THE VON TAER PEARLS
Uncle John really had more fun out of the famous Kermess than anyone
else. The preparations gave him something to do, and he enjoyed
doing--openly, as well as in secret ways. Having declared that he would
stock the flower booth at his own expense, he confided to no one his
plans. The girls may have thought he would merely leave orders with a
florist; but that was not the Merrick way of doing things. Instead, he
visited the most famous greenhouses within a radius of many miles,
contracting for all the floral blooms that art and skill could produce.
The Kermess was to be a three days' affair, and each day the floral
treasures of the cast were delivered in reckless profusion at the flower
booth, which thus became the center of attraction and the marvel of the
public. The girls were delighted to be able to dispense such blooms, and
their success as saleswomen was assured at once. Of course the fair
vendors were ignorant of the value of their wares, for Uncle John
refused to tell them how extravagant he had been; so they were obliged
to guess at the sums to be demanded and in consequence sold priceless
orchids and rare hothouse flora at such ridiculous rates that Mr.
Merrick chuckled with amusement until he nearly choked.
The public being "cordially invited" Uncle John was present on that
first important evening, and--wonder of wonders--was arrayed in an
immaculate full-dress suit that fitted his chubby form like the skin of
a banana. Mayor Doyle, likewise disguised, locked arms with his
brother-in-law and stalked gravely among the throng; but neither ever
got to a point in the big room where the flower booth was not in plain
sight. The Major's pride in "our Patsy" was something superb; Uncle John
was proud of all three of his nieces. As the sale of wares was for the
benefit of charity these old fellows purchased liberally--mostly flowers
and had enough parcels sent home to fill a delivery wagon.
One disagreeable incident, only, marred this otherwise successful
evening--successful especially for the three cousins, whose beauty and
grace won the hearts of all.
Diana Von Taer was stationed in the "Hindoo Booth," and the oriental
costume she wore exactly fitted her sensuous style of beauty. To enhance
its effect she had worn around her neck the famous string of Von Taer
pearls, a collection said to be unmatched in beauty and unequaled in
value in all New York.
The "Hindoo Booth" was near enough to the "Flower Booth" for Diana to
watch the cousins, and the triumph of her late _protégées_ was very
bitter for her to endure. Especially annoying was it to find Arthur
Weldon devoting himself assiduously to Louise, who looked charming in
her rose gown and favored Arthur in a marked way, although Charlie
Mershone, refusing to be ignored, also leaned over the counter of the
booth and chatted continually, striving to draw Miss Merrick's attention
to himself.
Forced to observe all this, Diana soon lost her accustomed coolness. The
sight of the happy faces of Arthur and Louise aroused all the rancor
and subtile wit that she possessed, and she resolved upon an act that
she would not before have believed herself capable of. Leaning down, she
released the catch of the famous pearls and unobserved concealed them in
a handkerchief. Then, leaving her booth, she sauntered slowly over to
the floral display, which was surrounded for the moment by a crowd of
eager customers. Many of the vases and pottery jars which had contained
flowers now stood empty, and just before the station of Louise Merrick
the stock was sadly depleted. This was, of course, offset by the store
of money in the little drawer beside the fair sales-lady, and Louise,
having greeted Diana with a smile and nod, turned to renew her
conversation with the young men besieging her.
Diana leaned gracefully over the counter, resting the hand containing
the handkerchief over the mouth of an empty Doulton vase--empty save for
the water which had nourished the flowers. At the same time she caught
Louise's eye and with a gesture brought the girl to her side. "Those
young men are wealthy," she said, carelessly, her head close to that of
Louise. "Make them pay well for their purchases, my dear."
"I can't rob them, Diana," was the laughing rejoinder.
"But it is your duty to rob, at a Kermess, and in the interests of
charity," persisted Diana, maintaining her voice at a whisper.
Louise was annoyed.
"Thank you," she said, and went back to the group awaiting her.
The floral booth was triangular, Beth officiated at one of the three
sides, Patsy at another, and Louise at the third. Diana now passed
softly around the booth, interchanging a word with the other two girls,
after which she returned to her own station.
Presently, while chatting with a group of acquaintances, she suddenly
clasped her throat and assuming an expression of horror exclaimed:
"My pearls!"
"What, the Von Taer pearls?" cried one.
"The Von Taer pearls," said Diana, as if dazed by her misfortune.
"And you've lost them, dear?"
"They're lost!" she echoed.
Well, there was excitement then, you may be sure. One man hurried to
notify the door-keeper and the private detective employed oh all such
occasions, while others hastily searched the booth--of course in vain.
Diana seemed distracted and the news spread quickly through the
assemblage.
"Have you left this booth at all?" asked a quiet voice, that of the
official whose business it was to investigate.
"I--I merely walked over to the floral booth opposite, and exchanged a
word with Miss Merrick, and the others there," she explained.
The search was resumed, and Charlie Mershone sauntered over.
"What's this, Di? Lost the big pearls, I hear," he said.
She took him aside and whispered something to him. He nodded and
returned at once to the flower booth, around which a crowd of searchers
now gathered, much to the annoyance of Louise and her cousins.
"It's all foolishness, you know," said Uncle John, to the Major,
confidentially. "If the girl really dropped her pearls some one has
picked them up, long ago."
Young Mershone seemed searching the floral booth as earnestly as the
others, and awkwardly knocked the Doulton vase from the shelf with his
elbow. It smashed to fragments and in the pool of water on the floor
appeared the missing pearls.
There was an awkward silence for a moment, while all eyes turned
curiously upon Louise, who served this side of the triangle. The girl
appeared turned to stone as she gazed down at the gems. Mershone laughed
disagreeably and picked up the recovered treasure, which Diana ran
forward and seized.
"H-m-m!" said the detective, with a shrug; "this is a strange
occurrence--a very strange occurrence, indeed. Miss Von Taer, do you
wish--"
"No!" exclaimed Diana, haughtily. "I accuse no one. It is enough that an
accident has restored to me the heirloom."
Stiffly she marched back to her own booth, and the crowd quietly
dispersed, leaving only Arthur, Uncle John and the Major standing to
support Louise and her astonished cousins.
"Why, confound it!" cried the little millionaire, with a red face, "does
the jade mean to insinuate--"
"Not at all, sor," interrupted the Major, sternly; "her early education
has been neglected, that's all."
"Come dear," pleaded Arthur to Louise; "let us go home."
"By no means!" announced Beth, positively; "let us stay where we belong.
Why, we're not half sold out yet!"