The Washington times., 1917-09-30
The Seven Pearls---A NEW nstiG1 stiis stsg BstgFs

, aid. and certainly he hoped for sympa-
thy. He got neither.
Look here" shouted Harry. now thor
oughly angered. I've been outrageously
handled. l demand help. tell you I've
been attacked by thieves and thrown
into the water and all my money taken,
and this is the reward get for saving a
girl from drowning-the girl in that
very house. Do you hear?"
The stranger seemed suddenly in
terested. THE girl in that house?
That's different. Perhaps can help
have been robbed. Pooh, II is a mere
rothing. I, too, am a foreigner. Ny
name is Grady. Step into the shadow.
have been robbed of the most val
able pearl necklace in the East.
dare not call the police. Help me
and l will give you one of the seven
pearls-one that is worth a kings
ransom.
Harry held out his hand. Tell me
more about it," he said. and Mr..
Grady as he talked, smiled as one
who had pride in himself.
Late on the same afternoon that
Harry Drake, sat in his room idly
waiting like Micawber for something
to turn up, the Supreme Master of
life and death over millions of the
faithful sat on a sumptuous divan
surveying a golden collar from which
dangled in symmetrical brilliance
seven large and wonderfully lustrous
pearls.
Perfect in shape and matchless in
coloring these rare jewels OF the Cey-
lon seas seemed fitted only to adorn
q queen of beauty, to repose next to
a skin as perfect as themselves.
The commander Of the faithful
glanced from the pearls to the sin
lister visage of a man who stood be-
side him caressing with an almost
tender touch the handle of an inlaid
scimitar. For a feeting moment this
mans eyes fingered on the jewels
with covetous cunning.
The Sultan dangled the priceless
pearls and with a yawn returned them
TO a capacious pocket
DOMINIC THEIR CLoAKs
THEY SEEK ADVENTURE.
There entered a tall. soldierly man
whose insignia proclaimed him the
Grand Vizier. Again the salaam OF
salute from all save the Lord AMI
Master. Following the Grand Vizier
walked a eunuch with a bulky bundle.
The officer knelt.
20 Commander OF the Faithful,
there is an appointment; the hour
draws near"
The eunuch unfastened the bundle
and took therefrom three black
cloaks. One of these the Grand Vizier
threw over the shoulders of the Sui
tan. another he donned himself, and
the third was fastened on the exc
cutioner.
Like three black fates the three
enveloped figures passed forth on
their mysterious adventure, emulating
the famous Haroun, whose delight IL
was to play the common mortal
among his subjects.
Never in his reign had the Sultan I
heard of John Grady. soldier of for
tune. and never until this very even !
ing had Grady set eyes on the Sultan. |
A chance remark revealed the great /
presence. He followed on the mere |
hope OF the correctness of the sur
mise.
And his intuition proved true. The
Sultan, feeling for his handkerchief, |
pulled forth the priceless pearls and |
lhG NiAhu ndu a lnOuBnA-
Commander of the Faithful, a |
word. Would it not be wise to leave
these priceless gems in safety before
We go farther?"
The Sultan reflected. perhaps, but
where
an the keeping of honest Mustspha
Bey. to whom corruption is as far as
the farthest star. His house is close |
by"
The ruler nodded, and the three
cloaked figures approached the door
of Mustapha Bey. Close behind fol-
lowed Grady. Having seen the pearls
and overheard the words. he sensed |
a mighty haul, yet he dared not come
too near. In trepidation he watched /
the Vizier tap on the door: in trepi-
dation he saw it opened, beheld the
figures enter, and slipping to a win
dow peered within.
Mustapha Bey was under no illu-
sion as to the Importance OF his mis-
sion. He took the necklace reyer-
entity, and before the eyes of the
Sultan deposited it in a secret CON-
partment in the wall.
Mustapha, with the Sultan's ling
ering caution to guard the pearls
with his life. opened the door for his
distinguished guests and departed to
lock and bar HIS house.
Meanwhile, lima, arrayed In dry
remembered that her finest
veil lay in the secret compartment
downstairs. Her entrance followed
Mustapha's departure by a second.
She opened the little drawer, looked
for the finery scarf and discovered
resting on its border the magnificent
necklace with the seven pearls.
Without thinking, filled only with
the joy OF possession. she snatched
the Jewels, shut the compartment and
fed to her room to fasten the splen-
did ornament about her slender white
throat
GRADY SEES THE PEARLS
WORN BY YELLED WOMAN.
John Grady. having finished telling the
Harry just how he had lost
the priceless necklace. raised his eyes
and beheld a veiled female with the
very gems Of which he spoke posing be
fore her mirror. unconscious Of every
thing save the seven pearls.
He seized the young man by the arm.
There There - he |