Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-13
THE EVENING STORY


point when she had shown Mrs. Haver-
silk her bracelet. She would never for
get the expression Of utter astonish-
ment on the widows face.
"Hello" called her neighbor geniallv
Come over and see my peonies. Aren't
they loves? Oh, by the way, have you
heard from Capt Jameson since he was
called to Washington"
Barbara was forced to admit that she
had not.
Really not? Why, only this morning
had another Postcard"
Barbara told herself that Mrs Haver-
silk was fibbing. but somehow as she
went back into the house she felt very
depressed and absent-minded.
When Flip came home that evening
he found a very excited, hot-cheeked
wife waiting for him "Oh, Flip" she
was almost in tears, I've lost my jade
bracelet Capt. Jameson gave mel"
Flip did not really mean to smile
and when his We'll, WE'LL" sounded a
bit too much like congratulations he
hastily added. That's too bad, I'll
get you another"
Another! AS If one could buy another
that Chinese princess had worn cen
turtles ago Barbara decided to ignore
his stupid remark 81 think I lost it
in the garden this morning, I'm not
sure. I never missed it until long after
lunch and I've hunted and hunted"
It was all she could do to keep from
wringing her hands so great was her
misery. II was in the garden this morn
ing talking to that horrid Mrs Haver-
silk and might have lost it then, I'm
not sure. looked all over on both
sides of the hedge and I asked her,
but she said she had not seen it. She
SFAiIad cnrf rf cVSifeftiI1xy 7 fni11H Ard
looked everywhere in the house. I
went through all my bureau drawers
and cleaned out my closet. I shook
out every dress. And I emptied the
clothes hamper and I even moved the
bed and the davenport"
Let's have dinner and then I'll look
the garden over again." Flip comforted.
You know I'm great detective" he
attempted to joke.
Barbara made brave effort to eat
her dinner. Flip must not see that
to converse about other things and
forced laugh when Flip told funny
story. But all the time her thoughts
ran wildly. What would Capt. Jane
son say when he came back from Wash
ington? The bracelet guarded by the
priests in the old Chinese temple for
centuries she had not been able to
keep longer than week. The bracelet
that had cost him weeks Of work, Of
effort. to say nothing Of money. The
bracelet he had obtained at the risk Of
his life for her.
No amount Of searching brought forth
the Jade bracelet. 1t was as if the world
had swallowed 1t up and for some
strange reason Flip seemed very cheer
full about 1t. If Barbara had not been
so unobserving she might have noticed
how every now and then he smothered
a chuckle.
and because Barbara thought she might
as well suffer there as at home she
consented to 60. AS they entered the
lobby Of the theater who should they
meet but Mrs. Haversilk just coming
out Its a wonderful picture, you'll
love it." she enthuSed. "Oh, and by
the way, did you find your bracelet"
NO" answered Flip for his wife, I'VE
should worry. I'm going to buy Barby
another"
"Oh, haven't you the incest hubby?"
cooed the pretty widow. "Good-by,"
and waved her hand In little gesture
Of farewell. Barbara's eyes grew sud
denly large, her mouth opened, and II
the incoming crowd had not pushed her
along she would have run after Mrs.
Haversilk. for on the pretty widows
white wrist Barbara had seen her jade
bracelet.
Flip had a bad night Of it. Barbara
got up at least dozen times to raise
or lower the windows and when she was
not getting a glass of water she was
adjusting the bedclothes or turning her
pillow for the hundredth or so time.
Because of it all Flip got very little
Sleep and naturally he was in a bad
humor the next morning.
Barbara's last plan just before she
had fallen asleep at dawn had been to
tell Flip Of her discovery. but when she
saw his scowling face she decided to
surprise him in the evening. She was
quite determined to get her bracelet
back and all through breakfast she
practiced a dozen little scathing speech
es she would make to Mrs. Haversilk.
Directly after Flip had left she be-
gan to dress. She wanted to face Mrs.
Haversilk looking her very best, but no
amount of primping and fussing could
change the dark circles under her
feverjsh-looking eyes.
It was just when she was adjusting
her new blue felt hat to smart angle
that the bell rang and little annoyed
she Snatched up her coat and gloves
and ran downstairs to open the door.
There stood Mrs. Haversilk in her
pink flousedresS with the cheeriest smile
/ on her face. GOOD morning" she
breezed, "oh. you're just going out.
Well, I won't keep you minute, my
dear
With an icy little smile Barbara led
her into the living room.
"Just think, I found your bracelet
this morning"
Barbara colored. OF all the nerve,
she thought hers was the most.
THE gardener must have dumped a
wheelbarrow of manure over it yester-
day right at the hedge. He put the
manure on the flower bed this morn
ing and found your bracelet
Barbara smiled inwardly. Lovely. In
| venting a story about manure on her
precious, century-old Chinese bracelet.