The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1918-01-10

cd.
At dinner that night Jim and l
were sunk into an abyss of melan-
choly. Mary was the very spirit Of
joyous anticipation. She talked and
laughed and merrily rallied us on
our silence, Afterward she played
and sang until the clock struck II.
Then she rose to her graceful height.
"Boys," she said TREMENDOUSLY, "Pm
going upstairs for awhile. I'll meet
you in the library at 12 o'clock"
In the library We smoked drearily
until the hall clock rang IL.
The door opened slowly, and
Mary, resplendent in white satin,
entered
Jim knelt before the safe and
| opened it. Silently he handed ME
the tin box, ard as silently | opened
it.
"Mary, dear, these securities vii!
be transferred to you tomorrow
today, 1 mean," I said lamely.
''Their value now is about $4,000,
and you may do as you please
about
"Bother the old securities, Peter"
interrupted Mary. 81 want the neck
lace"
held the jewel case in my hand
'Dear," 1 said, "can you bear a
shock?"
"What is it, Peter?" she half
whispered.
"Dear, the necklace has disap-
pearedw blurted out suddenly.
"Since when?" demanded Mary.
eve discovered it's loss this after
noon-I mean yesterday at 4 o'clock.
If it does not show up, Jim and l
will make up it's loss to you"
"Fiddlesticks! Open the case%
commanded Mary.
1 snapped open the cover, and
there on its white satin bed lay the
diamond necklace!
"Jovew yelled Jimmy, prancing
excitedly about.
"a foolish joke" commented my
wife as l clasped the necklace
around her graceful neck. She kiss
ed me softly and then reached and
drew Jimmy into the triangular en-
brace.
"Dears," my wife exclaimed, for
getting all about the necklace,
"you've been in trouble over your
stupid business. You needn't deny
it. l heard you talking one night.
You needed just $4,000 to set you
on your feet-not ten thousand bor-
rowed dollars that would have to
be paid back, but that amount for
your very own-and I've got it for
youw
"What!" we roared increduouslv.
eyes, sirs," she smiled happily.
"I've committed all sorts of crimes
to gain my ends, and Pm not bit
repentant, although I've been dread
fully afraid you would find me out
especially yesterday afternoon
you acted 80 queer. Now, listen. l
stole the combination to the safe
from Peters desk, and I took his
key when he was sick two weeks ago
and had a duplicate made Of it, so
that early this week l took my neck
lace and raised $4,000 on it." She
paused dramatically.
"I took the money to fathers old
friend, Colonel Muldoon, and asked
him if he wouldn't please invest it
so it would be doubled at once. l
have heard that everything he
touched turned to gold.
''He said he liked my nerve in
asking him to do such thing, but
he said he was going to stir up Prai-
rie Limited, so he put it in that
"Heavens Prairie Limited
solid goldw l burst out.
Don't interrupt, Peter. Yester-
day he telephoned me to come down
to his Office and receive the pro-
ceeds, and, dears, there was enough
to redeem the necklace and ten
thousand over-here's the bank
draft. Am | a fnancier ?"
"You're a darlingp cried her
brother when l had released her.
"But, Mary, dear, you, er-specu-
lated; it's against your principles.
You should not have done it even
for u.s."
$s"I never thought Of it in that
way" she faltered, and then her
face broke into lovely smile. II
did it for love of you two, and what
is principle compared to love%
There WAS only one answer to