The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-10
The Euening Story
Pearls of Price.
(By lola Forrester.)

10y ILOla OrFeSteI-J
How much were they WORTH
asked Hobart Gertrude stood near
the open fireplace, one hand pressed
to her cheek, her teeth pressing her
lower lip. 1t was all so unbeliev-
able and stupid. There were only five
in the house besides herself and Ho-
bart-the kincaids, whom they had
known for years; Sewall Tate. Florrie
Tate, his sister, and Granger Fred
ericks, IIobart's best friend.
About ten thousand, 1 think, Bar
ty Father never puts a price tag on
anything, you know, but he bought
them for mother at Venice when they
were on their honeymoon. They were
small, but perfectly matched, and
there were ten strands besides the
tassels Why, l wore them only Fri
day night and-and 1 think L put
them in the little jewel drawer of my
dressing table.
Without a LOCKE"
Eve never locked up anything
here
And this is what you get for it.
1t can't be any guest. That's settled.
l wouldn't get any detectives out here
either, not yet. Wait till the people
have gone How about Selma ?"
''Oh, she's seen them for years, and
Mamie and Jefferson wouldn't touch
anything if their lives depended on
it. | know it isn't the servants"
Are YOU sure you lost them after
YOU had taken them off-that they
didn't slip off your neck somewhere 3"
But 1 only wore them that even
ing. dear, and we didn't go out of the
house If they had slipped off, we'd
have found them somewhere. You
His eyes met hers questioningly.
"Sewall?"
Hes seemed kind of moody, don't
you thing so, Barty?"
Hobart shook his head, blowing out
smoke from his mouth in rings.
Not Sewall. He's a regular fell
low, Trude. I'd rather consider even
Kincaid losing his head. He's been
awfuIly hard hit the last month
Dropped fifty thousand in two days
last week. I heard. That's why 1
asked them out hereto rest up and
get his grip back"
The sound of chair scraping back
out in the sun parlor stopped him.
Fredericks came in with his customary
smile of sple- dit. genial good cheer
and satisfaction with life. Everything
about him seemed big, Gertrude said,
even his heart. He had look of Rob
ert Louis Stevenson in his height and
wide, dark eyes, eager for knowledge
and human understanding.
"Barty," he said happily, I'm going
to stay here longer than you've asked
me to. You can't get rid of me yet
awhile. It's the most perfect rest spot
I've found since I left California. Kin
caid says he's called back to town sud-
denly, but I'm going to plant my
standards; Wasn't there some place
in the Bible called the wanderins
Israelites Here we rest?' That's me-
Stay as long as you like, old man."
answered Hobart heartily. $50 Kin
caid's going today? He hadn't told
me. I'm mighty sorry"
Gertrude could not help looking at
him meaningly. 1t seemed terrible
even to suspect in their thoughts quiet
Eincaid, but now it all dovetailed to-
Eether-bis losses, sudden leaving and
the disappearance of the pearls. She
caught herself specializing just how he
would be able to dispose of them,
They were so palpably antique 1t
would be easy to trace them. Barty
had left the room, and she caught
Granger cycling her with amusement.
i've never seen you serious before
he said.
Am I serious?" she laughed and
sighed at the same time. "Oh. Granger.
life's pretty much of a tangle after
all, isn't it ~
At dinner she could not keep her
thoughts on the conversation. And
from HObart's wandering expression
and slow replies, she knew he was the
same. They caught each other looking
speculatively 1T the various guests and
coloring to find their suspicious de-
tected by the other. 1t seemed impos-
sible to hold ones racing thoughts in
check. Gertrude imagined that Sewall
was i'll at ease. Then he noticed how
Mrs. Kincaid looked tired and worn.
And suddenly Florrie began to talk
about jewels and gypsy settings in
stead of the filigree. Hobart glanced
from one face to face TO see if any one
looked guilty and then flushed at his
own guilt as a host.
1t was a relief when the last had
gone, excepting Fredericks. He sat out
in the sun parlor nearly all day long,
working on his new play. Hobart had
finally settled in his own mind it must
have been Kincaid. He certainly had
after leaving them. But Gertrude sus-
pected young SewaH And, finally,
there came out to the beautiful shore
country home a detective.
Hobart was in town, and Gertrude
dreaded handling the affair by her
self, but she gave all information by
degrees, and followed him around the
house, until they came on Granger in
the sun parlor. She introduced the
visitor hesitatingly. And Granger
and laughed heartily.
God bless your heart, Gertrude, l
didn't think you'd take it so serious
ly. Wait a minute, child" He dug
into his inner coat pocket and drew
out something wrapped in a pocket
handkerchief There are your pearls
all safe and sound. You see. Hobart
didn't mention them, and neither did
you. and L couldn't tell for the life
of me what you meant to do about
them, and I could not possibly finish
that third act until you did do some
thing definite
Third act?" repeated Gertrude.
Granger, what have you done?"
Just experimental" he answered
playfully. 81 knew neither you nor
Barty would mind a bit when you
found me out. I've hac the very
deuce of a time working out my third
act, you see, and I've got just this
sort of a situation, only the girl steals
q necklace of diamonds Rut vour