THE PEARLS OF ISIS

Mr. Barnes sat for a while in silence, gazing at Mr. Mitchel. The

masterly manner in which that gentleman had managed the affair

throughout won his admiration and elevated him more than ever in his

esteem. The denouement was admirable. Before handing over the check Mr.

Mitchel had led Mr. Livingstone to state in the presence of a concealed

witness that the opal about to be sold was genuine, whereas, as a matter

of fact, the one on the desk at that moment was spurious. Then the

payment with a check and the exacting of a receipt furnished tangible

proofs of the nature of the transaction. Thus, even eliminating the

theft of the other opal, Mr. Mitchel was in the position to prove that

the man had obtained a large sum of money by false pretenses. The

recovery of the stolen opal practically convicted Mr. Livingstone of a

still greater crime, and with a witness to the various details of the

occurrence Mr. Mitchel had so great a hold upon him that it would be

most improbable that Mr. Livingstone would pursue his scheme further.

The second conspirator, Domingo, was equally well disposed of, for if

he returned to Mexico with the imitation opals, either the priests would

discover the fraud and deal with the man themselves, or, by their

failing to do so, he would gain possession of the opal mine.

In either event there would be no reason for him to return to trouble

Mr. Mitchel.

"I see the whole scheme," said Mr. Barnes at length, "and I must

congratulate you upon the conception and conduct of the affair. You have

courteously said that I have been of some assistance, and though I doubt

it, I would like to exact a price for my services."

"Certainly," said Mr. Mitchel. "Every man is worthy of his hire, even

when he is not aware of the fact that he has been hired, I presume. Name

your reward. What shall it be?"

"From my place of concealment, a while ago, I observed that before you

took out the opal, you removed from the box a magnificent string of

pearls. As you have claimed that all valuable jewels have some story of

crime, or attempted crime, attached to them, I fancy you could tell an

interesting tale about those pearls."

"Ah; and you would like to hear the story?"

"Yes; very much!"

"Well, it is a pretty old one now, and no harm can come, especially if

you receive the tale in confidence."

"Assuredly."

"They are beautiful, are they not?" said Mr. Mitchel, taking them up

almost affectionately, and handing them to Mr. Barnes. "I call them the

Pearls of Isis."

"The Pearls of Isis?" said Mr. Barnes, taking them. "An odd name,

considering that the goddess is a myth. How could she wear jewelry?"

"Oh, the name originated with myself. I will explain that in a moment.

First let me say a few words in a general way. You ask me for the story

of that string of pearls. If what is told of them in Mexico is true,

there is a pathetic tale for each particular pearl, aside from the many

legends that are related of the entire string."

"And do you know all of these histories?"

"No, indeed. I wish that I did. But I can tell you some of the legendry.

In Humboldt's _American Researches_ you will find an illustration

showing the figure of what he calls 'The Statue of an Aztec Priestess.'

The original had been discovered by M. Dupe. The statue was cut from

basalt, and the point of chief interest in it is the head-dress, which

resembles the calantica, or veil of Isis, the Sphinxes, and other

Egyptian statues. On the forehead of this stone priestess was found a

string of pearls, of which Humboldt says: 'The pearls have never been

found on any Egyptian statue, and indicate a communication between the

city of Tenochtitlan, ancient Mexico, and the coast of California, where

pearls are found in great numbers.' Humboldt himself found a similar

statue decorated with pearls in the ruins of Tezcuco, and this is still

in the museum at Berlin, where I have seen it. Humboldt doubted that

these statues represented priestesses, but thought rather that they were

merely figures of ordinary women, and he bases this view on the fact

that the statues have long hair, whereas it was the custom of the

tepanteohuatzin, a dignitary controlling the priestesses, to cut off the

tresses of these virgins when they devoted themselves to the services of

the temple. M. Dupe thought that this statue represented one of the

temple virgins, while, as I have said, Humboldt concluded that they had

no religious connection. My own view is that both of these gentlemen

were wrong, and that these and similar statues were images of the

goddess Isis."

"But I thought that Isis was an Old World goddess?"

"So she was, and the oldest world is this continent. We need not now

enter upon a discussion of the reasons upon which I base my belief.

