The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-28
Chapter Is
Diamond Pin

~ softly, about the table. Like
the red roses clustered richly in
the center, above the priceless
lace, there was an air of formality
about it that was at once imper-
sonal and pleasing.
The American visit of the king.
Was Honolulu truly the garden
spot of the world? The recent BIZ
ography of an English statesman.
Historic vignettes of the past that
seemed somehow to be brought up
10 date in Mrs. Brewster's dining
room. The cultivation of the ca
mellia. Mansions in Natchez. Lady
Rathbone must sec Mississippi
and its beautiful old ZONES and
g-rdens before returning to Eng
land.
Lady Rathbone, with her beau
tiful, slim neck, her startling way
of smiling-showing huge teeth
in grim smile-was definitely of
a genre not to appreciate NatcheZ,
Cecily thought.
Mrs. Brewster rose. Her guests
followed and. bowling to the gen.
tlemen. she led the ladies back to
the drawing room.
"I'll be darned" Tony MUIR
INJURED into Cecily's ear. They're
really going to stay to have port
and cigarsl Do you suppose if l
have a. cigarette, I'll turn the
Brewstenss over in their graveS?"
Lady Rathbone halted. blocking
the girls way. Excuse me-" she
murmured and went back to the
dining room.
Frankly curious, Tony stared
after her. Undoubtedly gone back
to tell His Lordship to go easy on
the port" she commented.
The ladies had cigarettes, ash
trays having appeared out of thin
air. Cecily, blowing smoke slowly,
suddenly felt all her party spirit
evaporate. She was bored, wish
ing she was at home, or that she
had some knitting to do. Her eye
Travelled to the ormolu clock on
the mantel. Only half-hour to
ten and then. thank goodness. the
! arty would be over. It was so
utterly lacking in animation. Her
lazy glance went from chair to
chaiI. to the sofa where her aunt
and Lady 2athbone were talking
together.
His Lordship came in. bent over
TO speak to ais wife.
Excuse me-" Cecily heard Lady
Rathbone murmur, Il must 60 up
stairs. have asked Cecil to get
something for me and he can't
find it."
II seemed but a moment later
when she reappeared in the door
way. her face white. 1Mrs. Brew
ster. may ! speak to you for mo-
ment?"
Mrs Brewster was saying, Dear
Lady Rathbone. are you quite
sure?"
Then Mrs. Brewster, turning
back to the room, said in a very
clear voice, Lady Rathbone has
lost valuable pin.
Il haven't lost it! ! left it in my
jewel box on my bureau. | opened
the box before lunch and took out
the things that / am wearing. The
pin waS.t there then. 1t is CONS now"
Lady Rathbone looked even more
grim than when she smiled, Cecily
thought. as well she might.
Mrs. Brewster laid her wrinkled
hand on Lady Rathbone's arm.
Couldn't il be possible that your
sleeve eal ght in the pin? Let US
all lnok for it Pm sure well find
IT, Will you describe ii for us?''
1T is a sunburst design. There
are forty diamonds surrounding
a large central stone. There is a
safety clasp and I'm quite Ger
tain
Mrs. Brewster interrupted, tact
fully suggesting that each of the
ladies search an upstairs room.
The men had come into the draw
ing room and Mrs. Brewster ex-
planned the situation to them, as
signing them to the downstairs
floor.
Tony. Gloria and Cecily drew
the upstairs hall and the ladies'
dressing room, .s~. ..~s,-s
Gloria closed the door behind
them "Am | wrong, or s the Old
gal suggesting that her pin has
been s'olen?"
Right! Quite right" Tony
agreed. And it looks as though
our hostess were pretty much an
noyed about it. Which one of us
will do the noble thing and con-
fess and get the agony over?"
Cecily was Mortified. "She can't
think any of us would steal her
pint"
She's quite sure it was stolen.
Perhaps one of the servants"
Tony ventured.
Gloria looked up from her posi-
ton on all-fours on the floor. "I'm
sure Mrs. Brewster would he ready
TO suspect Mothers taking it ratli-
er than one of her servants. She
only has four and they've been
with her for nigh onto forty
years. They wouldn't be likely
10 embrace life of crime at this
late date. Most likely Lady Rath.
bone will find it pinned in one oil
her own things. Come along. it's
not here"
Very Strange
WHEN the girls returned to the
w drawing-room, they found the
others gathered there. Mrs. Brew.
ster, looking older than Time
weary, but with a manner that as
ssured them no one would be made
uncomfortable, was already bid
ding them good night.
WELL" Helene Fernandez said
when the women were in Olivia's