felt q
grain Of comfort 10 the knowledge that
her dishonesty was Of high degree.
"FIow did you guess!'' she faltered.
NO gucsswork 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 q
strong glass. Then he turned 10 Flea
NOR oncn mOro ssWhv did Won taxa