The evening world., 1916-06-17

prettiest sowns-we'rs to be very
stunning"
"well2" said Jones.
LISTEN" sold Mary. And she un-
folded her plan. They listened In the
growing excitement, but 1t was not
long before Mona clapped her hands
softly.
"oh, that's splendid. Maryl" shs
laughed.
''Well-will II work." Mary asked
Jones, when she had finished.
'T believe IT will" he said. drawing
a long breath. MY hat as Off to you
Il believe you've hit upon ths way
out Of our difficulties! Win or lose
you've Siven us the gamblers chance,
that's all we have right TO expect!
And, ~ we win--oh, It's Vorth trying,
Q thousand times!"
You see the risk. don't your" said
Mary. "There's no use letting our
selves think that 1t will be easy. We've
got to work tosether-and yet not let
q soul on board suspect that we'rs
doing anything Of the sort"
lucky that We arranged to stay apart
through the voyage as we did! I
couldn't see Just why that was neoes-
sary when We arranged it-and vet.
II we had not, there would have been
no chance sven TO try this plan OF
yours. Mary"
.Weil-to work them" said Mary.
You both understandf7 You won't
bc At the dinner. Mr.. Jonee7"
I'm dreadftaly sorry." he said. N
mock distress. But I feel one of my
terrible headaches coming on, and IN
have to SEQ the ships surgeon. And
hkv,, "a PoftA&-onA
incidentally, establish Q DIT of evi-
dence that will come In handy htss
on!"
Ito Zoo bad you have to miss all
the fun" said Mona. moclinRly.
II think IN be able TO bear up" ne
said. with q grin. II rather suspect
IN be cured-tO- night! And Til eat
big lunch 10 make up for the dinner
] Shall have to miss. On second
thought, I'll wait until after lunch BE-
fore I see the doctor"
Mona and Mary were both radiant
that night when they appeared At the
captains dinner. Both were superbly
dressed: those who knew Of the cool
ness between them whispered TO one
another that each had evidently de-
termined to outshtne the other.
II would have been hard to say
which of them had succeeded. In
deed. honors between them appeared
at first glance TO be even. But 1t
was not long before all eyes were
drawn to a superb necklace OF dia-
monds that Mona wore. II dimmed
the lustre Of every other Jewel. al
though several Of the other women
wore ornaments OF unusual brdlliancy
and beauty. And II was impossible
for any one who could not take the
necklace and examine II closely to
sec that It consisted. not OF dia-
monds. but Of imitation stones SO
cleverly wrought that any but an
expert eye must have been deceived.
Mary started with well feigned
jealousy when she saw the stones.
She turned to the purser and. intend.
ing. as II seemed. that only he should
hear her. but speaking loudly enough
for the others at the table to catch
her meaning. said:
Don't you think such a display Of
jewels 10 in very bad taste? A few
simple rings--but TOR a young girl to
wear such a string of huge stones as
that! Well. was brought up not to
believe in so much display"
II say--t Ia rather startling" ad-
mitted the purser. still I suppose
she likes to show them off! II isn't
every one who can wear such a for
Perhaps every one doesn't want
to- said Mary icily.
And her eyes went hack 20 the
jewels time and again throughout the
dinner, and later. when the dancing
began. The great main saloon had
inclosed a part Of the deck. too, for
those VINO wanted air. And In the
brilliant confusion OF the scene no
one saw Mona stealthily Appropriate
a tiara from one dancsr. a 1ewelled
ornament OF another sort from an
other.
"Here!" said Mona. She had como
straight from the dancing floor with
her booty wra pped In . handkerchief;
she handed 1t to Jones, who was wait
ing for her In the empty and desert
ed corridor rear the stateroom In
which he was supposed 70 be trying
to find relief from his headache in
sleep.
eagerly. That's the part that has
worried mo most! was afraid you
would have had frishtfully difficult
tims in explaining that"
Il was frightened myself" said
Mona. But | had to make UP In
some fashion for the way I failed
with Mr.. Xl"
Hurry back--you mustn't risk any
delay" said Jones. 'Ili be waiting
anxiously."
As Mona went back she unfastened
her necklace and held II In her hand.
Her brief absence had not been no.
ticed: she found a partner waiting
engerly. for her and was swept into
the maze OF dancers at once. As she
pa assed Mary. dancing with the pur-
ser. she nodded slightly. and a mo-
ment later Mary. a. II by accident,
brushed against her. In tho momen-
tAry contact Mona slipped her neck
lSoe into Mary's corsage.
And five minutes later. as she
passed a mirror she screamed sud
denly.