The Great Pearl Secret.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 194, 14 August 1920, Page 21

The Great Pearl Secret.

By C. N. and A. M. WILLIAMSON

synopsis of K.vnr.iKii instalments. The stor.v opens o n the ovp nt the marrlaEP of Juliet Phnjrre. a lieiintlful American b-elress, to the Duke of I'lareiiinnnnh. It is n lnve match •■•! twi> well mati-lie.l mid fharmins yonii:; ppople. The TMikr- is a poor man save fnr the riarpmnnnffh Muo prarls. nn heirloom <>: prl«-rlp*< vjiine nnii | with .1 romantic hisior.v. wlilfh ii is etistomnry for thy J>uU.os of lo give to their lirKles. On the evening J.efnre. i!ic wcdiling, Lady West eallrt ":i Juliet and hints that the pearls luive 1 11 μ-oii to lie ivurn publicly by I.ydii Valp«kn. '-lie IMiisli d.ineer. Later 'in the eventm: the luiki calls oD Juliet to g\\u her his wcililliig [iris-. To .Tnlin's <]lKnppo:ntniPlit. i< is not the rnmoiis blue pcarl. J . Tho Duke explains that iiwiiie to pci'Kiilnry iliiik-ulJlcs he h:iU raised inoiiey on tho sc'euritv >»f tlie peiirlw, iinrl that. Maypn. the man ivlm linMs Hie pearls. ha<l pt.-.e !•• It"—la ami lieen iniprisoner by tho IhiteMPrlk*. Up hoici! u> n>;alii p.>sse>.-ion of t!:.- pi-ar'.s at any lionr. as Mayen hml now 1 ,1 IllieralCHl and was on his way bn.-k to Paris. The «fiip of the srnr.v t'.ipn moves to NonYork. Juliet has now l.<vn married two months and is very unhappy. The pearls have not arrivpil. nnil she i-aniiot niiilerthe mystery rosardluv: tiu-in. Shu is .iealou.l of I.Vila Valeska. who is aUo in NonYork. Her Yousln. Jiu-k Manner*, «■!:.» ha.l Ih'pii in love wiih her as a islrl. on his return fruni Europe i-al'.s mi the I'lnremanachs. Juliet is nlwcnt. Imt n imio fnmi her is j:ive:i him hy a servant, asking him to meet her privately. M:in::.--- !-■ surprised while waiting at til,- »Miirf.u.um jU 1 *" h»iwe to see l.yda Valeska c- r. apinrptitly to jsee tho lUike. ; While .la.-',: Nt:\iniers Is with the Unke. I rvpfasqm-lle. Mayelis privali- x.-Tpt-.iry. pearls. 'The nan-el is sljriic.l r..r as r.-.-eJve.l In order, ami thrown in a safe hut not opened lipmwp for si'iilimenlal reasons the l>like wishes Juliet t.i open It. CHAITER VII. WHAT JULIET TOI.D .I.M'K. At five minutes before five o'clork Jnek Manners Piitereri the Palm Room of the Hotel Lome. This room adjoined the restaurant, itnil was now.led with small tables lit by pink-.-luulcd electric jeandles. The Lome was a .M>od hotel. but too stodgily roxpes i.i.ili , lo bo nmusinpr. As tlicre was no band at meal times or tea-time, its clients were mostly untnodcrn creatures wiili a strange jireferenci- for peace and quiet. It was well thai Jack had arrived hcfore the hour lixed. for at live precisely Juliet appeared. He lia.l already enfiaged a ta'olc in a secluded corner li»ll screened by drooping, feather-like branches; but hi" eves were on the door, and he sprang up as the ta.ll, girlish figure drifted in between two palms.

At sight of his boyhood's love Ins heart gave a bound. I low lovely she was, in her shenthlikc grey dress, with dangling silvery things like clouds ol dawn filming a pale sunrise sky! Her hat was simple yet quaint, pushing forward her bright hair, anil making her face look young as a child's— pathetically young. Yet, pathetic was the word. Jack thought, as he went to meet her. and she came hastening to him a* to a haven. And -pathetic" was a new •word in connection with Juliet Phavre! She had been proud, fantastic, absurd. charming, obstinate, unaccountable, and a hundred other things, but never pathetic. .Manners wondered if it could be the dip of her odd hat-brim which gave her that look of transparent pallor, and the blue shadow under her big eyes.

