THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.
SHORT STORY.
THE QUEEN'S PEARL.
The Vicomte de Chartellerault, sitting beside Fanny" Gordon, spoke cautiously into her ear: This time the affair is about a pearl."
Fanny shifted her little black Pomeranian to the other arm, pulled down the skirt of her pink morning dress, and echoed softly:
A pearl 7
The Vicomte nodded. "The groat pearl of Swabia, presented long ago by the Doge of Venice, to the famous Frederick of Swabia. And now Frederick's great-great great-grand-daughter, the present Queen Regent of Swabis, in her moment of weakness, intrusted
the pearl to a beautiful lady, the
Baroness Helene von Wilmhutz merely, he declares, in order to test which was whiter, the pearl or her neck the most perfect neck, they say, in Europe. The Baroness, however, proceeded to pocket the pearl, and bolted here. to Paris with it, leaving the Prince Consort, whose royal wife is the most jealous in Europe, in a condition that you can imagine: All the more that the christening. of the heir apparent is next week, and the Queen must wear her full regaliu. And when she discovers the loas, mademoiselle, it is an opon secret that her rage will im peril not only the peace of the Prince Consort's mind, but that of Europe as well.”
EXTRA
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 1914.
ahemes.
10 myself, match Greek with Maria." Greek! Where ancient haga
1+
"I think 1 understand now. If I need any more information. I'll send a note to your apartment. And now, please to run along. 've got to think. And when I've thought, you can see for yourself what a lot I shall have to do."
Theo, as her visitor bent over her "hand in adieu, she added dreamily:
a
the
"
pink
"whoso
"
A
demand too much when I ask you to take this pearl and keep it for me till I am at liberty tu ask for it back again?
A soft kiss dropped on Fanny forebead. A swish of "silk, gently closed door, and Faury was left alone with three million franos' worth of concentrated sen-magic slimmering on the counterpane before her.
IV
white paper, two inches by three. Then back to the hotel, where she. presented the check to the wait. ing Baroness.
As the evening had closed in ohilly, she had ordered a fire, aud already the cheeriui ilamos orsok- led in the chimney. Standing by the hearth, she made up her mind.
it fair and sqare! Poor Helene! But, after all, my first duty is to Raoul."
Palling out her hairpins, she released her shining dark hair from ita compactly twisted knot. In spite of her strained and care- ful gestures, or perhaps because of them, she fumbled the pins. The hair slipped through ber hand. And, to her horror, with a oraeh like that of a dropped billiard-ball, the great pearl fell to the stone hearth at her feet.
With a swift contraction of her Next morning, when the lesson muscles, Fanny pounced upon was done, Fanny and her fellow it.
Thon, as she slanted the down the staira narvellous gem toward the fire- light, her heart seemed suddenly together.
to become like the heart of the "Baroness, listen! You must dead. With an inarticulate gulp can't let me give you back your pearl of horror, she ran to the electric
light, "Hash! We mustn't talk here. Meet me by the north surface of flawless beauty, from ahore of the lake in the Bois in the slightly iridescent tip to the half an hour."
swelling whiteness of the middle, By the little sheet of blue ran an unmistakable and hideous water, among the badding flowers crack.
I
Yes, it was true. Across that
of early spring, they met. The · At eleven o'clock the next mor- Baroness hushed Fanny's proteening, as Fanny was sipping her tations:
coffee after a sleepless night, she received a visit from her neigh- bor across the 'way,
"Ah, my dear. The one person in all Paria that 1 can trust! Then you mean I must not ask another favour of you? For I confess
With mingled feelings, Fanny interrupted her:
"My dear child, you are pala! Here-I will throw away my oigarette.