Suffice it to say that I think I can prove to the satisfaction of any

good archaeologist that both Isis and Osiris belong to Central America.

And as those pearls in your hand once adorned an Aztec basaltic statue

similar to those of Dupe and Humboldt, I have chosen to call them the

'Pearls of Isis.'"

"Ah; then it is from their origin that you imagine that so many stories

are connected with them. I have always heard that the priests of ancient

Mexico were a bloodthirsty lot, and as pearls are supposed by the

superstitious to symbolize tears, I can imagine the romances that might

be built around these, especially if they were guarded by virgin

priestesses."

"Now you are utilizing your detective instinct to guess my tale before

it is told. You are partly right. Many curious legends are to be heard

from the natives in Mexico, explanatory of these pearl-bedecked idols.

Two are particularly interesting, though you are not bound to accept

them as strictly true. The first was related to me personally by an old

man, who claimed a connection with the priesthood through a lineage of

priestly ancestors covering two thousand generations. This you will

admit is a long service for a single family in worshipful care of a lot

of idols, and it would at least be discourteous to doubt the word of

such a truly holy man."

"Oh, I shall not attempt to discredit or disprove the old fellow's

story, whatever it may be."

"That is very generous of you, considering your profession, and I am

sure the old Aztec would feel duly honored. However, here is his story.

According to him, there were many beautiful women among the Aztecs, but

only the most beautiful of these were acceptable to the gods as

priestesses. Their entrance into the service of the temple, I imagine,

must have been most trying, for he stated that it was only when the

women came before the priests with their chosen lovers to be married

that the priests were permitted to examine their faces in order to

determine whether they were beautiful enough to become temple virgins.

If, on such an occasion, the bride seemed sufficiently beautiful, the

priest, instead of uniting her to her lover, declared that the gods

demanded her as their own, and she was forthwith consecrated to the

service of the temple. They were then compelled to forswear the world,

and, under threats of mysterious and direful punishments, they promised

to guard their chastity, and devote their virgin lives to the gods. The

mysterious punishment meted out to transgressors the old priest

explained to me. Usually in such instances the girl would elope, most

often with the lover of whom she had been deprived at the altar. No

effort was made to recapture her. Such was the power of the priests, and

such the superstitious dread of the anger of the gods, that none would

hold communication of any kind with the erring couple. Thus isolated and

compelled to hide away in the forests, the unfortunate lovers would

eventually live in hourly dread of disaster, until either the girl would

voluntarily return to the priests to save her lover from the imagined

fury of the gods, or else to save himself he would take the girl back.

In either case the result would be the same. None ever saw her again.

But, shortly after, a new pearl would appear upon the forehead of the

idol."

"A new pearl? How?"

"The old priest, whose word you have promised not to doubt, claimed that

beneath the temple there was a dark, bottomless pool of water in which

abounded the shell-fish from which pearls were taken. These molluscs

were sacred, and to them were fed the bodies of all the human beings

sacrificed on their altars. Whenever one of the temple virgins broke her

oath of fidelity to the gods, upon her return she was dropped alive into

this pool, and, curious to relate, at the appearance of the next new

moon the tepanteohuatzin would invariably discover a pearl of marvellous

size."

"Why, then, each pearl would represent a temple virgin reincarnated, as

it were?"

"Yes; one might almost imagine that in misery and grief over her unhappy

love affair, she had wept until she had dissolved, and that then she had

been precipitated, to use a chemical term, in the form of a pearl.

Altogether the legend is not a bad one, and if we recall the connection

between Isis and the crescent moon, you must admit my right to call

these the Pearls of Isis."

"Oh, I promised to dispute nothing. But did you not say that there was

another legend?"

"Yes, and I am glad to say it has a much more fortuitous finale and is

altogether more believable, though this one was not told to me by a man

of God, or perhaps to be more accurate I should say a 'man of the gods.'

According to this rendition the temple virgins were chosen exactly as

related in the other narrative, but before actually entering upon their

duties there was a period of probation, a period of time covering 'one

moon.' You see we cannot escape the moon in this connection. During this

probationary period it was possible for the lover to regain his

sweetheart by paying a ransom, and this ransom was invariably a pearl

of a certain weight and quality. By placing these pearls on the forehead

of the goddess she was supposed to be repaid for the loss of one of her

virgin attendants. All of which shows that her ladyship, Isis, in her

love for finery, was peculiarly human and not unlike her sisters of

to-day."

