Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-04


lima shook her head, and at that
moment knock interrupted Harry's
counting. lima. jumping up. opened
the door, and the stern figure OF the
Executioner appeared, holding in his
hand tho dagger of tho Sultan.
What do you mean," cried the en-
ragged Harry, but the emissary OF the
Commander of the Faithful paid no
more attention 10 him than as if he
were Il piece OF furniture. His eyes
were focused on lima.
"rll obey. I'll obcy~ cried the ter
rified girl.
See that you do" answered her es-
| cort, backing out and shutting the door
after him.
Don't you see" explained lima to
| the still angry Harry, the executioner
| would kill us both II fell in love. but
OF course 1 won't" and, with an at
tempt to be gay. she turned to the table
and picked UP the tissue paper.
That makes four Of the pearls"
She said, taking three from the little
pocket in which she kept the Jewels;
then she unwrappcd the paper; with
cry She started back. the paper con-
| tanned not the priceless pearl she had
placed there, but n common moth ball.
Ilma's eyes filled with tears; she
threw the moth ball to the moor. at 4
loss how to explain the disappearance
of the real gem. In ran Harry, rack
ing his brains in an effort to place
the blame on Stayne.
The burglar. after leaving Harry's
| apartment. FASTENED to call up the man
who had Informed him about the pearl
earrings. and in so doing crossed the
path OF n bearded stranger who seemed
! interested in his actions
This man waited till Stayne was
leaving the phone. when he accosted
him.
Hello stayne." said he. how is it
| with you?
II don't know you" snarled the sus-
picious burglar.
Truo," answered the other. but
| here's something you do know" and
he held out between his thumb and
forefngcr the pearl he had stolen from
the table. Still Stayne hesitated; the
stranger then removed his false beard
anG slipped the mask for q moment
over his eyes. Stayne understood; here
was the man he had seen slip into
Harry's room and fitch the pearl from
under the very eyes of it's owners
n.
here's my proposition-why not work
together and gather in all the pearls -
Stayne could not conceal the cupidity
with which this proposal inspired him,
and Perry saw that he had won him
| over The two men walked to a neigh
boring saloon, there to lay plans to
secure the pearls concerning which
Stayne's accomplice had phoned him.
After Harry had succeeded in cheer
| ing up lima, he remembered the San
| oeriec address. and persuaded her TO
forget her present loss and think only
of the pearls that Miss Sanderlee now
had.
| They FASTENED to taxi and started
for Fair Oaks on the Hudson. 1t was a
beautiful day and the autumn coIors
hao mantled the foliage in wonderful,
artistic effects. AS they bowled along
they were passed by n fast car in the
tonneau of which Iolled n dapper younc
man smoking cigarette.
! he, too, was on his way to call on
Miss Sanderlee; it was he who had
given her the earrings, and he was now
eager TO receive the thanks Of the girl
he was to marry.
| Miss Sanderlee's delight over his
magnificent present was unbounded
the pearls were perfect. their color was
Wonderful. Their new owner. on hear
| ing that her fiance was coming to call
fastened to put them on.
| But she did not know that her butler
was strangely interested in these very
pearls, nor did she hear him telephone
TO Stayne that he would do the best he
could II Stayne would wait at the little
| LIGHTHOUSE on tho estate
| Miss Sanderlee was expressing to her
fance her pleasure at being able to
| own such wonderful treasures when
| lima and Harry arrived. At first they
were told that Miss Sanderlee was toe
busy to sec them. but lima insisted and
| finally the butler consneted to take In
a note.
This is strange" said the recipient
reading it aloud to her companion:
My dear Miss Sanderlee-Your new
pearls were stolen from the Turkish
Sultan; kindly let me explain. lima
Mustapha.'
The young man at her side arose
Stolen" he gaspod. why 1 bought
those pearls; by all means let's hea,
what she says"
| Thus it happened that lima ant
|
lees presence.
This is serious charge you are
making" said that young woman coldly
Walt" answered lima. and she de.
tailed the history of the theft of the
necklace. No doubt her listeners were
interested, for her words bore the
stamp of truth. and to press home hel
point she produced from her little
pocket the three pearls already in he,
possession and held them out.
You see." she concluded. they ar.
all alike"
There was no installing that fact
but Miss Sanderlee's fiance broke into &
laugh.
Yes, they are alike" he admitted
but most pearls are alike. Does thai
prove anything? Decidedly not. Il
gives you no claim whatever. My ad
vice to you, Dorothea, is to hang on t.
the pearls"