"1
"Another three can bet 1 don't want it ruined
times to- And carefully sealing the behind my chimney-board search- by
theve any of
ordinary morrow!" retorted
im-missive, Miss Hazel Perkins, alias ing like rats-" voice-teachera. Oh, yes, I think placable American, with a grin, Fanny Gordon, carried it with She stopped short, with an ex- Paris is perfectly splendid-I'm Pooh! I'll bet I can mend that her own hands to the post. pression of nausea, Fanny, just crazy about it. Towser, if smashed note myself!" And,
·· II.
emitten with compassion and you don't stop rubbering at that springing alertly to her foot, sho
remorse, cried out: Almost twelve o'clock. A tap little white dog over there, I'll begun to clear the music from the
"But you are-ill!” pull your tail!
little grand piano, preparatory to on Fanny Gordon's door, and in
"No, no," returned the other slid a pale woman in a. That afternoon, the greatest opening it.
it's only the thought of rats. singing master of Pairs was, by Suddenly there was a piercing crepe dressing-gown,
"Hang it, I'll give her back the sheer force of his visitor's scream. Turning, she beheld gestures were fall of terror and They-they affect me as snakes do other people. Ono sees that
her old pear!!" she declared to exuberant vitality, persuaded not the Baroness.rising slowly to her whose eyes were full of tears. my maid mast have betrayed my BY EDITH MACVANE.
only togivos favourable judgment feet with both hands pressed "Please," she whispered bro-weakness. For even my maid herself, and than fight her for on her small, high soprano voice, convulsively over her breset. kenly, "do you mind if I come and chauffeur, you see, are in but also to consent to the im- Her face was contorted almost in for a little while? I'm fright-their pay. Oh, my deur, do I meantime, the search of her rooms mediate learning of a duet to be beyond recognition. The next oned to death!"
For an instant Fanny stared, we thorough! On her return tsung with one of his other pupils moment, with a groan, she fell to the hotel in the evening, a per-in order, as the new arrival ex-floor like a log.
then forced her gently to an son in our employ contrived to plained, to dazzle "momma," Theyoung girl, horror-stricken, arm-chair by the bed. rub against her, and immediately when she arrived, into agreement rashed to the rescue.
Poor daar! Of course you after raised the cry of robbery. with her daughter's operatio
"It's my heart!" gasped the are miserable, after your attack Baroness, "It comes on every of this afternoon. Won't you let On this person's charge, the
Leaving the master's studio, by little while. What pain! The me make you some nice hot Baroness was arrested and taken to Saint Lazare a brutal mea the etrangest coincidence in the brandy, quickly! There, I'm tea ?" sure, but necessary. At the pri world she almost ran into the bettor. Will you go and put on "You little darling! No, I'm son she was thoroughly searched lady in black charmeuse whom your hat, cherie, and take me to quite well again it's not that by those grim crones who make a she had already soon at the As- my doctor's?"
It's just that I can't stand this thorough business, be sure, of toria. For the next five minutes Miss Perkins, forgetting her life any more. For I'm hunted. searching a young and lovely Miss Perkins stood outside the late musical enthusiasm, ran to No, I'm not raving. I'm hunted woman. But, mademoiselle, they closed door, listening to a power obey. After five minutes she day and night like one of those found no bng. At the botol, the fal mezzo voice uplifted in the returned, to find the Baroness Apaches on the outer boulevards, pupil come
So I said dramatic strains of an "Ave feebly struggling into a long that they track down with police found nothing.
oloak of far and satin.
dogs!" the pearl to her handsome consort. have failed, where men have fail-at a music atore and ordered a interesting invalid at her doctor's the woman before her was not
On her way home she stopped
Half an hour later she left the Fanny caught her breath: No And the Prince Oensort, in a
piano for a month. By humming on the Boulevard Haussmann, raving. Who should know it moment of weakness, intrusted ed, it is possible that another
young and lovely open was strain of the "Ave Maria" that and returned alone to the Astoria, better than she, who was one of find the work spot and penetrate ale had just heard, she was able
Slowly she walked down the the dogs? the secret of the Baroneas Heleno!
to have the music identified, car corridor on her way back to her
Suddenly her visitor caught ried it home, sud that very even- Fanny turned a gleaming eyeing was picking it out on her room, alone but for her little her hands in an ioy clasp.
dog. Suddenly she was aware "Listen! I tell you the truth. upon him.
now piano.
of a rather odd circumstance. Of course, when your mother Four days later, by dint of hard The door of her opposite neight-comes she won't let you have study and tactful manipulation hor's room stood slightly ajar, anything more to do with me. of her master, the new pupil was and from within came the whin-Aud quite right For I'm not admitted to the glory of her first
ing of a dog.
