Show 0 0 rf iT HE cotillon cot lon just ended had bad been en the ther THE r I climax of a brilliant season eason De Deserted Deserted Deserted was warn the beautiful ballroom The decorative rows roses rO fend carnations now looked manifestly weary of or hu bu human buman human man frivolity Carriages filled with yawning yaw beauties and tired men were rolling roiling rapidly away on the asphalt street outside The quiet qu t of oC very early morning was wu settling down upon the scene Presently into the deserted room groom there rushed a charmingly pretty young woman in ball toilette tollette She looked excitedly around the floor and under the chairs against the wall Tresses of her rich brown hair loos Ices loosened loosened ened cued with dancing strayed over her exquisite shoulders A tall dark duk man man in evening costume i entered and approached ier quickly I beg your pardon said he but have haye you lost anything No NoYe Yes I mean no was her con contradictory contradictory contradictory reply shrinking visibly A jewel perhaps he Insisted with glittering gUttering eyes upon her herNo herNo herNo No I tell you no I am waiting for some one and in her augmented excitement she backed toward the thedoor thedoor thedoor door He departed by another en entrance e entrance trance I Oh dear she moaned Ive told a I 1 5 I I Il l i l III IV 1 1 Hi IA iE W SAPPHIRE IRE v i ii 11 I FELL TO THE FLOO 1 7 H I lie and its lost lest What shan shall I do doShe doShe She was waa w joined by a II young oung fellow I of distinguished hed fe b aring aFing who at attempted attempted attempted tempted to quiet her AM distress It was wag Walter Waiter Temple who had loved loed her since childhood Dont take it so awfully hard Agnes Agne sid said he It will turn up again all right No its gone for good she de declared declared dared hopelessly Think of it its ita a priceless Jewel handed banded dawn for gen generations generations in the family Oh Why did I allow Aunt Adelaide to put it on n me It was all my vanity But where can It ft have bave gone he argued Surely in an assemblage of your friends friend who have been admiring the Jewel and Its It wearer r all evening long no one would be so ao dishonest dl honest Walter listen to me she said im un impressively pro There was a man here hero tonight not an n invited guest Im sure who spoiled my whole evening Whether I danced or sat still he gazed at me with a steady stead hypnotic stare his eyes followed me continually and perhaps There was no one here ere tonight not Included in the list Agnes Aenes Dont get getup getup getup up any foolish fancies You must be dreaming He did not once dance she insisted He only stared until I was sick with the fear of him Such queer weird eyes But queer weird weir eyes eye cannot charm jewels off from wom throats Agnes Dont laugh at m me Im in such she begged Remember that its a stone with a history and I dare say that East Bast man knew kne some trick by which he got It Who VIlo was 88 hel he anyhow He must have haye been brought here by somebody go quickly and find out by whom But how can I find put out ut anything at this thin time of or night B Be assured I will wm put advertisements in all of the morn Ing iI papers and make ak every ev ry effort to r missing miming jewel tomorrow but dont be silly Silly just ju t like a man manso so afraid to do things thines she broke out angrily You see what an awful box Im In I cant go home and tell Aunt Adelaide that Ive lost her pre cious elous pink sapphire Shell be waiting up for me Oh what shall I do what shall I do Youre so heartless that you wont help belp me and her pretty eyes were weye brimming with tears Anes Acnes Well Wail you ron wont advertis ing tog pray Waiting weeks and weeks and aDd hearing bearing nothing And how could I console Aunt Adelaide in the mean meantime time I am going to the police sin sta tion to give tive a description of that man manI I beg that hat you will wID da do nothing n thing so idiotic Agnes he implored her herThen herThen herThen Then find the pink sapphire for forme forme forme me was her appealing cry Now listen to me Just before we danced that last together you asked me meI meI I 1 did Agnes Arnes I asked aMed you to be bemy bemy bemy my wife not frivolously in the least I believe it but hear me rue My an answer answer answer was indefinite but Ill Til say ay yes on the spot if only find the pink sapphire