"This second story is very easy to believe, if one could understand

where the pearls were to be found."

"Oh, that is easily explained. Humboldt was right in supposing that

there was a communication with the Californian coast. There was a

regular yearly journey to and from that place for the purposes of trade,

and many of the Aztecs travelled thither purposely to engage in fishing

for pearls. Whenever one of these fishers was fortunate enough to find a

pearl of the kind demanded by the priests, he would hoard it up, and

keep his good luck a secret. For with such a pearl could he not woo and

win one of the fairest daughters of his tribe? We can well imagine that

without such a pearl the more cautious of the beauties would turn a deaf

ear to lovers' pleadings, fearing to attract the eyes of the priests at

the altar. Verily, in those days beauty was a doubtful advantage."

"Yes, indeed. Now I understand what you meant when you said that each of

these pearls might have its own romance. For, according to the legends,

they are either the penalty or the price of love. But you have not told

me the particular story of these pearls."

"There may be as many as there are pearls, but I can tell you but one;

though as that involves a story of crime, it will interest you I am

sure. You will remember that when we were going to the yacht on that day

when we solved the first opal mystery, I explained to you my reasons for

buying up large gems. I think I told you of my first venture?"

"Yes; you overheard a plot to steal a ruby, and you went to the hostess

and bought the jewel, which you then stuck in your scarf, where the

plotters could see it and know that it had changed hands."

"That is the tale exactly. You will consider it a curious coincidence

when I tell you that these pearls came into my possession in an almost

similar manner."

"That is remarkable, I must say."

"And yet not so remarkable, either, all things considered. Crime, or

rather the method of committing a crime, is often suggested by previous

occurrences. A body is found in the river dismembered, and is a nine

days' wonder. Yet, even though the mystery may be solved, and the

murderer brought to justice, the police may scarcely have finished with

the case before another dismembered body is discovered. Often, too, the

second criminal goes unpunished; in imitating his predecessor he avoids,

or attempts to avoid, his mistakes. I suppose that is easier than

formulating an entirely new plan. So I imagine that the attempt to steal

the ruby, which I frustrated, and the stealing of the pearls, which was

successfully managed, may have some connection, more especially as both

affairs occurred in the same house."

"In the same house?"

"Yes, and within a month, or, to follow the legend, I might say in the

same 'moon.' I was in New Orleans at the time, and as it was in the

Mardi Gras season, masked balls were common occurrences. One who was

especially fond of this class of entertainment was Madame Damien. She

was a widow, not yet thirty, and as her husband, Maurice Damien, had

belonged to one of the wealthiest and most distinguished of the old

Creole families, there was no apparently good reason for denying her the

rightful privilege of mixing with and receiving the best people of the

city. Nevertheless, there were a few who declined to associate with her,

or to allow the younger members of their households to do so."

"What were their reasons?"

"Reasons there were, but of such an impalpable nature that even

those who most rigorously shunned her, ventured not to speak openly

against her. For reasons, it might have been said that she smoked

cigarettes--but other good women did likewise; she entertained often,

and served wine intemperately--others did the same; she permitted

card-playing in her rooms, even for money stakes,--but the same thing

occurred in other houses, though perhaps not so openly. Thus none of

these reasons, you see, was sufficiently potent. But there were others,

less easily discussed and more difficult to prove. It was whispered,

very low and only in the ears of most trustworthy intimates, that

Madame Damien permitted, nay, encouraged, young men to pay court to her.

If true, she managed her courtiers most admirably, for openly she was

most impartial in distributing her favors, while secretly--well, none

penetrated the secrets of Madame Damien. One thing was certainly in her

favor; there were no duels about her, and duelling was not uncommon in

those days."

"I should say she was a clever woman."

"Just the word. Some, who could say nothing more, said she was

altogether too clever. It was this woman who sold me the ruby."

"The first acquisition to your collection?"

