Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24

not mine" She held out a large
dark necklace.
Mr.. Fortune took 1t and poured it
over his hands in green flames.
Are these the famous Gilrea
emeralds by any chance?" he in
quired.
That's NINE" Gilrea snatched it.
Nov 1 know" and he turned on
Lady Vera. You're a tricky wench.
You've given yourself away. Now,
Fortune, We'll get to business. The
night the emeralds were stolen in
Beavers place l met Lady Vera COM
ing out of my wife's ROOM"
oh" Lady Vera gasped, and hid
her face and wept.
when We found the necklace was
gone l asked her what she'd been
up to. l couldn't prove anything. do
you see, but let her know l had
my suspicious. She was properly
scared. l told her if didn't see the
emeralds soon thered be trouble.
This is her way of getting back at
me-
Yes. Lady vera's turn" said Mr..
Fortune.
She unveiled a pale face and glis-
tening eyes. but 1 don't under
stand. 1t didn't happen, any of 1t.
I never met him. l never talked to
him. I don't know anything about
it. What Is the matter with him, Mr..
Fortune? First he says 1t was
Hilda. now he says 1t was land
all the time it was he"
Lord Gilrea Is a little obscure"
Mr.. Fortune admitted. did you
claim insurance on your emeralds,
Lord Gilrea?"
Gilrea hesitated. "Of course.
did"
"Yes. And, Of course, you told the
insurance people you thought Lady
Vera had them?"
How could I? didn't want to
make a scandal"
Mr.. Fortune contemplated him be-
nignly. well. WELL" he said.
That" said Gwent lis the limit"
But it was Jimmy Merton who dealt
with Lord Gilrea. You didn't want
to make a scandal? He thrust for
ward. You wanted to make us out
thieves. while you got off with the
stuff yourself" The first Baron Gil.
rea went backward over a chair and
sat on the floor. holding one eye and
splitting. Get up, you cur" said
Jimmy Merton.
"No, don't think So" Mr.. For.
know"
Hes got his" said event. with
satisfaction.
How perfectly dreadful" Lady
Marshbaldon gurgled. 1T really has
been too frightful."
\ X y =
THEY went to bed and left Lord
Gilrea alone with his emeralds
and his black eye and his thoughts
When the lion party began to come
downstairs in the morning. he was
gone.
Mr.. Fortune was not among the
first. Mr.. Fortune having watched,
from his bedroom window. the main
body to go off to golf in the park.
decided that it might be safe to go
into the garden. He was wrong.
Among the hardy perennials all was
we'll. But when he came round the
hedge to the lily pond, he found
Lady Vera being decisively kissed by
Gwent.
None Of them could pretend they
hadn't noticed it.
Lady Vera emerged. smiling. in
beautiful order. CODA remarkable
achievement.
Being kissed by the Duke of Gwent
must resemble being kissed by
hearty. if cleanshaven. bear. Con
graduate me. Mr.. Fortune" she said.
"Me," said Gwent.
Eyes. 1 should like to-" said Mr..
Fortune gravely. THE fact is, 1 was
looking for Lady Vera myself
How sweet of you." Lady Vera
smiled.
TOO late. old friend" event
grinned.
60 away. Billy" she said. "Mr.
her pretty bare arm through Reggie's,
and he led her to stone seat in the
hedge.
mo. I didn't want Gwent," he
said gravely. II wanted to show YOU
these" He took out of his pocket.
book and laid upon it two shell-pink
rose petals.
Pretty" she said. as she touched
them. Where did you find them. Mr..
Fortune?"
I'm Miss Morton's room last night
No one but you was wearing Kill.
larney roses last night"
''Are they Killarney" she said. |
Mice name"' She looked up at him |
with wondering chiIdlike stare. |
You mean I had been in Hilda's
room?"
That's what / had to say to you"
Billy! she called. and Gwent |
arrived. "Mr. Fortune has found out |
1 went to Hilda's room. Isn't he |
clever? And he didn't say a word |
last night. Isn't he a lamb?"
You're a sportsman, Fortune"
said Gwent heartily. II say. w., you
fell on your feet, old girl. having
Fortune here"
"Mr. Fortunes been perfectly
sweet" Lady Vera murmured. and
considered him as a child measures
an adult. But i do believe I could
have managed" She put her hand
on his. You frightened me dread.
fully. now and then. But you didn't
mean it, did you? You didn't really
know" and she smiled forgiveness.
You see. had always had his
horrid emeralds. That's what began
it. At Mrs. Beavers I just went into
his wife's room to speak to her, and
she wasn't there. The emeralds were
lying on the table. They really are
rather priceless-and well. you see,
just took them. That nasty little man |
saw me. He was perfectly horrid. I
didn't know: he didn't say anything, |
he didn't stop me, he Just went down.
stairs and told everybody his wife's
had been stolen and tele-
phoned for the police.
Then he caught me in my ROOM
He frightened me horribly, Mr..
Fortune He said he was going to
tell the police, and everybody would
know. and / should be tried for steal.
ing. I simply had to beg him to let
aAP