The evening world. Newspaper, October 28, 1922, Page 13

WHO’S WHO IN THE STORY. DION FRANCE, a great jeweller, whose knowledge of gems is beyond that of any other expert. MRS. “GARDY” VARICK, ofner of the Riedesel pearls, one of the most notable strings in the world. “GARDY” VARICK, who approves his wife’s ability to cinch a bargain when she sees one. CROOKY MAGELLAN, whose knowledge almost equals that of France, but is put to a widely different use. DUPON a time when it is most needed, HE new play called ‘Jewels’ promised well. The ourtain went dowh ona good humored, crowded house. As the lights Jumped and the sea of stirring heads and real bright “Clothes leaped from darkness, I saw across the auditorlum the con- spicuous white hair and black eyebrows of Dion France, the great jeweller. I am a connolsseur of stones and France and I have that, and other things, in common. To-night, also, there was in my pocket a late acqu! sition. I found my ‘way to his box. France examined my opal a moment and gave it his valuable indorsement. Then his mind Shot back to its present interest. He nodded toward the stage. “What do you think of the pla Not bad, ro far! It's a pearl story, you know. Pearls are great adven- turers; none greater. Why, I sup- pose,” he went on with his typical, infectious, intense interest in his own idea—“why, I suppose that if you could choose at random one pearl from any of the valuable strings I see in this audience, and if you could givo it the power of telling its experience, you would haye such a tale of pirates and harems, of ancient Assyrian Kings and Scythian slaves in chains, of lux- ury and horror and Persian beauties and Chinese torture and South Sea hidden treasure—such a heap of wild intrigues aa would have made Dumas green with envy. ‘Some of them are nearly as old as the planet, those little globes shining on a decorous neck down there—Mrs. Lounsberry Blake's neck, for example, tenth row on the right. Sheyhas a fine string, and I don't doubt that half of them have ween things which would make fat Mrs, Blake howl to hear about."’ I had never thought of that. “It must be truco," I sajd. ‘*Pearls aren't worn out and thrown away—seldom lost, I suppose.” “Lost—oh, yes. Often lost,” Mr. France’ corrected me. ‘But only to the owner. Through devious paths they turn up again. They're the wan- dering Jows of still life. They never dic, Mostly one can't be recognized in @ new incarnation, but sometimes a whole string keeps its identity. Even in my own lifetime I've seen it That Riedesel string—Baroness Kiede- sel of Revolutionary fame—remember? She had fine pearls, astonishing ones. In her husband's family. Likely some old German baron swooped down from his castle in the Middie Ages and lifted them from a worthy merchant and hia train, who had earlier lifted them from some secret place in Bag- dad, ‘The Riedesel stones came to America in the Revolution, and de- seended at last to Mrs. Gardiner Varick, “I know her,” I put tn. said France “Do you ledged reluctantly; » for jewels. ve seen them," ‘unless wouldn't 1 explained, “You France known her a good while, them back only a month. They were That's one of my Do you went to hear it?" I settled into my seat, gone seven years. stories. “T do.” “But the curtati ng up,’ Mr. France objected. ll see how they work out this. The Jewels come on now, I believe. Stay here, and®T'll ba you tho Riedesel incident after this “rhe curtain of Act II. went down. “J want to hear the story,’ I sald a3 it fell, “Surely. And I see Mrs. Gardy Vi rick down there wearing the pea ‘That is to say—Sh in the fifth row to the tight. See her? Look at the string as I tell you the tale; it should add an interes Dion France's voice of full vitality, intangibly suggesting the drop of Oriental blood which he poured out fi) unbusried, unhalting flow, the ground-work of the following account, which I have filled in from other wources, and which I glve amplified as, and as it must probably have hap- pened: N a morning of early December, O in thelr apartment on a Park Avenue eleventh floor, the Varicks breakfasted in dining room When un e window was gay with plants and a bird sung and mahogany glowed and silver shone. Varick was “ trifle silent, but Justine, his wife, talked along, and the meal proceeded cheerfully from grapefruit to marma- ‘Then the two strayed into the y, Varick began those prelim- imary movements which every woman knows as heralding departure for the effic “Didn't I leave my papers on the Besk here?” (Everything on the desk fe shunted back and forth.) ‘Mar Apu realy must not touch my paper wm Oh tere they a: ‘Thon: vs » an assistant to France, who proves his usefulness at “Goodby, darling.” A kiss on the wing. But, “Oh, Gardy—you can’t go yet. Justine protested. ‘You sald you'd look at my Florentine dress for the McKeans's ball. It's to-night.” “Oh!'’ The manly instinct to get out of it, whatever it may be. Then Varick realizes that there is no earthly reason why he should not wait five minutes or even fifteen to consider the Florentine dress, “All right, dear. Hurry along, I'm worried about some business to-day, but there's time.” Ten minutes later Varick was aware of @ rustle of stiff silks back of the newspaper, and looked up to see his wife, magnificent in brocade and an- cient Ice, glittering with jewels from head to foot. ‘Gee!" He stared. “Where did you get all those dia- monds and rubies?" “Mostly out of a little embroidery shop,"’ Justine laughed. “I had the lace and brocade Great-granny Ried- esel and other old parties. Isn't it Jovely, Gardy? I think {t will make a hit, don't you? And I it cost just eothing.” Varick's eyes darkened. “Good,’’ he said gravely, and then; “Hey! What's that grand rope of pearls? You didn’t buy that at an embroidery shop, did you Justine chuckled. notice some time, “That's the thing that makes you look like the Duchess of Medina- Sidonia. Ostentatious for anything less than a Duchess." “It's up to me to be duchessesque.”* Justine was fair and tall and lovely. “T couldn't think what it was that made me blink.’ “That,"’ said Justine, “is the plece de resistance of the show. And I was clever."” “I thought you'd “You were Gardy responded doubtfully. ‘‘What price, clever dusty?” “Awfully clever," she threw at him. “This grand rope of pearls cost just twenty-five dollars.”* “That helps,"’ said Varick. that twenty-five dollars is to our finances, Justy. rich people, ae and I'm to-day—"" Justine interrupted: “Gardy! Sure- ly I might plunge to twenty-five dol- lars! As you said, it's the maki the dress. The moment I saw a that little window——" “What window “A pawnbroker's window down- town. Coming from Brooklyn, T happened to sce this thing in among tarnished silver and shoe buckles, and minute I knew it was the touch this costume sereamed for, So [ dashed in and the old grimy bird of a man sold it to me for twenty-five dol- lars, and I started out. And I ran into a man at the door, and heard him clacking with a clatter to the grimy bird, and I tore down the street and “Not worried I think they shouted, and I didn't wait. It seemed uncomfy. I got to n street with nice people, an right.” “Likely the old bird's thought you looked easy, and they meant to hold you up for more, It’s not always agreeable for a lady to shop In the slums," said Varick. partner “But isn’t it stunning?" Justine evaded discussion. Varick stared at the rope. ‘It cer- tainly.is. To my mind, it’s as good- looking as tho Riedesel.’" “Much more, if it were real,’ agreed Justine, “It's twice ns long."” She put her fingers two-thirds to her belt. ‘The Riedesel came to here ‘And this 1s away below my waist,"” she showed him. ‘‘And the pearls are large “T don’t think so, ered, ‘About the size, You're mad, monished him, pearls wer Varick consid- e wife ad- Ever since those you've been secing them bigge I'll be think- ing I oace owne string of hen's cERs. “There's the portrait." Gardy nodded to a corner. HE fair, ctirlod German . oness, who knew America whea Indian war whoops were « mon around Albany. hung # her § r the beauties of that 1 to have looked about any French duchess whose head was cut in the ‘Terror might have sat for this pretty blonde German whose husband came over to help : Dellions color and wh husband into uppallin curls were digtingul te were of a greents! the Inco of the flesh-and-blood walked up to her jewelry. “You're partly right, Ganly. The Riedese! pearls were about the size of some of my fako ones, the small fake ones,” Sho held the long string to- ward its painted comrade. “Of course, an expert could tell,” she said, ‘but to me my $25 string looks exactly as he whirled about to her hus- folle dang) . yet they, sameness with court dress, The cescendant, Justine, “granny” and examined jardy," sho cried, “every u while I nearly burst be- «© I simply can't bear It--to have lost those pearls, They were the very ILLUS only treasure we owned. It was ex- travagant to own them, being only fairly well off, as we are. But they came to me from so far, through so many hands to mine, And mine let them slip."" “It really would have been a satis- faction to have sold them," Varick said. “T was against your doing It then. But—if you had ‘em—and wero willing to sell only half—it would be @ wonderful help now.” “Gardy, 1s something wrong? Twice you've spoken of being worrled. What te it?” Varick smiled wanly, “It's just that I took a risk. I'm anxtous."’ “Can't you tell me?’’ Justine asked, end put her hand against his face. “I'm on earth mostly to stand by you. Could you use me?’ TRATED way down,” he offered, “and get him to string them, #0 you can have them for to-night.” “You're a lamb," sald Justine, “but France ts too great to string sham pearls,” “He'll do it for love ®t the old ones, He liked the Riedesels.” es, he'll do it," agreed Justine. “Thank you so much, Gardy. You're an angel,” And with the broken string and a handful of loose stones thrown into his overcoat pocket, Var- ick left. Justine was out for lunch. And it wos four o'clock when she came home. “Mr, Varick telephoned, ma’am,"" said Mary Ann. ‘‘He wants you to call him up,"" “Rector 3223. You wanted me, rT Sea i hi ee eee “I do; every hour of my life."* He turned his face to her hand, ‘You're the fundamental fact, and I've risked your comfort. I'm frightfully anx- fous." “And I can't give you the pearls to wipe out the anxiety because I let @ man in the street steal them trom me. *“Oh!"' cried Justine, “I could choke myself for wearing those won- derful stones in a trolley car! Why, jardy, I'd sell them joyfully to help you. I'd sell my head to help you, darling. I'd tear off the pearis and throw them to you like this'’—— With a lift of the rope sho swept it over her head—and the rope caught on one Jpf the glass rubies from the embroidery shop, and, with that, white balls gleamed in a shower and tinkled over the floor what you've done by being Varick smiled with the look of heavenly gentleness which al- ways insplred his wife with a great ii A brief hesitation haye t f want to tell you myself."* Come stralht up, Nobody hurt Busines: 4, Come home, I'm here." A turned in the lock twenty minute , and Justine stood up, big-eyed, met her husband with asmile, “it's this,"’ he 1, rushing the sent . “I've been a fool, | for Varick Lewis. He's , and we're in," put her hand against his “Don't as she had befe Gardy dea her little boy. It wasn't ye fault.” a fool to go on his mind, were anything, I was if he face it would have But I ¢ SHIPM THE EVENING WORLD SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2 A WILL B. the McKeans's, anyhow. We won't feel like going to-night.’ “Wo'll give up nothing.” Gardiner Varick defied the universe, “We'll go with bells on and bold up our heads. I'll get France." Ho swung up from his chair to go to the telephone and the’ telephone rang. "Oh, Mr, France. I was just about to call you I forgot to stop for those bends. My wife wants to wear them to-night. Would you be good enough—" A silence; Varick'’s expression changed as he listened from courteous endur- ance to surprise, to doubt, “I don't think I'm understanding. I’m talking about a string of beads I left—yer you do remember’ He went on: “I was in a hurry, But that’s the string I'm after. Not real ones, worse luck." More attentive silence. Then: "That's odd, Must | e mistake, Yes, I'm at home, Surely. We'll be delighted. Mrs. Varick is here, too. In five minutes “What is it, Gardy?" Justine was bewildered Ile gave her a queer look, “I think he's got your » stones mixed, Yet IT don't understand." “Tel me what he said."* “Why, he sald—but {t's gome mess & one of his clorks."” ‘Tell me!" pleaded Justine, He says one of tho si al,’ Then he burst forth: r “Hang it, Justine, I never can Iie with those green eyes of yours on me, What the wild man called me up for as to bremk it t they'd discovered that—only ris in your string are x He held tne cigarette tn his fingers and fixe! bis eyes hers with a broadening grin. ‘Can yo bear it? 8, 1922 indering, Jewels « THE EVENING WORLD'S COMPLETE. NOVELETT TheWandecring RAYMOND ANDREWS JOHNSTONE pearls?” “I don't know what you mean,” ‘The jeweller opened the velvet case and lifted out the huge rope which Justine had bought in the pawnshop. “Those things? asked Justine. “You're making fun of met” "I gave these over,” sald Frano’ to be strung this morning, under- standing that they were artificial. I was out for the day, and whon I got back, about 4, Emory, who's reapon- sible, came to me with tho string and ® long face. ‘Mr. France,’ he sald, ‘I wonder if Mr, Varick knows that only about half of these stones are real?’ Justine made an inooherent excla- mation. France shook his head. “Sorry, ‘Mrs. Varick, but it’s true. And there's more, “DUMB WITH. FEAR, SHE SPRANG; THEN A GRIP ON HER THOAT, A BLOW.” “More!" broke in Justine. But It's already too amaging. Mn, France—why, Mr. France," sho stdmmered, “I bought that string She caught her breath and started over. “For $25.” This time {t was France who wai “Twenty—Mre, Varick, don't This string, aside from the ar- tiflclal stones, Is worth probably a hundred thousand—about the value of your stolen jewels, I thought you'd had another legu Justine tossed up excited handa/ “Gardy, It's Providence. It stralght- ens everything.” “No, it doesn't," Varick flung back. “More! Why, the devil. Those things aren't ours; we've got to fuss to find out whose they are."’ “Oh,” Justine conceded brokenly, “Of course, t aren't ours. We can’t use them. “Mrs. Varick,"’ Dion France's deep 45 toNe 1 more, to shim “Hard! Halt of a twenty-five- voice began again, “I told you there tooo e he wae On iin Gite now pushed him into # real! But, of course, Was more. I've examined these ston! searching the floor for her stupid iml- crashed on arm ther lapse somewhere 1 didn't and I bell ve the are yours—the Rie- tation pearls. never forgive myself want to get your hopes up.” sel pearl “Gardy, my dear! sho cried con. Mind. W ve “Gardy!"? cried Justine, “I can’t What!"* Varick roared tt at him, tritely, “I've delayed you all this time apartment." He st possibly walt for him to come And then: ‘How can you or any one rand you're troubled and I'm such a comfurt around him “You won't have to, He'll be here know that donkey, 1 s bothering!"* “Wasn't queer in half n minute, There's the bell,” “It’s a deli business," France “Cheert Gardy. “I can Wished this morning Bo happened that Dion: Mrance, acknowledged, “but in the first place only find e—only nine, pearls to se followed closely by a trim young clerk, —do you remember telling me, Mrs. Iy that 21?" Varick st hi «. ‘“Thoret came into the Varick library and drew Varick, the first time you placed your “Oh, they're ct paste, anyhow. 1 forgot to from lis coat pocket a Jewelry case, stones in my hands, that they'd al- ardy. I don't care if T lose Mr. France “Mrs, Varich he began, and his ways been strung on & green the thing’s long enough. d I told him no, I'd dark eyes glowed. “Mrs. Varick, 1 And that you wished the t $ strung on two cords; isn't ot.” thought you and I were friends. The other roken,.”” z You're the most w jer- Justine laughed “Aron't wet” 6, cherishing globules m ful thing! ‘The idea of bother y, then, didn't you tell me France lifted rope from Sts box. stop at France's on the about my age weaws! We'll ¢ up th 3 Lerot ack the HRiedesel “You didn’t I suppose, that = ————— == —— worsettcst — Next HIGH EXPLOSIVE By SOPHIE KERR Tila strated by WILL B. JOHNSTONE ———— this ts strung on two separate cords?” “TI did—yes, I aid!"’ “And did you notice—but you didn’t that one of the cords ts green? Not the one which broke, Nobody would have guessed in any caso, without close inspection, that it was green. The color is gone except where ote protected by passing through the ris. Even there it's often lost, where the pearls have slipped. But there are spots, and plenty of them, to be convincing, still unmistakavly green, Where's the portrait?’ He carried the string to the picture. Varick switched on electricity, France held up the pawnship beads to the Baroness in court dress, wearing the ancestral pearis. “Do you catch that green thread here and there?’ Ho pointed to the painting. “And do you seo that these —these that I hold'’—his dramatic face was compelling—‘‘do you see that these pearls are the very same that the artist painted long ago, giving them that typical touch of green which to-day identifies them? It's my belief that these beautiful things --these pearls, wandering and Jost— have come back to their own." ‘Mr. France,” Justine spoke, her cheeks burning, “I'm crazy to believe It, but Ido. That green cord—I never heard of stringing pearls on’ a green cord, did you? Except these. But yet—ian't there some possible way of sure Identification?” France considered. ‘T said to Du- pont, driving here, that there was just one event which would convince me beyond mistake that these jewels were yours.” “What?” Just and Varick shot the Word tometne “That they should be stolen again.” “No—oh, no!" She caught them In both hands. “We need them now.” She slid the string over her head, keeping a hand on it as if to safe- gard tt. Rut Varick asked: in your min RANCE, dropping into & carved F chair of black oak, unconscious- and slender, ly framed hin Old Whrid face tall body so that he looked like an ancient Arabian astrol- oger ubout to prophesy. ‘’This is my theory,"’ he began, laying long fingers on the dark chair arm, “You re- member the one man whom you no- tieed the day when you got off the trolley car and the taxi almost droye into you, and two or three people selzed you and pulled you out?’ “Yes. That man was undoubtedly Crooky Magellun, the most eminent Jewel thief in the world, He was known to be in New York. Your Jew- els were taken, probably, by a net which had been spread for weeks, The taxi drivé was one of the gan; there was a member of it on the trol- ley, and of the men who pulled you from under the taxi, one wes Magel- lan himself, and he knew how to get the pearls from your throat."’ “T saw that man with the crooked nose and flerce eyes; I'd know that face. I'—— Her voice trailed, “What ts it?’ demanded France, ' didn't know it.’’ ‘What do you mean, Justine? Have you seen him again?"’ “Yes, It was the man who camo In when I was leaving the pawnshop.”” “What!” France leaned foi tensely. “A pawnshop? When?" In as few words as might be Jus- tine told how @ had bought the beads. France's sensitive fuce was fire and movement. “Listen, Mrs. Varick,” he said at length, “This theory would tie things together. Sup- pose that Magellan, who i# uncanny in devices, should himself have left the pearls, disguised by combining them with paste jewels, at that pawn- broker's, as a hiding place." Yo safer place,” argued France, “Those pawnbrokers are sometimes jewel experts; more often not. Magellan would know hia man. A year ago the police were hot om his trail in New York, Then he disap- peared. My theory is that he got himself arrested on some minor charge and was given a year in prison, That, being unrecognized, would be as safe t as Magellan could find. he didn't mean to get a overshot. Also, Mkely he “What have you he was handicapped all these years with year your jewels and unable to get rid of them. They were conspicuous and he was saving them tit! a favorable tima as a nest egg for his retirement, These chaps lose thelr grit after a while, and the wise ones foresee it, Well, before his arrest, he may have left these stones with the pawnbroker, who couldn't sell them for twelve months, He meant to be back to re- deom them, but something delayed him. It's probable he came from day to day to wateh the string, leaving it as long as might be, Some Providence sent Mrs. Varick just before one of his visits, It would take him a minute to find that a woman had got the peuris if Mrs. Varick bad turned back in response to that, shouting—tt's likely he knew her, ati foltowed her But if she'd turned back—" France shrugged his shoulders Vurick shuddered. ‘Do you suppose he's trying, this minute, to get at me —to get them back?" That," said Mr, France, the triumphaut proof that yours,"" “Good Lord," Varick burst forth, “we don't want triumphant proof at that price, Much as we'd like the pearls, we're not keen about living as hunted animals." ION FRANCE falled to ogree, D ‘Think what a joy to lure on him, the blackguard and at last trap ** he pointed out enthusiastically, “Every beng an adventure; no “would be they are duiness, no monotony; I envy you.” “Give me dulness and monotony by the bucketful,"’ Justine shivered. “I'll present the dewdabs to an orphan asylum, No, I won't. I'll sell ‘em to-morrow. I won't be tied to @ bait for thugs, Gardy. You take ‘em, Gardy, and sell them. You buy ‘em. Mr. France."" She caught the shining things aa if to lift them off and stopped, laugh- ing. “They're so pretty!" she sighed. “I don't want to give them up again