Evening star., 1922-10-29

clerk, came into the Varick library
and drew from his coat pocket a
jewelry case. Mrs. Varick," he be-
gan, and his dark eyes glowed. Mrs.
Varick, I thought you and I were
friends"
Justine laughed Aren't we?''
why. then. didn't you tell me that
you'd got back the Riedesel pearls"
Il don't know what you mean"
THE jeweler opened the velvet case
and lifted out the huge rope
which Justine had bought in the
pawnshop.
"Those things?" asked Justine.
You're making fun of me-"
Il gave these over" said France.
ito be strung this morning. under
standing that they were artificial. I
was out for the day. and when / got
back, about four, Emory, who's re-
sponsible. came to me with the string
and a long face. Mr.. France, he
said, wonder if Mr.. Varick knows
that only about half of these stones
are real"
Justine made an incoherent ex-
clamaticn.
France shook his head. Sorry.
Mrs. Varick. but it's true. And
there's more"
More broke in Justine. More!
But it's already too amazing. Why.
Mr.. France-why. Mr.. France. she
stammered. Il bought that string
for She caught her breath and
started over For twenty-five dol
lars"
This time it was France who was
jolted. "Twenty-Mrs. Varick. don't
joke. This string. aside from the arti-
fetal stones. is worth probably a
hundred thousand-about the value
of your stolen jewels. l thought you'd
had another legacy"
Justine tossed up excited hands.
"Gardy, it's Providence. 1t straight
ems everything"
mo, it doesn't" Varick flung back.
It's the devil. Those things aren't
ours; we've got to fuss to find out
whose they are.
oh" Justine conceded, brokenly.
"Of course. They aren't ours. We
cans use them.
Mrs. Variclc. Don Frances deep
voice began again, Il told you there
was more. I've examined these stones
and I believe they are yours-the
Riedesel pearls
What. Varick roared it at him.
And then: "How can you or any one
know that" he demanded.
Its a delicate business" France
acknowledged. but, in the first place
do you remember telling me, Mrs.
Varick, the first time you placed your
stones in my hands, that they'd al
ways been strung on a green cord?
AND that you wished the tradition
continued?'
She nodded.
France lifted the rope from it's box.
you didn't notice, suppose, that this
is strung on two separate cords?'
II did--yes did"
"And did you notice-but you didn't
that one of the cords is green? Not
the one which broke. Nobody would
have guessed in any case, without
close inspection, that it was green.
The color is gone, except where it's
been protected by passing through
the pearls. Even there it's often lost,
when the pearls have slipped. But
there are spots and plenty of them
to be convincing, still unmistakably
green. Where's the portrait?"
He carried the string to the picture.
varick switched on electricity. France
held up the pawnshop beads to the
ancestral pearls.
DO you catch that green thread
here and there?" He pointed to the
painting. And do you see that these
these that I hold"-his dramatic
face was compelling-"do you see
that these pearls are the very same
that the artist painted long ago, CIV
ing them that typical touch of green
which today Identifies them? It's my
belief that these beautiful things
these pearls. wandering and lost
have come back to their own"
"Mr. France" Justine spoke, her
cheeks burning, I'm crazy to believe
it, but do. That green cord-I never
i heard of stringing pearls on a green
cord, did you? Except these. But yet
isn't there some possible way of
sure identification?"
France considered. II said to Du-
pont. driving hera that there was just