-I'm not what's called a good duet practice; the music chosen
Her recent curiosity, baffled by woman, my dear!” being that of Saint-Saens' beauti-
the Baroness' fainting attack, She rose to her feet and paced ful "Ave Maria," and the mezzo- apprano no other than a charming returned to possess the young rapidly up and down the room, "There! it's out! But don'
"No, no, Baroness-I don't Swedish lady, the Baroness von girl's soul. She hesitated a Wilmhutz, who, it appeared, was she slipped her pet's leash. The marriage to a wicked old man moment; then, atooping, she judge me too hardly. Sold in
mind at all!" In spite of Fanny's effort at self-control, a heavy sigh "To penetrale from the out- already studying the music..
next instant he had bolted when I was still an innocent child "You are at the same hotel? through the open door, and from like-like you.
escaped her. For a moment the side, and without any help, into
Then, later, the intimate centre of another Excellent!" cried the master, within came the worrying sound giving heart and soul-all I had!
to sat in silence, while the Baroness Helene puffed at her person's life-it seems a task be-when the two voices had tried the of two little dogs at play.
-to a man that--" yond the limit of civilized modern music and been found to blend
"Towser, come here!
" oried
cigarette and the two little dogs played together upon the floor. life, doesn't it? Still, I'm glad with a fairly harmonious effect.
bis mistress.
The Baroness cigarette-case, sn at least to hear that she takes You must practise your dust to-
odd, Oriental-looking affair of Then, as Towser vouchsafed singing lessons and keeps a little gether before the next lesson,
fine woven grass studded with dog!
But see, mademoiselle; be careful no response, bis mistress whistled once, strode to the open door, and
"It's his lettere his dear, dear turquoises, dangled from her Two days later, at a stylish not to flat this F??
Listen, cherie," she said ex- modern hotal near the Etoile, The Baroness, who seemed to
knocked loadly. Then, pushing citedly. You are an American. letters! Those aleo be has been hand. Suddenly Fanny's little arrived, with a quantity of lug-bo pining with boredom, showed it wide, she advanced boldly into and every one knows that Ameri- trying to rob me of, lest I black-black Pomeranian, frisking near,
the room.
mail him. Small danger, alas seized the cigarette-case in his gage, a young American girl who as active an interest in the new
cana pay their bills and keep So, as a box of letters is not mouth and scampered off under Singular! The white Pomer- their word. And your eyee- registered as Miss Hazel Perkins, employment as did even the raw Detroit. When she entered the little America. And that after-anian, usually indulged to the one sees in them you'd give your bidden in one's garter like a the bed. The other, barking, dining-hall she was half an hour noon they met for practice in the extreme, was seen chained to a life rather than break your word. pearl, I dared not bring them to followed him.
The next moment Fanny almost late and alone, but for the com-latter's room at the hotel. leg of the centre-table. And, So, if you'll give it to me, I'll the hotel. When I arrived in
singular again! In the brief trust it like
Paris fifteen days ago, I simply doubted her senses, A whirl of pany of a small dog which she
The piano, however, proved to interval while her visitor had. Do you want to hear a secret checked the valise containing pink draperies; a hoarse, thick them in the parcels room of the voice streaming French words of led by a leash that might have be sadly out of tune,
to accept restrained a bulldog. After calm-tuner could not be had before the departed to put on her hat, the Do you want
Gare du Nord. While they of unbelievable vulgarity; and Baroness had evidently conquered trust ?"
remain there they are aafe, the Baroness, seizing the heavy Slowly Fanny nodded. "But now, before I leave Paris, iron poker from the hearth, hur- the lid propped up by its waad,
-do you see that man on the In the dainty little Louis XV stood blatantly open, flamboyantly od slowly. salon, where incomerable bibelots empty of all bat its own silvery
"Then look!" her visitor bicycle yonder ?-I dare not go
Mere instinct gave Fanny cour- whispered back.