"Yes. I may as well briefly give you the facts, for thus you may see the

connection between the two affairs. Land is not so valuable in our

southern country as it is here in New York, and the houses of the

wealthy are often in the midst of extensive gardens. Some of these not

only have beautiful flower-beds, but likewise palms, cacti, oleanders,

azaleas, and other tropical plants. Madame Damien's residence was in a

garden which might almost be called a miniature park. The paths were of

snow-white oyster shells, rolled and beaten until they resembled smooth

white marble. The hedges were of arbor vitae cut with square top, except

here and there where the trees were trained to form arched gateways

through which the flower-beds could be reached. In places, often nearly

concealed by flowering plants, were little houses,--lovers' nooks they

are called,--made also of trained arbor vitae. Of larger trees there

were the palmetto, the orange, and the magnolia. On fete nights these

beautiful grounds would be illuminated with Chinese lanterns,

sufficiently numerous to make the scene a veritable fairy picture, but

not shedding enough light to interfere with the walks of lovers who

sought the garden paths between the dances."

"Your description reminds one of Eden."

"The similarity is greater than you imagine, for the serpent lurked in

the rose bowers. At one of Madame Damien's masquerade fetes I had left

the warm rooms for a breath of the perfume-laden air without, and was

walking along a path which led to the farthest end of the garden, when I

was attracted by a stifled cry. I stopped and listened, and as it was

not repeated I was just thinking that I had heard the mournful cry of a

dove, when a tug at my sleeve caused me to turn quickly. At my side was

a little creature in a green domino scarcely distinguishable from the

shrubbery that lined the walk. The girl stood on her toes, drew my head

down to hers, and in a frightened tone whispered:

"'The men. They mean mischief--to them--in there.'

"She pointed to one of the little arbor-vitae houses near us, and turning

fled back along the path before I could restrain her.

"Much mystified, I stepped softly toward the little house, intending to

discover if possible who might be within, when I seemed to hear voices

behind me. Listening intently, I traced the sounds to the opposite side

of the hedge, and therefore I crept cautiously in that direction,

satisfied that here were the men to whom the girl had made allusion.

Here is what I heard:

"'As they come out, we must follow them. When I whistle, you jump on

madame; I will take care of him. I will undertake to hurt him enough to

make him squeal. That will alarm Madame, who will be so fearful lest her

precious lover be hurt that you will have no difficulty in getting the

ruby.'"

"Quite a neat little plot; only needs the detail of garroting to afford

us a perfect picture of the Spanish brigand," said Mr. Barnes.

"The men were undoubtedly professional thieves who considered the

masquerade a good opportunity. As soon as they mentioned the ruby, I

knew that the woman was none other than Madame Damien, who possessed a

stone of rare beauty which she frequently wore. The point of greatest

interest was that Madame seemed about to lose her usual good luck by

having one of her love affairs discovered. How could I warn her without

myself learning who was with her? Strange though it may seem, I had no

wish to know the name of her companion, so I hit upon an expedient.

Going to the door of the little house I called aloud:

"'Madame Damien! Will you allow me to speak to you a moment?' Of course

she did not reply. From the deathlike stillness of the place one might

have thought it empty. I was too sure, however, that she was there, so I

spoke again.

"'Madame, your very life is in danger, if you do not come out and speak

to me.' In an instant she was at my side, talking in a quick whisper.

"'Who are you? What do you mean?'

"'Pardon my intruding, but I was obliged to adopt this course, I assure

you.'

"I was speaking loudly enough to be heard by the men on the other side

of the hedge. 'I was passing here just now, with no suspicion that you

were here, alone,'--I purposely used the word, so that she might feel

easy about her companion,--'when I chanced to overhear the plotting of

two ruffians who are even now hidden in the hedge. They are lying in

wait for you, intending to rob you of your ruby.'

"'Steal my ruby? I don't understand.'

"'Had I not heard their plan, they would undoubtedly have partly

strangled you while they stole the jewel. It was to save you from the

danger of this encounter and the loss that I felt it my duty to call you

out to speak with me.'

"'What shall I do?'

"'I advise you to sell the stone to me.'

"'Sell it to you? How would that help matters?'

"'I have my check-book with me. You know who I am,--Leroy Mitchel. There

is light enough by this lantern to write, and I have a fountain-pen. If

you sell me the ruby, and take the check, you may safely go to the

house. The would-be thieves are listening and perhaps watching us.