There were not many people in the room, as tea at. the Lome was far from a fashionable function. Those who were there seemed absorbed, in a tired provincial shoppers' way. in the muffin and tea business. Still, Juliet "us too tall anil beautiful not to be conspicuous even it unrecognised, and a few weeks ago no Sunday Supplement had been completei without her photograph. The two could do no more than ga/.e deep, eyes in eyes, for an instant, as they met near tho door, and squeeze instead of .shaking hands; but all prudence was .lii-k's He saw by Juliet's face that the teadrinkers were of no more importance to her than the chairs they sat in, and he could have kissed the face turned up affectionately to "iis—if lie would. But he would not; and he did not even speak until lie had her seated at their palmscreened table. '"Oh, Jack, it's great to see you!" Juliet said, when a too attentive waiter had finished taking their order. Tears suddenly welled to her eyes. Sue dived into a gorgeou3 gold-mesh bag for a ■handkerchief. 4rhirh was not there. "Must be lost!" she sniffed. Hastily •Fack passed across the table, and had a heart-piercing impression that he had lived through this scfne before, in happier days. But ye.-, of course! Often, when he was a big boy and she was a little girl, she 'had come to him for consolation. And she had always lost her "hanky! ,. It was then, when he was about sixteen, and she eleven, that he had first 'begun to love her. with a protecting love which had changed but never waned as the years passed. Now she belonged to another man. Yet she still called to him. across the R ulf marriage had made, for help and comfort! Jack manners wondered what had happened to his red blood, that the pain he suffered was not more acute.

"I'm too sorry for the chill to think of myself just now,' , he diagnosed his feelings, with the picture of Lyda Valeska in his mind. "The reaction will come by and by." Juliet began at once to pour out her woes, forgetting to ask what had happened during Jack's visit to the house— what her husband had said—or whether the pearls had come. "Pat doesn't love mc," she broke out. ■'That's why I'm miserable. I don't know how to live. And I wouldn't have believed it if anyone had told me—except himself."

'■You don't mean that Claremanairli pays"—Jcck began to blunder: 'but .Juliet cut him short. '•Not in words, ot course. But 1 found a letter from that devil, Valeska. H began. My Best and Dearest Friend." Isn't that tie same thing as telling mc? The woman wouldn't write to him like that if he didn't e-.ioourage her."

Jack longed to comfort the girl: but after what he had seen, he was at a loss for consoling words. "How did you happen to find the letter?" he temporised. •Why, it bad to do with the fuss about Pat's seal ring," the girl confessed. "But first, l"d better explain that when I was bein-r' married, 1 made firm resolutions never to mention the name ot Valeska to Pat. Emmy Wcet almost dared mc to! And that alone was enough to show mc it would be a silly thin" But one night after we'd come to Xew York and were settling down happily, we had an exciting, intimate sort of talk about our pasts. It was a beautiful talk! And I felt so sure of >Pat, I jus* couldn't resist asking H he d

ever loved Yalcska. He swore, he hadn't, he'd only admired her a lot, and flirted a little. It wa s nothing in all beside

what he felt for mc. He was so dear, that I burst out about how nasty Emmy West and other people had been —how unhappy they'd made mc, more than once. Pat said 'Damn Kmmy West and nil ihe t-atu!' I loved that! And while the mood was on. 1 asked if he w ere willing tii premise he'd not meet Valeska in New York.

■■The minute those word, were spoken. I saw n change in Pat. He said he couldn't make such a promise. There might bn circumstances which would force him lo meet her. lie wouldn't call on her, though. I had to be satisfied with that. and I was-- almost-, till one dny when I'd teased him to lend mc 'his -eal ring. It's supposed to : bring luck, you know. So I thought I'd try it. for bridge. I bad to wear it on my thumb; it-, too big for my lingers. [ was playiilg that afternoon at Xancy van Ksten'fl. I. had n Frenchwoman for a partner. I'll never met her before. Perhaps you knew her in Paris? A Comtesse de Sainlville: her hus'nand is on some

mission here. She's a very impulsive woman—neurotic. I should think. 1 didn't feel drawn to her. because I'd heard c -he was a great pal of Lyda Ya!e*ka\s; that they went about together a lot. Suddenly idle noticed the

rill , /. Sin , squeaked, "Why, I know that eve! I saw it mi it letter the other day.' Then >he shut up. and turned red. 1 could see her colour, through inches of powder! Of ciuii'm , , I guessed where ulio'd ,-een the loiter. And there was only one person who could have sent it. Maybe I turned red too. But 1 pretended to lake no interest: and Nancy van Kstfn said "Do let"s play bridge!' "1 went home perfectly wretched. Pat 'bought 1 was ill. 1 didn't contradict him. 1 hadn't made up my mind what to do. But one tiling 1 did- I kept the riiiT. The day before yesterday he ackcit. mc for' it. J knew what that meant! lie wanted to write to \#y again—perhaps had a letter to answer. I ,-howed guile plainly that 1 hated giving up the ring. But he didn't care. lie would have it. The only sort ot •concession' he made was to say he'd hand it back next day—after he'd finished n batch of correspondence. Well, the next day came, and he didn't return mc the ring, though I saw he wasn't wearing it. Yon know how forgetful and mreli'ss he often is! 1 was sure he'd left the ring where he sealed his letters. He'd promised 1 should have it again. 1 suppose 1 had a right to take it, hadn't IV

Juliet paused, her eyes dry now, challetiginc; Jack. But he did not speak, and ?hc hurried on to defend herself. "1 felt 1 had the right," she persisted,-without conviction. "So yesterday .1 went into to room that nseil to be dad"s den. It's Pat's den now. lie wasn't in—there " "Did yon think lie would be?"

