A GIRLISH NOTION
Colby came around next morning just as Mr. Merrick was entering the
breakfast room, and the little man took the lawyer in to have a cup of
coffee. The young attorney still maintained his jaunty air, although
red-eyed from his night's vigil, and when he saw the Stanton girls and
their Aunt Jane having breakfast by an open window he eagerly begged
permission to join them, somewhat to Uncle John's amusement.
"Well?" demanded Maud, reading Colby's face with her clear eyes.
"I made a night of it, as I promised," said he. "This morning I know so
much about pearls that I'm tempted to go into the business."
"As Jack Andrews did?" inquired Flo.
"Not exactly," he answered with a smile. "But it's an interesting
subject--so interesting that I only abandoned my reading when I found I
was burning my electric lamp by daylight. Listen: A pearl is nothing more
or less than nacre, a fluid secretion of a certain variety of oyster--not
the eatable kind. A grain of sand gets between the folds of the oyster
and its shell and irritates the beast. In self-defense the oyster covers
the sand with a fluid which hardens and forms a pearl."
"I've always known that," said Flo, with a toss of her head.
"Yes; but I want you all to bear it in mind, for it will explain a
discovery I have made. Before I get to that, however, I want to say that
at one time the island of Ceylon supplied the world with its most famous
pearls. The early Egyptians discovered them there, as well as on the
Persian and Indian coasts. The pearl which Cleopatra is said to have
dissolved in wine and swallowed was worth about four hundred thousand
dollars in our money; but of course pearls were scarce in her day. A
single pearl was cut in two and used for earrings for the statue of Venus
in the Pantheon at Rome, and the sum paid for it was equal to about a
quarter of a million dollars. Sir Thomas Gresham, in the days of Queen
Elizabeth, had a pearl valued at about seventy-five thousand dollars
which he treated in the same manner Cleopatra did, dissolving it in wine
and boasting he had given the most expensive dinner ever known."
"All of which--" began Maud, impatiently.
"All of which, Miss Stanton, goes to show that pearls have been of great
price since the beginning of history. Nowadays we get just as valuable
pearls from the South Seas, and even from Panama, St. Margarita and the
Caromandel Coast, as ever came from Ceylon. But only those of rare size,
shape or color are now valued at high prices. For instance, a string of
matched pearls such as that owned by Princess Lemoine is estimated as
worth only eighty thousand dollars, because it could be quite easily
duplicated. The collection of Countess Ahmberg was noted for its variety
of shapes and colors more than for its large or costly pearls; and that
leads to my great discovery."
"Thank heaven," said Flo, with a sigh.
"I have discovered that our famous expert. Le Drieux, is an
arrant humbug."
"We had suspected that," remarked Maud.
"Now we know it," declared Colby. "Pearls, I have learned, change their
color, their degree of luster, even their weight, according to
atmospheric conditions and location. A ten-penny-weight pearl in Vienna
might weigh eight or nine pennyweights here in California, or it is more
likely to weigh twelve. The things absorb certain moistures and chemicals
from the air and sun, and shed those absorptions when kept in darkness or
from the fresh air. Pearls die, so to speak; but are often restored to
life by immersions in sea-water, their native element. As for color: the
pink and blue pearls often grow white, at times, especially if kept long
in darkness, but sun-baths restore their former tints. In the same way a
white pearl, if placed near the fumes of ammonia, changes to a pinkish
hue, while certain combinations of chemicals render them black, or
'smoked.' A clever man could steal a pink pearl, bleach it white, and
sell it to its former owner without its being recognized. Therefore, when
our expert, Le Drieux, attempts to show that the pearls found in Jones'
possession are identical with those stolen from the Austrian lady, he
fails to allow for climatic or other changes and cannot be accurate
enough to convince anyone who knows the versatile characteristics of
these gems."
"Ah, but does the judge know that, Mr. Colby?" asked Maud.
"I shall post him. After that, the conviction of the prisoner will be
impossible."
"Do you think the examination will be held to-day?" inquired Mr. Merrick.
"I cannot tell that. It will depend upon the mood of Judge Wilton. If he
feels grouchy or disagreeable, he is liable to postpone the case. If he
is in good spirits and wants to clear his docket he may begin the
examination at ten o'clock, to-day, which is the hour set for it."
"Is your evidence ready, Mr. Colby?"
"Such as I can command, Miss Stanton," he replied. "Last evening I wired
New York for information as to the exact amount of stock Jones owns in
the Continental, and I got a curious reply. The stock is valued at
nineteen hundred thousand dollars, but no one believes that Jones owns
it personally. It is generally thought that for politic reasons the young
man was made the holder of stock for several different parties, who still
own it, although it is in Jones' name. The control of stock without
ownership is not unusual. It gives the real owners an opportunity to hide
behind their catspaw, who simply obeys their instructions."
"I do not believe that Jones is connected with anyone in that manner,"
said Mr. Merrick.
"Nor do I," asserted Aunt Jane. "His interference with Goldstein's plans
proves he is under no obligations to others, for he has acted
arbitrarily, in accordance with his personal desires and against the
financial interests of the concern."
"Why didn't you ask him about this, instead of wiring to New York?"
demanded Maud.
"He might not give us exact information, under the circumstances,"
said Colby.
The girl frowned.
"Jones is not an ordinary client," continued the lawyer, coolly. "He
won't tell me anything about himself, or give me what is known as
'inside information.' On the contrary, he contents himself with saying
he is innocent and I must prove it. I'm going to save the young man, but
I'm not looking to him for much assistance."
Maud still frowned. Presently she said:
"I want to see Mr. Jones. Can you arrange an interview for me, sir?"
"Of course. You'd better go into town with me this morning. If the
examination is held, you will see Jones then. If it's postponed, you may
visit him in the jail."
Maud reflected a moment.
"Very well," said she, "I'll go with you." Then, turning to her aunt, she
continued: "You must make my excuses to Mr. Goldstein, Aunt Jane."
Mrs. Montrose eyed her niece critically.
"Who will accompany you, Maud?" she asked.
"Why, I'll go," said Patsy Doyle; and so it was settled, Uncle John
agreeing to escort the young ladies and see them safely home again.