The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-08-14

This remark calleu forth a ripple or
laughter from the two ladies, who
passed the remainder of the morning
in more or less harmless gossip
carefully refraining, however, from
wounding each others feelings, though
commenting freely on the faults and
failings of their absent friends and
acquaintances.
About the middle of the afternoon
Mrs. Wilcox sought secluded sum-
mer-house, with a novel in her hand;
preferring solitude to the company of
her new friend, of which she had al
ready grown slightly wearied. Ar
rived there, she found the young
woman of the linen blouse and tailor
made skirt seated at one of the small
tables. She seemed to be examining
a map or chart She looked up pleas
antly as the other woman entered, but
Mrs. Wilcox gave no sign of having
seen her. The girl sat very quietly,
studying the papers before her; Mrs.
Wilcox furtively watching her, resent
ing her presence, and inwardly Tuning
at what, if she had expressed herself
in words, she would have styled the
"odious self-possession of such per-
sons"
She was not to escape her new ac-
quaintance, however. In a few mo-
ments Mrs. Sparks came slowly along
in the same direction. CHANGING into
the summer-house and seeing Mrs.
Wilcox, she entered and seated her
self in one of the wicked rockers.
Presently the pair began a whispered
conversation, which, if there is any
truth in the accepted adage; should
have caused their neighbours ears to
burn. But she was so deeply engrossed
in her task that she took no heed of
their loud whisper or peculiar glances.
At length she arose and began to roll
up the papers on the table, combining
them with wide rubber band. Sud
denly she put her hand to her breast
and uttered an exclamation. She
looked on the table and under it, the
two ladies watching her with silent
curiosity.
81 beg your pardon, ladies!" she said
at last 81 think | must have lost a
precious gold cross after leaving the
hotel"
"Was it so very valuable?" asked
Mrs. Sparks.
ITO me, at least, it was" reioined
the girl, resuming her search for the
missing trinket.
AS she moved the roll of paper
from the spot where she had placed
it on the table, the cross fell to the
floor, resting at the feet of Mrs. Will
cax, who picked it up, and, instead of
offering it at once to the owner, passed
it to Mrs. Sparks, who began to exam
inc it. 1t was about two inches in
length, beautifully chased, and en-
crusted with small diamonds. An
enamelled leaf, studded with emeralds
and rubies, lay across the center. 1t
was most delicate piece of work
manship.
"Ah, am so glad did not lose it,"
exclaimed the girl
Mrs. Sparks continued to examine
it. 81
did you ever see anything more
beautiful" she asked her companion.
''Never!" was the reply. 1T is a
chef-do euvre certainly. And the de-
sign is so odd. The chasing is ex-
quisite."
''It must be very DID," observed Mrs.
Sparks. 1T is fit for queen"
1t is reputed to have belonged to
Catherine de Medici," said the girl
pleasantly; quite unsuspicious of what
was passing in the minds of the other
two ladies.
Now, Mrs. Sparks and her friend
had, between them, only a hazy idea
of who Catherine de Medici had been.
But they we're aware of the fact that
she had helped to make history; and
while her past ownership of the cross
served in their minds to make it more
desirable and valuable, the fact of its
possession by the present owner rem
dered it, in their opinion, doubly
strange and suspicious. Mrs. Sparks,
the more daring of the two, again
l
asked:
And where did you get it?"
The pale cheeks of the girl became
crimson. She was small of stature,
but her height seemed to overtop that
of her rude inquisitor as, with head
thrown back and eyes flashing, she
Indignantly said:
Madame, am not at all aware that
it concerns you. You have asked a
most impertinent question. Have the
goodness to hand me my Cross
Your cross!" said her interlocutor,
incredulously. what do you think,
Mrs. Wilcox?"
"Give it to her, of course" was the
reply. ct is none of our affair."
But | am almost sure it does not
belong to her. Probably she has ap-
propriated it to her own use as an
ornament, during the absence of her
employer-intending replace it, ]
hope; and was very . inch alarmed
when she thought it LOST.
"Give it to me at once!" exclaimed
the girl imperiously.
Mrs. Sparks laid the cross on the
table.
What insolence!" she muttered, as
the girl, seizing the cross and the roll
of paper, hurried from the arbor
The animadversions and criticisms
of the two ladies, their unkind sus-
picious and petty remarks on what had
occurred would not interest the