Consequently, they will know of this transaction and will have no reason

to follow you.'

"'But yourself?'

"'I can take care of myself, especially as I am armed. I shall follow

you in a few moments, and I am sure no attack will be made upon me.'

"She hesitated a moment. She did not really wish to sell the stone, yet

her only other alternative was to inform me that as another man was

present we might go to the house together without fear. But not wishing

to disclose the presence of this other man, she decided to sell me the

stone, or rather to appear to do so, for her plan was to return my check

later and recover the ruby. This offer she made to me on the following

day, but I declined because the idea of forming my collection of rare

gems had entered my mind when I heard the plotters talking. Before

finally yielding she made one effort, being a plucky woman.

"'I need not sell you the ruby, Mr. Mitchel, for if, as you say, you are

armed, I have no fear of accepting your escort to the house.'

"This of course would have defeated my purpose, so I hastily explained

to her that I wished to stay behind because I intended to attempt to

capture one or both of the ruffians. Whether or not she might have found

some other means of avoiding my offer, she did not think of one then, so

she handed me the ruby and I gave her the check. After she had left me,

I cautiously searched the hedges but met no one. I was satisfied,

however, that the men had heard all that had passed, and I also believed

that they might still imagine that there would be a chance to get the

ruby, under the supposition that my purchase was but a pretense, and

that as soon as I should return to the parlors I would restore the

jewel. It was for this reason that I wore it conspicuously in my scarf."

"What of the little woman in the green domino? Did you see her again?"

"I caught a glimpse of her only, though I am sure she got a better view

of me. It was in the house. Here, also, there was a profusion of green,

the place being literally strewn with potted plants. I was standing near

a group of palms when I caught sight of my lady of the green domino,

gazing intently at me. As she saw that I had detected her presence, she

swiftly glided away, and I lost her in the throng. I was certain,

however, that she saw the ruby in my scarf, and so knew that I had

prevented the mischief of which she had warned me."

"It would have been interesting to discover her identity."

"All in good time, Mr. Detective. We come now to the story of the string

of pearls. It was just three weeks later. Madame was holding another

fete. Once more I was destined to play eavesdropper, though this time

with even still more startling results. I had been dancing a quadrille,

my unknown partner being charmingly dressed in a costume which at the

time I did not understand. I had noticed her several times during the

evening, standing always alone, apparently neglected by the young men.

So I asked her to be my partner, rather in the spirit of giving her

some of the pleasures of the evening, though you must understand that I

was at that time young myself and quite susceptible to the charms of the

opposite sex. She had seemed reluctant at first to dance with me, and

then, as though impulsively altering her mind, she had expressed her

willingness more in act than by any word, for she had not spoken.

Clutching my arm nervously, she had led me a little way across the

floor, and stopped where a couple was needed to fill a quadrille. _En

vis-a-vis_ was a couple who attracted her attention to such an extent

that I almost imagined that my partner had brought me into this set with

the purpose of watching them. The man was unmistakably dressed as Romeo,

while the costume of his partner was as mystifying to me as that of the

girl beside me. I afterwards learned that she was assuming the guise of

Helen of Troy."

"Your hostess, Madame Damien, I'll be bound."

"You make a good guesser, Mr. Barnes. Madame Damien it was, though,

truth to tell, I was so much interested in the silent, watchful girl

beside me that I paid little attention to the others. The quadrille had

just ended and I was wondering how best to make my little sphinx talk,

when a strange thing happened. The couple opposite to us crossed toward

us, and as they approached my partner swayed as though about to fall,

and then suddenly toppled over against me, and in a whisper she said:

"'I am dizzy. Take me out in the air.'

"Just then, 'Helen of Troy,' hanging on the arm of her 'Romeo,' passed

so close to us that the women's costumes touched. She looked

scrutinizingly at the girl with me, and I heard her say to her

companion,--

"'That girl is a sphinx.'

