Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-20

while she examined her glorious new
treasure.
Little girl he said at last. smiling
half sadly, Ito be fascinated by trim
ket" i
She glanced at him across the jewels.
1t sthe most beautiful thing In the
world" she exclaimed. .'Oh. John. II
YOU knew how happy you've made me.
She went UP to him and knelt down
by his knee. still caressing her jewels.
Above her head she heard him sigh.
You would be happier. dear. If YOU
understood the true meaning of the gift.
And would be HAPPIER. too
What Is the meaning. John"
He hesitated. 1T IS the most beautiful!
expression of my love for you that | am
capable of making. Esther
II see She, too. had grown suddenly
grave. The meaning is as wonderful as
the gift. Thank YOU for both, John, mil
lion times
the gift away.
She felt strangely uneasy. disturbed
The gay delight of a few moments ago
had vanished a his words. The diamonds
seemed TO have taken on new look. 1t
was as If each showed the husband s
FACILITATING heart under the sparkling fire.
oh" she cried out. passionately, If /
can love him as he loves me, dear Lord,
send me some way to show him. He has
expressed himself in those diamonds. Let
me express mSSeif III a way as uhiHlst dk-
able. "
Her fingers trembled as she opened the
level case on her toilet table and laid
the gems upon the blue velvet. l must
have a blue velvet gown To snow them on
upon she thought TN telephone Nine.
Marchand this moment. Oh. no-ill go to
see her this afternoon. That's better
Her mood had passed
Mime. Marchand was very amiable that
afternoon. and the blue velvet gown
promised to be fitting accompaniment OF
the new diamonds. Esther came home
elated and ran up to peep into her jewel
case She had thrill of joyful possession
as she saw the chain giittering in its
azure nest.
"Oh. you beautiful darlings,' she whis-
pered STOPPING, she kissed them with
giriish q bandon. Reluctantly at last she
closed the lid upon her treasure.
That night she went to sleep with
happy thoughts of diamonds and blue
velvet running through her head. Nat
urally. her waking thoughts colored her
dreams. She dreamed that she was at a
great ball. Waiting in room lined with
mirrors and flooded with electric light
She could see herself in the mirrors as
she passed-a blue flower of a girl with
her diamonds flashing like dew. Sudden
ly the light seemed to grow in intensity;
1t became binding. She was ready TO
cry out in agony when she opened her
eyes. Her heart was futtering strangely
and sweat had broken out upon her. She
knew that she had been terrified In
stantly with the knowledge she saw what
had frightened her.
In the farthest corner of the room, OPP
posite the bed. stood a masked man. In
one hand he gripped a pistol. In the
other be held a tiny lantern with a pow
erful searchlight The rays had fallen
upon her face as the apparatus turned
in the mans hand. So she had closed
her eyes.
She thought many things as she lay
there waiting the burglars next move.
He was after her diamonds. of course.
finding them She heard him cross the
floor steathily and set the lantern on her
toilette table. 1t was safe for her to
look now. And she did.
The masked man was of slender build.
John would be more than a match for
him physically. but John had no pistol.
and even if he had the burglar might
shoot first. She looked at John sleeping
beside her. He lay with his face turned
resting relaxed upon the coverlid. If she
moved so much as muscle she must
wake him. And If she woke him that
cleaning weapon in the masked man s
hand would become an instrument of
death.
.'Oh. God she prayed. mentally. 'let
him not wake. Let him sleep safely until
our danger is past Help me not to faint
or scream move until he has taken
the jewels and gone
She looked back at the masked man. He
had opened the jewel case. His gloating
fingers were upon the diamonds She
heard his throat gurgle with greed he
lifted the fiery. beautiful chain Her
precious diamonds, Yet in that moment