The Washington times., 1917-10-07
THE VEN PEA RLS
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pohso ersneses hherenc the

J to meet her needs. and as she dressed
like an American girl there was
nothing about her to attract atten-
tion save her beauty, her smart
| gowns and her slender ngure.
Following her advantage in Har-
rvs rooms. she wondered more and
more about the strange man, and
kneeling in prayer Turkish fashion
the following day. she implored AL
lah to put her on the trail not only
OF the rascals who now had the other
six pearls. but also on the track OF
this Nemesis who had robbed her OF
the first fruits of her search.
i When she opened her eyes she be-
held In resplendent luster close be-
side her one OF the seven pearls. She
seized II eagerly, unaware that the
willy eXecutioner had left IL where
her eye would be sure to see 1t.
Coincident with this happy recov-
cry OF the Jewel there was a ring at
her bell and Harry was Announced.
She welcomed him almost gaily. 81
have your lost pearl" cried lima
Good" said Harry. "T have fol-
lowed your suggestion and think we
are now in a fair way to use the pearl
as bait to get another. Here are
the facts: 1 told Grady I accepted
his proposition and he welcomed me
with open arms; then / made the ac-
quaintance of Handsome Jack. who
offered to wager his pearl against the
pearl l am supposed to have.
! lima regarded him thoughtfully. but
having made up her mind that Harry
was sincere, she resolved to trust him
20 the full.
There can be no halfway meas
/ aha darloraA n,r al
take the pearl, and here's to good
luck in recovering the second"
The young man was deeply touched
by this confidence. "If II is humanity
! possible to get the necklace back" he
said earnestly, I'VE will do it," and he
! thrilled at the idea Of working with
lima in the pursuit OF such a worthy
object.
Handsome Jack was the Beau
Brummel Of Grady's gang. He It was
who took the lead in expeditions re-
quirlng a man OF the world at ease
anywhere, knowing Just how to act
and how to dress.
Handsome Jack had taken a liking
to Harry and his offer to throw dice
for the two pearls had been made
apparently in a spirit OF fun-he had
no idea that Harry would accept, be-
cause he knew that no one had a
chance Of winning against him.
Harry having taken the pearl from
lima hurried to the owner OF the
second pearl, while the young girl
little too optimistic, wrote to Mus
tapha Bey assuring him that she had
recovered one pearl and that the very
man who had stolen the necklace was
now helping her to get the others.
And she added with feminine incon-
sIstency that &r. Drake was q very
likAble person.
What was her surprise on coming
back from her bedroom to find this
letter, as she had left il. but with the
addition of a rudely drawn scimitar
around the postscript containing the
praise OF Harry Drake and a piece OF
catRut within the envelope. There
could be only one meaning to this
strange warning. She began to real
! ize that the SuItan's choice of an es-
I cort meant for her serious and ter
rible things.
Everything she did was under the
eye OF this saturnine man, answer
able to the Commander OF the Faith
full for the least misstep in the search
for the seven pearls.
lima sighed as she went out nerv-
ousIy. hoping that Harry would soon
DO hDlt " ICAA nNl lldL Nnc lNO pcdNib
were in his possession. She felt her
self thinking a lot about the young
man, after making her the victim OF
the Sultan's displeasure, suddenly
placing his services at her disposal.
She felt fattered at his evident admi-
ration as she walked along Riverside
Drive thinking OF him, when an old
woman using a cane hobbled up and
begged for a coin. lima passed her
a quarter and hardly heard the dol
lars worth OF blessings that followed.
Meanwhile Harry had rushed to the
rooms OF Handsome Jack and, trying
his best to appear nonchalant,
broached the gangster's offer of a
wager.
Handsome Jack looked at him curl
ously. I'm on he said "I never
go back on my word" And in a few
minutes he had produced a dice box
and dice.
1t was an exciting moment The
two pearls lay side by side on the
table. Harry threw first. Then !
Handsome Jack. with a Nip OF the
box. easily beat him. Harry's face |
clouded His hand trembIed as he /,
took up the box for the second throw. /
Again luck was against him-again !
he lost Handsome Jack carelessly i
put the two pearls in his waistcoat /
pocket and began to hum a popular !
song.
"Tn tell you what I'll do" he said. !
I'm planning to get away with a |
fifty thousand dollar painting that
the owner doesn't need. See me to- /
night and I'll give you a share"
This was too much for Harry.
81 should say not" he said. and he /
went out with Jack. wondering how /
he could tell lima OF his misfortune.
He was so absorbed in his misery |
that he did not notice the young WON
an sauntering along the drive. She /
heard Jack wish him better luck next ,
time. and at once surmised that