"Then they passed on. Her words startled me, for I had just used the

epithet in my own mind in connection with my partner. I thought of her

as a sphinx because of her silence. But now that some one else called

her a sphinx, I observed that she wore a curious head-dress which

reminded one of the great monument of the Eastern desert. Perhaps, then,

she was but playing the part which she had assumed with her costume. At

all events there seemed to be a mystery worthy of the effort at

penetration. So I hurried out into the air with my little sphinx, and

soon we were walking up one of the snow-white walks. I tried to induce

her to talk, but though she seemed willing to remain in my

companionship, she trembled a good deal but kept as mum as the stone

image to which I now likened her. I was wondering by what device I might

make her talk, when she utterly startled me by crying out:

"'I wish I dared to tell you everything. Perhaps you might help me.'

"'Tell me what you will, little one,' said I, 'and I will help you if I

can, and keep your secret besides.'

"'Oh, there is no secret,' she exclaimed; 'I am not so wicked as that.

But we cannot talk here. Come, I know a place.'

"I followed her as she hurried me on, more mystified than before. She

tells me 'there is no secret,' and that she is 'not as wicked as that.'

Why need she be wicked, to have a secret? I could not fathom it, but as

I was to know all, even though it were no secret, I was able to await

the telling. Oddly enough, as it seemed to me then, she led me to the

very lovers' nook in which I had found Madame Damien when I purchased

the ruby. Before entering, my little sphinx took the precaution to

extinguish the lanterns at the doorway, so that when we passed inside we

were in gloom as impenetrable as that of one of the passageways in the

pyramids. She seemed familiar with the place, for she took my hand and

led me away to one side, where there was a rustic bench. Here we sat

down, and after a few minutes she began.

"'You do not know me, of course,' said she.

"'Why, no,' I replied; 'how should I?'

"'I was afraid you might have recognized my voice. But then I haven't

spoken much to you, have I?'

"'No; but now I do recognize your voice at least. It was you who warned

me, here at this very spot, at the last fete. Was it not?'

"'Yes; I heard the men talking and I was afraid they might hurt--might

hurt some one. Then you came along, and so I told you. I recognized you

to-night because you have the same dress.'

"I began to suspect that the 'some one' whom she had shielded that night

was not our fair hostess, but rather the man who had been with her. I

was wondering whether it would be wise to ask her this question, or

whether to wait for her to tell her story in her own way, when I was

startled at feeling the softest of hands pressed tightly over my lips,

and to hear a whisper close to my ear.

"'Don't speak,' she said; 'they are coming--they are coming here.'

"I strained my ears and at first heard nothing, but love sharpens the

ears I suppose, for presently I did hear footsteps, and then low voices,

growing louder as though approaching, and finally the persons, evidently

a man and woman, actually entered our place of concealment. The

situation was embarrassing, especially as that little hand still rested

over my mouth as though warning me to do nothing. Luckily, the intruders

did not come to our side of the place, but took seats apparently

opposite. They were talking in earnest tones, the woman finishing a

sentence as they came in.

"'--my mind, whether to release you or not. At all events, I must know

more about this somewhat curious proposition of yours.'

"I recognized at once the voice of Madame Damien. It was evident,

therefore, that the man was her partner of the dance, and that it was he

who had been with her in this place on the other occasion seemed a

probability. He answered her as follows:

"'I do not think the proposition is a curious one. I only do what women

always do. Certainly my sex should have the same privileges in an

affair of this character.'

"'That is a question that philosophers might discuss,' said Madame

Damien, 'but we need not. Whether you have the right or not it is

evident that you choose to exercise it. And what is this right?'

"'The right to tell you the truth. The right to tell you that I do not

love you, that I have made a terrible blunder.'

"The little hand over my mouth trembled violently, and slipped away. I

could hear the girl next to me breathing so distinctly that it seemed

odd that the others did not hear also. Perhaps they were too much

occupied with their own affair.

"'The right to tell me that you do not love me,' repeated Madame; 'but

you have so often told me that you do love me, and you have told me of

your love so eloquently, that now when you come to me and say that you

have made a blunder, naturally I have the right to question you. Here

are two opposite statements. How am I to know which to believe?'

"'I am telling you the truth, now.'

"'Perhaps; you may be right. You may know your heart at last, and if

what you say is really true, of course I have no desire to try to keep

what you only supposed to be love, however eloquently you told about it,

however well you played the part. The awkward thing is that to-morrow,

next week, by the new moon perhaps, you may be at my feet again singing

the same old songs, old love songs. You will tell me that what you say

then is truth, but that what you are telling me now is false. How, then,

shall I know what to think?'