for me right away tonight without delay But Agnes consider what chance have I Y at this late hour time thee is Ia it she inquired anxiously lou lr Sorry I my watch on with me and m ru find out As M they were about to leave the ball ban ballroom ballroom room the tall dark man who wao had pre pro previously addressed the girl barred their exit with his extended arm Agnes suppressed a scream and drew back greatly excited I 1 beg your pardon said he speak speaking speaking ing In fo o Walter but Im obliged to de do tain In you ron Let L t us pass Instantly was Wal Walters Walt t ls arrogant command or you shall answer for it to me Take care Answer first to me sir for tor the theft of the rose sapphire which this young lady i was Vas as wearing How dare YOU vou make mako such an asser assertion assertion assertion tion 1 cried Agnes defensively The theft of the rose sapphire re repeated repeated panted Walter stupefied and bewildered dered But I h vent got it Where ere Is IsIt Isit IsIt It Thil ts s t ashy a ascertained sir Un Unbutton Unbutton button YOur ur w y i His Hi e eys s compelled obedience Tha The ii z young o ng fellow acquiesced mech jr I arid and lo 10 the missing rose roee sai sa r a II glittering mass of ot rys tal with blue fire in its depths so called of its cutting and aDd color tumbled thence to the floor at Agnes feet In that dramatic moment they regarded each other with blank aston uton astonishment i too deep for words Found Found cried Apes Agnes stooping to pick it up and breaking into hysterical laughter Now I can caD I face Aunt Adelaide with an easy eB con conscience conscience conscience science Oh Walter how happy you have made me Are you not Rte glad gIMI Tie He e was too to speak Pres Prea Presently Presently I he turned angrily to th the other man and said By what right sir do you waylay an ait aJ innocent man and make such outrageous charges against him By this right ri ht was waa his 1 reply as he threw thre back his coat oat revealing hs his Badge ge of detective s service This young ladys aunt engaged enc n me to shadow her valuable sapphire tonight Standing over you there by the newel post after alter your last dance together I Saw saw it glistening gli down inside In of your waistcoat and of course coune my duty to 10 t arrest the culprit was plain Oh hh her hf r eves blazed biased But not when nhen I was 8 with him urD Insufferable insolence glared Wal Walter Walter Walter ter Circumstantial evidence be ben n hanged Surely Surel you Agnes will wilt not believe me capable of o Certainly not It became loosened in its Setting letting and wag jostled down in inside inside inside side of or your waistcoat during our last lase dance together without a doubt douht Nevertheless sir persisted per the de detective detective detective Im afraid that I shall hall still have to arrest you The ladys in instructions Instructions Instructions were very explicit Agnes saw that it was a a case of ot re requiring requiring requiring quiring feminine diplomacy All AlI detectives are magicians ma I know she said with a winning gra graciousness doneness which was but a bit of act actIng actIng acting Ing to gain a reprieve but you must let me compliment you an your skill skin I shall tell my aunt that you have executed her commission most satisfactorily Rest assured however that the gem would have been restored to me by its accidental custodian before the night was WM over without your our services she gued at atWalter atWalter Walter with love and trust in her eyes But its all nonsense about bout his being arrested as my good aunt would not allow such an insult for a second Mr Temple is now nov my fiance and you must permit him to s see He e me home Thanking you therefore for or your con conscientious conscientious offices I will say good goodnight goodnight night The detective bowed and gravely withdrew Agnes cried Temple with a radiant countenance as he Raised seised both of her hands Did you really mean it It seems too good to be true I have been in lowest hades during this mauvais but you have transported me rae to highest heaven I always keep my premises Wal WaI ter was her laughing response I 1 told you It would woula be all aU right for you if you would only find it and you L did My dearest he whispered gazing with fond ownership into her lovely happy eyes It must mu t be I who am ant L dreaming now Copyright by bv W R it Hearst |