Williams news., 1917-11-15
CHAPTER x.

CHAPTER x.
 H.
 The silence was short-lived; but while it lasted a power of scorn played like lightning round the de voted head of the appraiser.
 As for Lydia and Peter (who had just joined the group), they gaped in open amazement; while the inspector looked sorry for Charlie.
 After lightning, thunder, remote, maestoso, -mad?"
 Me? No, ma'am, not a bit. It's nothing to me, you know"
 Don't quibble, if you please. l want to know whether or not you're daft. You know perfectly well that sand dollars. Look at the bill. In- spector, be good enough to show this person Cottier's bill"
 The appraiser examined the receipt with Ostensible astonishment. "I don't understand this, ma'am," he faltered.
 "Nor I!''
 "Cottier's don't deal in limitations, I know" he pursued with greater con- fidence. "All the same, I'll stake my job that those are fish-skin pearls, paste brilliants, and-well, the set tings, I admit, are genuine"
 'Then your job is as good as lost. I shall file complaint and have you discharged for incompetence"
 eff you'll pardon me, I don't be- leve you will, Mrs. Merrilees.''
 ''Easy, Betty!' Peter Trait inter posed. Perhaps he's right, after an." 'rBe quiet, Peter. When want your advice, I'll let you know. Certainly I ought to know when I paid for that collar"
 '"Then you have been shamefully cheated, Mrs. Merrilees," the inspec- tor put in.
 Quite impossible. I know real gems from articles de Paris, and I ex- amined this necklace with the great then 1t has never left this box, which hasn't been out of my care an instant except when in the purser's safe.''
 'Tm sorry, but I know what I know. If you're the judge you think yourself, ma'am, I can only suggest that you take this to the light and here, I'll lend you my magnifying glass;
 ''Thank you, I sha'n't require it.''
 With a gesture of rage, Mrs. Merri- lees snatched the case from the ap- praiser's hands and moved toward the patch of sunlight. Before she had reached it, studying the collar atten- lively on the way, Lydia saw her slacken pace and faIter.
 One short minute in that strong glare sufficed. As pale in mystifica- tion as she had previously been with wrath, Mrs. Merrilees returned.
 T owe you an apology" she in- formed the appraiser in a shaking voice. 'It's a palpable imitation
 The box slipped from her grasp and went to the floor with a bump, spilling its trashy contents, and Mrs. Merrt- lees Topped incontinently to a con- venient trunk Lydia's ready arm round her shoulders.
 "But, my dear!" Betty walled. ''It's perfectly preposterous !''
 The appraiser looked at once bored and dubious. Peter Trait batted be- wildered eyes, then with a helpful air picked up the box and replaced it's contents. The inspector swung sharp ly round and made off, with every evi- dence of inspired haste, toward a dis tant quarter of the pier.
 'Let me think!'' Mrs. Merrilees said in a stifed voice. Indenting her lower lip with a knuckle, she fastened an abstracted stare on the polished tips of her shoes.
 Lydia, at loss, found nothing to say. She couldn't decently express too great concern over the disappear ance of something that had been dedi- cated to her on her wedding day however remote that event. Yet she was gravely if unintelligibly dis tressed. Beneath her ready sympathy stirred a qualm of peculiar uneasiness.
 Distracted by the rumble of mems voices, she looked up, to find that Quoin had added himself to the group and was studiously attending to Pc ter's account of the counterfeit collar. Their eyes met presently, and Lydia was surprised by the look he bent upon