OUR STORYETTE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 167, 20 April 1916, Page 4

OUR STORYETTE

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TRICKED BY FATE.

In the firm of Crampton aud Wyles, London jewellers, an ususual stir ha J ITeen caused by the acquisition of a marvellous gem. It was a pear", unique in shape and of singular purity of colour —a wonderful natural formation of seven spherical gems into a perfectly-shaped cross. The fame of its discovery had been world-wide, and the competition among the dealers for its possession more thau keen. Philip Wyles*s nephew, Vincent, stood one evening at closing time with the famous pearl in his hand. The safe in which it was kept was open ready for its reception. At the moment Clyde Fleming, his fellow-assist-ant, stepped forward and looked over his shoulder. "If that were mine," he said, meditatively, "I would sell it off-hand mid retire."

Vincent turned a look half-con-temptuous upon the speaker. "Retire," he repeated—"at your age! And where would you retire to?"

Clyde's grey eyes grew dreamy as he answered: "Anywhere, out of this turmoil and scramble where the very air is poisoned! I would be happy in a little cottage, with a trout stream near, and not another dwelling in sight. No noisi but the song of birds and the wind—"

"Quite alsne?" queried Vincent, j with a meaning sneer.

Clyde flushed a little, and turned , away with a frown. Both men knew j what was in each other's mind—the cause pf the hit .er hatred that rankled in the heart of Vincent. Clyde, the | son of an old school friend of Philip \ Wyles, had been offered a home by his employer upon the death of his | father, four years before. Vincent, j the adopted child of his uncle, and | his prospective partner, had secretly I resented the introduction into the J household of one whom he recognised j as his superior, mentally and physi- j cally. And both men loved pretty I fascinating Madge Wyles, Vincent's cousin; but, whereas Clyde had won j (lie whole heart of little Madge. Vin- J cent h*d "ong known that the girl re- j garded him almost with aversion.

Vincent '-put the pearl cross in the safe and locked the door. Then, suddenly, into his brain, hot with the j fire of jealousy, there shot a fiendish suggestion. He turned quickly to glance behind him. Clyde had left the room, and his steps were audible j retreating down the stairs. Without an instant's hesitation he slipped the j key back into the lock, opened the ! safe noiselessly, and tcok out the pearl cross, thrusting it into his pocket with his left hand as he closed the safe with his right. And by the time Clyde had reached the last | stair Vincent had joined him. After walking a few yards, Vincent j turned suddenly to Clyde. "Did you bring that letter to show my uncle?" j he asked.

"By Jove! no," replied Clyde, stop

ping. "I must go back for it." "I'll walk on slowly," said Vincent; but instead, as soon as Clyde was out | of sight, he turned into a restaurant, j and sat there until he saw Clyde hurrying by. Then he followed leisurely homewards. That night, upon going to bed. Vin- j cent removed his boots, put out his light, and flung himself down. H ' lay, waiting, until a clock downstairs struck two; then, noiselessly, he got i up and crossed the landing to Clyde's room. As he entered the door-han- j die slipped from his grasp with a little click, and he stood holding his breath, while the blood rushed from ; his heart. But Clyde's slow, regular , breathing went on undisturbed. | Stealthily feeling his way, with I bated breath, Vincent reached th" i chest of drawers near the window. In the top small drawer he knew the sleeping man kept 'such few valuables as he possessed. His groping fingers j struck against the key, standing in : the lock. The unfastened drawer . yielded to his gentle pulling. Not till then did his hand seek in the depths of his breast pocket for Hw pearl cross, lying against his heart. He drew it out, faltered for a moment, started guiltily as the sleeper stirred, then dropped the pearl hastily ! into the drawer.

Closing the drawer noiselessly, ho turned the key in the lock, withdrew it, and put it into his pocket. As ha stole from the room, shutting tin? door silently after him, a look )f fiendish triumph chased the anxiety from his eyes.

"Nothing can save you now," li 3 muttered. "Not Providence itself." I The same day, a few hours later, the bolt fell—the discovery of the theft of the pearl cross. Extracted j from the safe, without signs of tampering with locks, the pearl had obviously been removed by a key-holder. Vincent and Clyde, who possessed du- l plicate keys, shared responsibility, and both now stood—the one in feigned, the other in genuine astonishment—before the anxious heads of th-, firm.

Presently, with apparent reluctance Vincent, who had maintained an attiture of aggrieved innocence put into plain speech evidence of Clyde's guilt Averting his eyes from Clyde's wondering ones, he spoke in a low voice. "Clyde saw mo put the pearl into the safe yesterday." he said "After we left together ho came back for a letter. I waited for him some time, but as hj» did not come " Suddenly the truth Hashed into Clyde's mind. Vincent was openly accusing him of the theft of th" pearl!" ''You scoundrel!" he cried, loarscly. "Take back your lying words, oi' I'll choke you!" His hand's went to Vincent's throat with such force that Ihe man staggered back, crashing against the wall. As the partners .-prang to their fee*, however, Clyde's hands fell to his side again. "Bah!" he exclaimed, throwing glance of contempt upon Vincent, who stood, purple faced, breathing heavily. ''The fellow's mad. I take I he pearl."' Vincent, the pent-up rage in hi n

forw.i'V. "Yes," he sa'ul, with osaaly emphasis, "you took the pearl! 7 suspected your movements last night, mid I watched you. When you went to bed I saw you put the pearl i:i your drawer!" Clyde stood like one turned to stone, and Philip Wyles sprang up from hla seat.

"Enough of this!" he said, excitaoly. "Vincent you had better ma'.:e good your accusation. Come with ma. the pair of you. Clyde can have no objection to the searching of his room." An agony of suspense and misgivin,.. tore at Clyde's heart, as the three repaired to the house. To what fiendish treachery had Vincent stooped? lie asked himself. In Clyde's room the drawer was found iocked, the key missing! "The drawer can easily be forced," said Vincent, curtly, and proceeded to fetch tools for the purpose. Clyde stood by, with galloping pulse, while Vincent, with hands that trembled visibly, set to work upon the drawer. A.j presently it yielded and slid forward, all three peered in anxiouslv. Hastily turning over the few content 1 :. Vincent uttered an exclamation of baffled rage. There was no peail cross there!

From Clyde's white lips a tremifotis sigh escaped. It was echoed by Philip Wyles, as he turned sternly to his nephew. "How are you going to explain ,hi,3, Vincent?" he askeJ. "How!" cried Vincent, in genuine disgust. "Of course, he's moved it, put it somewhere safer. I swear it was there last night!" Clyde's bewildered glance had faiien on a little white porcelain tray which lay to the front of the drawer. in the bottom of it a transparent fluid lay, slightly clouded. Within it, sole witness of the annihilation or the pearl cross, shone a thin, suspending circle of gold! He started back, clutching Wyles by the arm. "Good Heavens!" he cried "Look! The pearl cross—dissolved in that acid!"

Vincent snatched up the tray, his eyes wildly dilating in amazed horror, the betraying words bursting unconsciously from his ashen lips. "Fool! Fool!" he cried, hoarsely. "I am punished! Tricked' by fate"!" And, staggering back, he fell crashing in a swoon to the floor. (The End.)