I want to wear them to-night with my Florentine dress. Don't you think 1 might do that, Mr, France? Just to- night, do you think?" Trance shook his head. “Tard . luck," he said. ‘The big ball—thy wonderful costume — telling your friends the story—I see. But it would be the psychological chance for Magellan. You certainly must have secret service men if you wear them. ‘Hideous! complained Justine “But, at least, there's no danger wearing them tn my own house: we're having a dinner before the ball Yes, Mary Ann—tea! Oh, upstairs in the den?” “Please’m,” spoke Mary Ann, “there's a special delivery waiting for you to sign. “Go up to the den,’ Justine com- manded the'three men. I'll come tn @ second.” It was a duplex apartment, and pretty little Mary Ann sped deftly up ahead, bearing muffins. A man stood in the dimness of the Inside apart- ment hallway, a scarf high around his neck, and a cap low on his forehead. “Special delivery!" asked Justine. Something in the man’s look halted her. “I'll get a pencil,” she said, and whirled ubout, “Here's one." The volee was too close, and she turned in the doorway and saw——— Dumb with fear, she sprang; then & grip on her throat, a blow; some- where somebody sc darkness. As he wheeled, her eyes went past and caught a glimpse of a figure tied into the black carved chair where Mr. France had sat half an hour ago, “Oh—who?” She pointed a shaking finger. France smiled, breathing fast as after physical exertion, and Varick put his arm around her. “My dear!" he cried breathlessly. “You're not hurt much? We've got him and we've got the pearls." He laid her down, but she popped up France nodded out of breath but radiant. ‘It's Magellan, He won't steal Jewels again for some time. Tel- ephone, Mr. Varick. I want to hand him over to the police.” “Was he the special-delivery man?” Justine inquired, “He followed so close. Then I saw those bad eyes and I knew, He caught my throat. J couldn't call. How did you know?" There was a bleating sound ut the rear; then hysterical laughter. “Mary Ano," explained Varick—‘the muf- fins. She came dpwn for hot ones in the nick of time; she saw you fall, and she screamed like engine 999, bless her. Even then, if our good old front door hadn't stuck, he'd have got off." “Is he dead?" inquired Justine, gam ing und shivering. “Not he,’* said France, jostling him a little, ‘Ho hagn't used more than six of his lives yet. He'll come to and do his turn. It will be a long one, for he left old Stevens nearly mur- dered beside his safe in Philadelphia. Mr. Varick, aren't the police due?” “The bell.”’ said Varick, ‘‘Polloe— Mary Ano." But Mary Ann bleated more ear neatly, and the cook, who was present, and the chambermaid, all joined tn @ bleating chorus, “Oh, no—oh. no, sir! iteate dort ileus te ee to thee front door—not that one, sir!’* “It's the only one we have, Mary Ann." “We couldn't, sir. It give us a turn just to hear it buss.’ “Where we hope they'll stay safely for many a Jong day," said I as Dion France finished the story in the entr‘acte of the first night of “Jew- els.” But France smiled his all-wise smile, with long eyes narrowing to a gleam. “Not at al my young friend,” said he. “Happy ever after isn't the end of those pearls, She sold them." “Sold them! Oh, no!" I certainty was disappointed, “How could ene? "The wisest thing to do."’ France's ps clamped. “I bought them, I'll show them to you to-morrow if you like. Ali but two, one of which I've made into a wonderful ring for her. She couldn't have been happy with those stones after her experiences, ‘The things she’s wearing are the arth fivial Jewels of the pawnbroker, with one genuine Riedesel for the tradition, The money put Varick on his feet and left them with a pleasantly big mar- gin. Pearls are a wretched posses- sion,” considered France. “It's sinful to string thousands of dollars on a silk thread, and they're damaged goods once they're pierced for stringing—a hole through them, Moreover, as you've proved to-night, the imitations are, for almost the entire world, ex- actly as beautiful as the real. No ble person should own * France concluded, with bis firm lips set. And then his mobile face broke into gentle whimsicality. “‘All the same, there's something w7ong with the per- son who doesn't love pearts,”” said Dion France. Copyright, AM rights reserved. Printed by arranger Newspaper with Motropolites Rew York,