"\'o— o. As a matter of fact, he'd gone to the bank. You know he's working, lle'o quite keen. He'd been late about getting oil', ?o he'd started in a hurry. de.-k wasn't locked. I don't know whether he ever locks it, because I never tried the drawers before. Anyhow, in the top drawer a lot of letters were tumbled ill —letters he'd received, and letters he.l written—not ill en- \ elopes yet. All sorts of thisgs were there in disorder—fountain pens, sealing wax. and-the ring. It was on an open letter that lay lace up. A letter with a purple monogram, L. V. A perfume came up from the paper—a queer perfume, and the writing—in purple ink — wa-s queer too. I saw the beginning 1 told you about, '.My Rest ami Dearest Friend'—in Frem*. "Oil, Jack. I thought I should have died. 1 almost \vi«h 1 had!"

"N'on-ense!" Jack scouted her prief. "If the letter had had anything in it Pat was ashamed to have you see. you may be sure even he wouldn't have been so careless."'

"It wasn't exactly carelessness made him leave it,"' Juliet said sadly. "It was trust in mc. lie didn't dream that 1— would do such a I'hinjr as read a letter of his. And I didn't read it. 1 didn't read another won!, .lack. One side of ine wanted to. horribly. The other side was disgusted at the idea — the stronger side, it turned out."

'Hood girl!" cried Jacl>

'•Yes, Ido think I was a saint. Only unluckily virtue ha s no reward except its own. T left the ring and the letter.' But I felt half dead. I decided things couldn't £0 on as they were. 1 meant to speak to Pat when he came home. ,, "And did you?"' "No. because he \va< ill—had a batl headache —the beginning of a cold. Or else he was pretending. 1 can't trust him now! But he looked pale and odd so 1 nobly let him alone till this morning. Then I went to him in the study, and asked him to keep h'lS promise about the ring. lie pulled open the drawer. Them, it was on the letter, as I saw it, yesterday. That jrave. mc my chance I said, 'Valeska has been writing to you. I see her monogram." And I pretended to read 'My Best and Dearest Friend,' for the first time."

"By (ieorfje!" exclaimed Jack as Juliet stopped for breath. "By Heorfre, indeed!" she echoed. 'Tat accused mc of 'being suspicious. I accused him of being untrue. We had a scene! 1 never thought I couM say such thing* to Pat as I said. The way he took

them made mc worse. Ho just looked at mc in silence, trith his mouth shut like a steel trap. I suppose he hates mc nnw. If he hadn't deserved every word I said, I should deserve to be hated for saying them. If he'd loved mc, he would have boxed my ears! I half expected he would. But seeing him stand I'fce a graven image, I turned to leave the room. lie opened the door for nip to go out, and handed mc the "You took it!" "I had to, or flinsr it in bis face. 1 went straight oil' and wrote that letter to you, which I sealed with the ring. Then I Kent it back to him by Old Nick. 1 haven't seen l'at, of course, since he shut the door on mc. And I don't know how \vp nre going to behave to c;ii-li other when we meet next." "You will behave as if nothing had happened of course," Jack said with deeisiou. ••That's your advice? -, ''Certainly. And nothing has really happened, so far as yon know. You | linvp no proof that <'lnremanagh has broken his word about calling on Valeska. And you've seen no letter from him to her " "Someone else 6aw his seal!" "The most innocent words may have been undVr it. And you can't blame a. man if a woman chooses to addrese him ■ as her 'dearest friend.' At least you've ■ no r'ght to do so." "Don't you think I have? That'fi because you're a man, always ready to defend another. And you don't underI stand women." •'(lood heavens. 1 don't claim to! And Ido not defend f'lsremnnngh. 1 I merely say 'give him the benefit of the j doubt." i Inly men and women in melodrama refuse to hear any defence from tiie suspected one. You asked for my advice. There it is, my child, whether it pleases you or not." 'Well, if you want mc to be as coo! and reasonable as you are, you've cot to | stand by mc, and see mc through." j "I'm neither cool nor reasonable where. you're concerned, .luliet. But you know I'll stand by you." "You nieiin, you'll not go home to Long Island? You'll stay in New York, [ and be our guest?" I "I'll not go home to Long Island—at present. I'll stay in Xcw York. But I I won't be your guest. - ' \ "You're cruel, Jack, you're selfish," ', Juliet cried,, as she had often unjustly cried before. "You know better," he said. ''It is (he ontsder who sees the game. 1 ought to see it—lf I'm to help. And 1 wouldn't be an outsider visiting you. at your own house; I shall take rooms here at the Lome, where you can call mc tip at any minute. • liiliet was silent for a moment. She had a hideous fear that, in her anger, ; she had dung her house, her money, her everything, at Claremanagrh's stone pale face.

(To be continued Saturday next.)