The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-07

my room, Jim, and give me the en-
eralds."
: Just a minute. Aunt Maria" Jim
glided back to the wardrobe and un-
, locked the door Then he went down
/ the long hall and rejoined his aunt.
/ Together they went down to the next
floor and presently the door Of Mrs.
Maria Woodworth's door closed be-
hind them.
Aunt Maria's boudoir was blazing
with lights when they entered. She
sank into a great stuffed chair and
held out her hand for the necklace.
Let me see it." she said. impa-
tiently.
Jim thrust a hand in his pocket,
pulled out the jewels, and then stared
at them with mouth agape.
These were not emeralds that drip
ped with blue fire and flame from his
fingers! 1t was a magnificent sap
phire necklace that put his Aunt Ma
ria's famous emeralds to shame.
You said emeralds, Aunt Maria?
he questioned weakly. You are sure
you didn't mean sapphires?'
you are crazy, jim! OF course,
meant emeralds. | always believed
you were color blind-now l am con-
WINGED Of it,
Jim was pulling up the mattress
no emeralds. The pocket in the head
board was empty, but in the toe OF
a white satin slipper, which was too
small for Aunt Maria, worse luck,
were the famous Woodwork emer-
aids.
"Oh. pshaw!" exclaimed Aunt Ma
ria as she ran them through her I'm
gers. 81 might have known they were
in there! I'm going to give these to
your bride, Jim, when you select
one!"
Thanks, Aunt Maria" said Jim
miserably. Il guess I'll get back to
bed I'm sorry about the burglar
scare, but it's turned out all right"
Goodnight, boy, and don't be cross
with your old aunt for routing you out
at this unholy hour" she chuckled as
she opened the door for him to de-
part.
, Jim Kindleton mounted the stairs
three at a time. reached the wardrobe
to find the door open and his prisoner
, gone. Where?
, Who was she, with her slender, lis
some form, her frightened little voice
and her subtle magnetism? Whose
was the sapphire necklace? Was 1t
hers? And who was she? For he
was Aunt Maria's only guest.
These questions haunted him until
the morning, and then he made lei
surely toilet and went down to break
, fast He was late, and Aunt Maria
was seated at the table, for she never
waited for anyone She was not
, alone.
. In the chair opposite Jim's seat
was girl, slender and fair. with
adorable face and wide gray eyes.
, She was rather pale and she was tell
ing a story to Aunt Maria with much
animation, and Aunt Maria was
/ chuckling over 1t in a most malicious
way.
Hester, this is my nephew, Jim
|, Kindleton--you've heard me speak of
\ him. All the Kindletons are color
blind" She laughed at Jim's quick
blush. Jim, you've always known
y about the Janways, of Overbrook?
This is Hester, my favorite of them
: all. Sometimes she takes pity on me
} She has come down now to attend
n the New Years ball at Lords. She
\ brought some of her pretty jewels
\ too. Mores the PITY"
q "Yes?" faltered Jim, uncomfortably
! aware that this charming guest must
; have been his prisoner of the night
before.
"In the night telephoned her that
burglars were In the house and the
foolish child picked up her sapphire
necklace-it's her most precious pos
session-and ran downstairs to my
room. She couldn't get inside and SC
she went back to her room on the
third floor. and at the head of the
] stairs she met tall man with a muir
derous voice, who commanded her tc
hand over her jewels, which she did
He locked her in the hall wardrobe
y and later"
Good heavens, I am sorry" burst
= out Jim contritely, and Miss Janway
a looked quite bewildered until Aun,
|. Maria explained all about 1t IN hel
own way. Then Jim sheepishly pro
s duced the sapphire necklace, and tolt
= his side Of the story, much to the de
!, light of the heroine and much to hit
- own satisfaction, for an acquaintance
began in this unconventional way
could never be commonplace.
+. After breakfast he was starting fol
walk with Hester Janway, wher
j, Aunt Maria called him back into the
. hall.
- "Jim," she said impressively, re
member, I told you I would give the
:. emeralds to your bride"
:, , Jim blushed "I'll hold you to that
= Aunt Maria" he laughed.
:. And don't forget-rd rather they
belonged to Hester than any one
else"
!. at won't be my fault II they don't
lie called over his shoulder as he
fastened to join his erstwhile pris
oner, who had now imprisoned hin
in the meshes of her sweetness ant
: charm
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure Newspa