"'What I tell you now is true. I shall not tell you otherwise at any

time in the future.'

"'Of this you are quite sure?'

"'Quite sure!'

"Up to this point the woman had spoken softly, almost with love in her

voice. It sounded like a mother talking with her son who was confessing

a change of heart, or rather a change of sweethearts. Now, suddenly, all

was changed. When she spoke again it was in the voice of rage, almost of

hate. It was the woman spurned; more than that,--it was the woman

jealous of the rival who had replaced her in her lover's heart.

"'So you are quite sure that you will not make love to me again!' she

cried, with such ferocity that the girl beside me moved closer to me as

though seeking protection; 'you are sure of that? Then you love another.

There is no other test by which you could be so sure. Answer me, is it

true? Is it true, I say? Answer me at once; I want no lies.'

"'Well, and what if it is true,' said the man, angered by her speech.

"'What if it is true? You ask me that? Well, I'll answer. If it is true,

then the other girl is welcome to you. She may have you, with your

second-hand love. May she be happy in the love that changes with the

moon. So much for her. But with you. Ah, that must be different. You

wish to be released? Well, you shall pay for your liberty, my fickle

lover; you shall pay!'

"'I will pay you whatever you demand. What is it?'

"'So. You value your liberty so much that you promise before you know my

terms! Very well, then. You will bring me to-night, before an hour has

passed, the string of pearls that your mother wore on her wedding-day.'

"'My God, no! Not that! It is impossible!'

"'How quickly you make and break promises! Your ideas of honor are as

slim as your notions of love. And why is it impossible to give me the

pearls?'

"'They are not mine. Anything that is mine I will give. But the pearls

are not mine.'

"'If not yours whose are they, pray?'

"'Let me explain. They have been in my family for generations. They were

taken from an idol in Mexico by one of my ancestors who was with Cortez.

He gave them to his bride, and declared that they should descend to the

eldest sons for all time, to be given as a bridal present to their

wives. Moreover he declared that so long as this behest was strictly

followed, no dishonor should come to our house and name.'

"'What you tell me makes me only more determined to have the pearls.

Your ancestor was a good prophet. You dishonor your house when you offer

me your love and then withdraw from your contract. You asked me to be

your wife, and according to your ancestor's will the pearls should be

my bridal decoration. I could claim them in that manner, did I choose.'

"'What do you mean?'

"'I mean to have those pearls. No other woman shall wear them. If the

loss brings dishonor to your house, yours is the fault. But I have

talked long enough. I loathe myself for bartering with you. Now I give

you my command. Bring me those pearls within an hour.'

"She rose and started to leave the place. The man jumped up and called

after her:

"'What if I should refuse?'

"She paused for a moment to reply, and her words reminded me of the hiss

of a serpent.

"'If you do not obey, when my guests unmask to-night I will announce my

engagement, our engagement, and introduce you as my Romeo.'

"She laughed mockingly, and hurried away. The man did not wait, but went

out immediately. I felt about for my companion, but she seemed not to be

near me. I took out a match and struck it, only to find myself alone.

Seated nearer to the door than I, she must have slipped out without my

knowledge."

"Then you did not learn the secret of your sphinx maiden after all,"

said Mr. Barnes.

"Not immediately. But hear the sequel. You may be sure I was near our

hostess when midnight arrived and the moment came to unmask. Madame

Damien herself gave the signal, and then, standing at the end of the

room, she slowly unwound a thread-lace scarf which covered her head and

face, serving in place of a mask, and draped about her shoulders. The

shawl thrown aside revealed her bare neck, around which hung resplendent

the pearls in your hand. Madame made a sensation with her pearls. Though

she owned many jewels of rare price she often wore them, and her guests

were quite familiar with her usual display; but pearls she had never

worn before. And such pearls! What wonder there were whisperings and

guessings! I looked around for the other two actors in the romantic

drama, but neither Romeo nor my sphinx maiden was to be seen.

"Refreshments were served in several small rooms, and it was from one of

these that presently a cry was heard that startled all of the guests, so

that they rushed back into the main ballroom. There we found Madame

Damien, pale with rage, calling for her servants, who rushed from all

directions.

