Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-30
CHAPTER MI
The Jade Necklace

HJ OOK here. Miss Taylor, said
1.-THE girl who had called her, jolly
little round faced person. named
Young Look what Lucy has! And
she held up before Harriet's gaze an
exquisite jade necklace.
Involuntarily Harriet gaspcd. She
appreciated instantly the value of the
thing, a value not at all commensurate
with the salary Of n stenographer. Why,
IL must have cost at least n hundred
dollars.
Its a beauty" said Harriet taking
the lovely necklace in her hands. II
love jade"
Try it on" suggested one Of the
girls.
Harriet looked Mt Lucy for permission
and that young woman nodded. As
Harriet slipped the necklace over her
head, LuCy's eyes were fixed on II
greedily, but when she saw its green
tones again,t Harriet's soft fairness, a
malevolent little look lit up her eyes,
II was plain To every one there that
the necklace suited Harriet far more
than 1t did Lucy's dark little face. and
Harriet herself could not help being
aware of the fact.
With a little laugh she took it of
and handed il back 10 its owner, and
a moment later the group dispersed
! But all afternoon Harriet kept thinking
Of Lucy and the jade necklace. What
a strange gift for man 70 give a girl
| of Lucy's type. II wasn't the kind n'
! thing an average man would select; II
| showed evidence Of rare good taste, anC
| il was costly. Who was this "friend'
! of Lury's that Miss Young had men
| toned Was he some one from Lucy
own walk in life, and IL 50 how could
| he possibly afford money for a trinket
Of that hind? 1t was all very mys'
! terious.
Not for n moment did Harriet con.
meet Lucy Pratt with tie stolen bonds
| although for inst secOud she haC
thought il might be possible. \ CIR
might stcal just as easily us maj
provided the temptation was grea
enough But Lucy was not the kind o
girl who would steal money for tinery
What Harriet really did suspect va
that some one else In the Office nigh
have given Lucy that necklace. II s.
she would have really substantiA
clue to work on. But she was doomed
| 10 UlhhppOlullntuI' iDI Nhh' hlEH' SUI
walked 70 the subway with Anne Nuunl
and discovered that Lucy had no nd
mirer in the Office.
cts very mysterious, Anne SAT-
wrinkiiug her forehead perpleKedly
but no one knows anything about thi
friend Of Lucys. She doesn't tall
much, and she's never shown us any
thing he's given her before. But hc'
rich, that's certain, or he couldn't af
ford to hand out presents ike that even
If he is engaged to her.
Harriet was disappointed, but sh
did not entirely give up hope. Lucy
was clever, il might be possible for he,
70 know some one in the office and still
keep it secret from every one. Tn,
thing 20 do was 10 watch Lucy. TO max,
friends with her if possible, and to be,
come gradually acquainted with ever,
one in the place. She would start gu
by suspeCting every one, even the head
Of the departments and then use
process of elimination. Sooner or late
she must stumble on clue. II was fo
Barry's sake, and she couldn't affOrt
to fail,
; Harriet spent that evening in goin
over her clothes and making them pre-
sentable for the once. She washed on
several things in the bathroom, havin
taken the precaution Of locking hersel
In. and afterward with ths aid ~ Ma
Watson's little gas stove ironed thsI