for them. Will you do me a last and signed photographs relieved mechanism. the hotel monotony, the young The American, surveying it, She pulled up her pink chiffon favour? Will you go and get that age. She seized the infuriated woman by the arm, with words American girl stared about caught her breath. Then, Bud- petticoat, and from her left garter valise for me?
such as are used to calm the by- After all, why not? Fanny sterical. Thon, swiftly doubling denly stretching out her hand, detached a small chamois bag. 1. Five minutes after being seat-
"My, what a cate room! Do she sounded the D. in alt. In From the bag she took what nodded. "Certainly!"
her gloves in a ball, she tossed "Here is the check!" The them into the air. In pursuit of od Miss Perkins had scraped ac- you mind if I just have a good marked contrast to an hour before, appeared to be a wad of cotton
the note rang perfectly true and wool and laid it on the bed. Baroness opened her gold bag, this new prize, the little doga quantance with the latter and look around?"
Fanny, clearing away the wool opened, the purse within it, and immediately relinquished the old." "The most splendid, they say, was naively favouring them, in a "But after our music!" smiled clear. in Europe!" replied the Vicomte. lond American-French, with a the Baroness winningly. After The colour rose in her face. She with trembling fingers, beheld extracted a small slip of white Fanny picked up the cigarette-
the shimmer and whiteness and the dust practice, however, she hesitated a moment, then, cat-
paper. "A gem which, by its immense stream of autobiography:
"See! I will put it bere case and, with a bow, presented on the grass under this stone. In it to its owner. Swiftly the sizo, as by its white and fairy-
“Momma and I just arrived at remembered an appointment with ching ap her little dog, turned mystery of a gigantic pearl.
"The night that my prince a moment you hast atcop to tie Barness examined it inside and like lustre, might be identified Liverpool last Monday, on the her dressmaker, and the two to the door. Coming down the
my neck," your shoe, and pick it up.' out, to satify herself as to its corridor in a flatter of plumes hang it around on the beaches of Ceylon! The Lusitania. Ob, I was so seasick went out together.
undamaged condition. " size of a walnut, slightly elongat It's the first time I crossed, you The next day they met again in and perfumes, whom should she whispered the Baroness dreamily, ed, slightly flattened. The int, know. Yes, I learned to speak the same place. The young Ameri-meet but the tenant of the room." he said, 'Thy skin is whiter in spite of its age, a perfect, French at the Berlitz, right at can, as before, played the accom-
Baronese Now do excase atill!"," white, with a faint touch of pint home in Detroit. Oh, thank you paniment a task which she por-me. But the door was open and "Yes" murmured Fanny, her hypnotized eyes still on the great and green iridescence at one end. I do speak pretty well, don't formed with no great brilliancy Toweer bolted in-" Its value, apart from its historic I? Well, nothing would snit bat with sufficient correctness. "Of course, cherie! But, you pearl. There, at one end, was associations, is estimated at not
see, I left everything in such the iridescent gleam of pink and momma but a trip to the English The piano, however, vexed her. less than three million france, lakes. She'd read a paper about
Raoul had "Wants taning! "she remark confusion, Bat now the doctor green of which So, you can imagine, the
thom fat the Iris Club last year, ed bluntly. "Gee, it's worse has given me some, splendid spoken. Ioward
" went on the you see. But I was just dying than mine! Here, listen to this medicine and I'm quite well." Again Fanny nodded. "And to get to Paris to begin my vocal.D in alt-it's all to the blink.
Ho declares that now, tell me what has been done!" Yes, that's what I've come to Listen!"
"On the Baroness' arrival at
Fanny, letting her little dog slide to the floor, sprang alertly to her feet. She seemed to take on a new personality, bard almost to ruthlessness, with the dilated eyes and quivering pink tongue lip of a hound that has caught
the cent.
"And now," she said crisply, "the facts!"
The Vicomte's conciseness
matched hers.
"That the Baconess von Wilm- butz-as she calls herself-hne brought the pearl with her to
As the
Her beautiful face worked. She drew a long breath and, stop- ping short in her walk, bent over the bed.
แ
God's. Lister!
a
"You know, I'll do anything for you that I can!"
