The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-08

of with his suitcase full of samples
for the next train.
At noon that day Alice hurried
her sandwich and hot chocolate.
hastily taken at the fountain counter
of the cut-rate drug store, and with
her beads in her hand she went to
neighboring jeweler-not the best in
town. but one who was reliable.
Il am pretty sure they are real am.
ber," she said, still if it would not
be too great favor may ask you to
examine them and tell me what l
should have paid for them?" The
jeweler looked at the beads, but ap-
parently shared none of the JOY in
their golden radiance that Alice's eyes
indicated.
Where did you get them. may
ask"
"Oh. not in town. 1t was in some
pawnshop in New York. l suppose we
should have known better than to
trust such place. But they were so
bright and pretty l thought they were
real amber"
The jeweler eyed her narrowly.
Your idea is to sell them?" he asked.
mo. just wanted to see what they
are worth. l thought you would tell
me-"
The jeweler lowered his voice. 81
can't tell you Just the maximum price
that you might be able to get for them.
OF course in Europe they would pay
more, but travelling is dangerous.
would be willing personally to pay
you five thousand dollars for them,
perhaps a little more. OF course. If
you went to New York you might get
more, but then there would be the
risk. and you might find q dishonest
dealer"
Alice thanked the jeweler and fairly
staggered out of the store, clasping
her precious beads in her hand She
hardly knew whether the man had
, been teasing her, making fun Of her
glass beads, or whether she had been
insane, or at least dreaming. She
! made her way to the most conserva-
tive and most expensive jeweler in
town, unmindful that the clock on the
| corner pointed five minutes to the
time that she ought to be back at the
prescription counter.
Ten minutes later she was in the
! darkened examination room with two
| jewel experts. She seemed to come to
a full realization of the situation when
she heard one of them explaining: IF
you will look through this bead you
will see the first letter. Now hold
this bead up to the light and see the
next letter marvelous, marvellous.
need no further proof. They are royal
amber, one of few strings of beads
that Louis XIV had made for his favor
ties. They are found only in the larg-
est museums now. Perhaps the full
value of this string has not been
known for hundred years or more.
will be willing to let you have six
thousand dollars for the beads. OF
course in Europe they might fetch
more. II you wish to accept my offer
we will have the check sent to your
bank tomorrow or give 1t to you per
sonally. or course, in making such q
large transaction we have to &c
through the form of consulting the
treasurer of the concern. He is out
at luncheon at present"
Somehow Alice got back to her post
She was Is minutes late-unheard-oi
breach Of Office regulations-bu she
did not explain. That afternoon she
sent telegram to Paul asking him to
return at once to hear the good news
And that is why Alice and Pau
didn't have to wait two years. In fact
they waited only long enough to find
just the Coolest little drug store for
$4,000 that you could imagine. And
the amber beads-when they have
been restrung and properly mounted
, will be on exhibition in one Of the big
museums, although to any but an ex
pert they look much like any other
string of amber beads.
| Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa.
per Syndicate)