The Springfield herald., 1912-05-03

dote to grief, and had posted 1t but
an hour when the mystery of the
green diamond necklace began.
The circumstances were these. My
clerk had left with the letters, and l
was sitting at my table examining
few unusually large cat's-eyes which
had been offered to me that morning.
heard the shop door open and saw
from the small window near my desk
man In a fur coat, who seemed in
the counter. Three minutes after
wards Michel came up to me, breath
lessly and stammering. He carried In
his hand the identical necklace which
had made for my friend Brewer. and
which he had buried with his wife. as
his letter said, not month before.
My amazement at the sight Of 1t was
SO great that for many minutes sat
clasping and unclasping the snap of
the trinket. and reading again that
strange inscription. major lex amor
est nobis. which had caused me SO
much amusement when had first or
dered it to be cut. Then l asked MI
chel:
"hO pIOuSAI LIB
"A man In the shop below-the
agent Of Green & Sons. who have been
offered 1t by a customer at Dieppe."
Have they put price upon it,"
They ask one thousand FIVE hun.
dred pounds for It,"
"Oh, five hundred less than we sold
1t for; that is curious. Ask the man
IL he will leave 1t on approval for q
week"
II have put the question already.
His people are quite willing"
Then write out receipt"
He went away to do so, still FUN
bling and amazed. The thing was so
astounding to one who knew the whole
Of the circumstances, as l did. that
told him nothing more, but examined
the necklace minutely at least half a
dozen times. Was 1t possible that
there could be two sets Of matching
green diamonds, two infatuated lovers
who had chosen the same pattern Of
ornament. the same strange inscrip-
ton. and the same tint of stones?
Such thing was out Of the question.
Either Brewer had made a mistake
when he said that the necklace had
been buried with his wife-a theory
which presupposed his return to his
normal common sense-or some scoun-
drel had stolen 1t from her CONN.
determined to wire to him at once,
and had written out message when
the second mystery in the history of
the trinket began to unfold itself. 1t
came to me In the form of a cable
gram from Brewer himself, who asked
me to go to him at Paris without de-
lay. as something which troubled him
beyond description had happened
since he wrote me.
I need not say that at the time
when l received this telegram l had
no idea that second mystery had en-
gendered 1t. believed that Brewer
had discovered the loss Of the neck
lace, and had sent for me to trace the
thieves. This tack I entered upon
very willingly; and when l had In
structed Michel to ask Green & Co.
with whom we did a large business
to give me a special and private favor
the real name Of the seller of the neck
lace, took the eight o'clock train from
Victoria; and was in Paris at dawn
on the following morning. Early as 1t
was, Brewer waited for me at, the
Care du Nord, and greeted me with
a welcome which was almost hysteri-
cal In its effusiveness. This could
not return. for the shock of the sight
of him was enough to make any man
voiceless. He had aged In looks 20
years in as many months. His clothes
hung In folds upon a figure that had
once been the figure of a robust and
finely built man; his face was wan and
colorless; there were hollows above
his temples, and burrows as Of great
age in the cheeks. which erstwhile
shone with all the healthy coloring
that physical vigor can give. His as
pect, indeed. was. pitiable; but I made
a great effort to convince him that
had not noticed 1t, and said. cheerily:
well. and how is my old friend?"
II am widower." he answered:
and there was more pathos in the sim
pie remark than in any lament ever
heard from him. 1t was quite evident
that his one grief still reigned in his
thoughts; and I made no other at
tempt to conquer 1t.
You have important news, or you
would not have summoned me from
London" I said, as we left the station
In a fiacre. Wont you give me an
idea of it now?"
When we reach my place will
tell you everything and show you
everything. It's very kind of you to
come, very kind, indeed; but I'd soon
er speak OF such things at my own
house."
You are still at Villenmoble?
YES; but l have an apartment by
the Rue de Morny, and am staying
there now; the old home is not the
same. She Is dead. you know"
I thought this remark very strange.
and his manner of giving 1t no less
curious.
Bernard" he said, 81 brought you
to Paris because the strangest thing
possible has happened. You remem-