"Do you mean that?" returned the Baroness Helene eagerly. "Then will you do an errand for
me?"
Fanny nodded. The other continued quickly :
Paris is vouched for by the fact ly making the tour of the room,next day, the Baroness, after the extreme weakness induced by that she left behind her in Swubia suc finally chose a table between some hesitation; invited her fel her heart attack. For the piano give you my word," she whisper-want them! Followed as I am led herself after the little gambo-
two others, occupied respectively low singer across the hall. by a handsome londe women in black charmeuse, with a little white dog by her side, and a couple of eager-looking cld Ger man ladies,
no real friends to whom she could possibly have intrasted such a treasure. Besides, in the Prince's dread of coupling his name with hers, she knows that she finds bor best safety. It is certain, therefore, that the jewel is in ber own immediate possession,"
"And the pearl itself?" asked Fanny.
#
her.
"And now,
An instant later, as Fanny stooped:
“And when I have taken the valise out, where do I carry it? To you at the Astoria?”
They walked away together. The Baroness replied:
ling dogs,
Shortly after, clutching, her little white dog in one hand and her precious cigarette-case in the othor, she took her leave.
."
Europe for. I'm going in for She sounded it. It jangled. Paris, her trunks were detained grand opero, you see, so naturally The Baroness laughed nervously, Miss Perkins retired to her room gift; the one link that binds me Peace. Carry the valise, therefore, few moments later she was 18-
at Customs and searched. Since I didn't went to lose a day. So I
and wrote a note:
Fanny, remembering her own: troubles, fastened the pearl inside 'No, no! Is it any safer there her blouse, called a taxicab, and than it was two weeks ago? In drove to Cartier's. a few days, now, I am leaving At this foremost jewelry ea A glance passed between the passionate woman before her, "he Paria for Italy, where who tablishment of Paris, she asked two women-a single spark, blaokens me!'
knowa 2-perhaps I shall find for the chief expert on pearls. A qucstioning and enigmatic. Then I stole the jewel from him-his
with my life when it was a life! to the Gare de Lyon; leave it hered into the private room of a "Is it ? Then I'll speak to the
who courteously demanded what then her apartment at the Hotel let momma go' on her old trip
"The Baroness has just been at And, as I have refused to yield there at the consigne, and bring dapper, blond-bearded little man Astoria has twice been thoroughly with some women we'd met cross tuner to-morrow. But come-
baited with her little dog, in abandons fair means and takes Fanny, returning to her taxi- he could do for her,
Fanny's voice, trembling with ransacked; once at night, when ing, and I just trolled over here I've sung enough, I'll ring for the piano to set a neat trap, it except with my life, he back the check to me." her maid--a person in our em- to Paris alone. And right after tos. "
order to show she has guessed to foul: That's what I mean cab, drove first to the Gare du ploy had drugged her mistress's lunch I'm going straight out to
"No!" returned Mies Hazel why I om bere; also, to let me when I tell you I am hunted. Nord, where in exchange for hor the emotion that her resolution after dinner coffee. The second arrange for my voice lessons. Perkins stubbornly. "Cal said know the treasure has been For the secret police of Paris, check al received a handsome could not dominate, propounded time was yesterday, when her Who'm I going to take of? Cal-we ought to do that duet three removed from its hiding-place whom he was sat on me, are dog valise of. English leather. Then her momentous question:
"Is it possible, monsieur, to chauffeur, acting ander er direc- deroni, of course. They tell me times at least, and we haven't of an Hodi ago. At the same ging me day and night. Till she was whirled the length of tion, punctured a tyre of her he's the nzly one in Paris-the done it but once and a half." time, however, she has disclosed now I have managed to elude Pairs to the far-off Gare de Lyon, mend a cracked pearl ?" automobile and kept her four most expensive, anyway. And
"To-morrow! aried the to me the fact that the treasure them. But they are orawling up where in exchange for her valise hours at Fontainebleau. I can I've a very sweet, high soprano
is here with her at the hotel, u on me. Even now I heard them she received a numbered slip of (To be Continued Next Saturday,) personally guarantee that, in the of wonderful volume, so you Baroness,