The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-22
(NOvelized from the Pathe Photo
Play, The Fatal Ring
BY FRED JACKSON.


Play, .'The Fatal Ring"
BY FRED JACKSON.
Copyright, 1917, by Fred Jackson: all rights
n EARL STANDISH sat before
her dressing table in the
1 boudoir of her huge country
house and regarded her mirrored re-
Election with stormy eyes.
Nina" she cried, YEARLY, Il am
the most miserable person in the
world"
Nina her maid, who was sccustom-
ed to her moods, nodded with a great
pretense Of sympathy.
"Yes, Madamoiselle! So young! So
beautiful! And the richest girl in
.America-which is to say the richest
girl in the world"
"Rich7" repeated Pearl. impatient
~. "Of course / am rich, but Of what
use is money, since It can't buy me
content? tell you. Nina,
am bored! I am the most bored
person in the whole TINTED States. 1
have to sleep and cato go to
parties, tiresome monotonous parties,
that are all hideously alike. l meet
always the same people and they bore
me! / tell you, Nina, l would give
this string OF pearls for a single
thrill-for a single moment OF excite
ment."
She regarded the cleaning gems
wistfully as she spoke-and sighed.
They were worth a kings ransom
but they meant no more to her than
20 many glass beads.
''Mademoiselle is tired suggested
Nina, sympathetically.
Tired Of GaddInE About.
yes, tired OF gsdding about-tired
Of society-tired of the foolish, aim
less life lead" admitted Pearl.
From childhood she had been de-
MED nothing that she had ever
wanted. Her mother had died at her
birth. Her father had tried to make
up to her for this loss by indulging
her least within, her every passing
fancy. And now-an orphan-with
unlimited wealth at her command
and no one to consider but herself
abe was reaping the hardest Of her
twenty idle, pampered years.
There was her Aunt Matte, OF
course, who served as a sort of COM
panion and chaperon, but poor old
Aunt Matte was dependent upon her,
and was a helpless, weak sort OF
creature besides, who had never been
able to impose her will upon the
headstrong girl supposed to be in
her charge.
Aunt Matte did as Pearl pleased,
never venturing more than a mild
protest to Pearls impulsive whims.
And the lawyers who had charge OF
the Standish millions did not con-
Germ themselves about Miss Standish,
herself.
So, really, Pearl had no one-no
one, that is, capable OF advising her
of guiding her-of making her hap
piness a matter OF personal concern.
A lot OF men had wanted to mar
~ her, needless to say. Some had
coveted her wealth. Some had really
loved the girl herself. But none OF
them had attracted her-although
she had met men from all the four
corners of the earth.
Aunt Matte, whose apartments
were next to Pearls. came sailing
in. gowned eIaboIately in colonial
style, and wearing a huge white wig
over her own hair. 4 short. stout
little woman, OF cOmicaI aspect at
all times, she was even more comical
in the stately dress Of her ancestors.
But her cheeks were flushed with eX-
element and her eyes twinkled.
Aunt Matte, who had lived most
Of her life among poorer folk in the
Middle West. was never boored. To
her. a masked ball was the most
interfering thing in the world.
Pearl Gets Ready to Go.
mot ready yet, PearI?" she gasped.
As she advanced
yes, quite ready" answered Pearl.
rousing herself from her abstraction
and twisting her pearls about her
throat.
Nina carried the rest OF the Jewels
that she had brought for her mis-
tress' inspection. back to the vault
where they were kept. Then she
brought Pearls evening wrap.
Fearl smiled at her. nodded and
turned for a last inspection Of her
self before following Aunt Matte.
She was looking well. There was
no doubt Of that.
''If only ! might meet someone
new-someone different" she thought
"If only ! might escape from this
everlasting grind. II only something
would happen-something strange
something startling-some.hiE ex-
citing"
If she had glanced toward the win