"'I have been robbed,' she cried; 'robbed of my pearls! They have been

taken from me within a minute! Let no one leave the house! Close and

lock the doors! No one shall leave this house, until my pearls are

restored!'

"Imagine the consternation and indignation which this aroused. Madame

was so enraged at the loss, and so wildly determined to recover the

jewels, her jealous fear lest her rival might obtain them so intense,

that she had entirely forgotten all the courtesy and duties of a hostess

to her guests. All that she knew, all that she cared for, was that the

person who had robbed her was still in the house, and she wished to

prevent escape.

"You may guess the hubbub that followed. Women and men congregated in

groups asking each other what it all meant. Some demanded their wraps

and the opportunity to leave instantly. Others declared that they were

quite willing, nay, anxious, to await the denouement, which would

certainly prove interesting. 'At least it was well to know who of their

number might be a thief,' etc.

"In these circumstances, I undertook to relieve the tension and restore

tranquillity. I went up to Madame Damien, and said to her in a low tone:

"'If you will let me speak to you alone for two minutes I will recover

the lost pearls.'

"'What do you know? What can you do?' she asked eagerly. 'Come into this

room; we will be alone.'

"I followed her into an anteroom, and we stood as we talked. She was

laboring under such excitement that it was impossible for her to sit

quietly.

"'Tell me first just how the pearls were taken, Madame.'

"'That is the miserable part of it. To think that a thief could take

them from my neck! It is mortifying. All I know is that I was in one of

the refreshment-rooms, standing near the window that opens into the

ballroom. I knew nothing, felt nothing, until like a flash they were

twitched from my neck. I clutched at them, but too late. The thief had

stood in the ballroom, and passed her arm through the window, till she

reached and unlocked the clasp of the necklace. Then with one quick tug,

she had the pearls. I cried out, and the stupid people crowded about me

so that it was a whole minute, a precious minute, before I could get out

into the ballroom. It was empty, of course. The woman had hurried into

one of the small rooms. But she has not left the house and she shall

not, until the pearls are in my possession again.'

"'You allude to the thief as a woman. How did you discover that, since

from your account you could hardly have seen her?'

"'No; I saw no one. But I know it was a woman. Never mind how I know.

What, though, if it were--no! no! Impossible. He is not here; besides,

he would not dare.'

"Of course I understood that she referred to our friend Romeo, and I

might also have thought of him, had I not made sure that he was not

present after the unmasking.

"'If you did not see the thief, you cannot be sure it was a woman,' I

continued. 'Now, Madame, I have a proposal to make. I will purchase your

pearls.'

"'You will do nothing of the sort, Mr. Mitchel. You got my ruby, but you

will not get the pearls. Besides, I have not them to deliver, even if I

were willing to sell them to you.'

"'That is the attractive feature of my proposition. I will pay for the

pearls, their full value, and I will undertake to recover them.'

"'But I tell you I won't sell them. And besides, how could you recover

them?'

"'I will tell you nothing in advance, except that I guarantee to recover

them, and that, I imagine, is the main object with you.'

"'What do you mean? You talk in riddles.'

"'Listen. I will make my purpose clear to you. You obtained those pearls

to-night, and----'

"'How do you know that?'

"'And you obtained them for a purpose,' I went on, ignoring her

interruption. 'You made a man give them to you, because you were

determined that another woman should not have them.'

"'You are a magician,' she cried in wonder.

"'You are angry at the loss of the pearls, not so much because of their

value, as because you fear they may be restored to that other woman. You

even think that she herself is the thief.'

"'You are right; I do think that. What other woman would do such a thing

as to steal a string of pearls from a woman's very person?'

"'What if I tell you that she is not in the house?'

"'Ah, then you know her? Who is she? Tell me who she is and you may have

the pearls.' Madame spoke eagerly.

"'I will only tell you enough to convince you that she is not the thief.

You remember after one of the quadrilles passing a girl and saying,

"That girl is a sphinx"?'

"'Yes; was she----'

"'Yes. Now if you search your rooms you will not find her. I know this

because I have looked for her for half an hour.'

"'If not she, then the thief was some emissary of hers. Those pearls

shall never reach her. Never! never! never! I'll search every person in

this house first.'

"'And accomplish what? Nothing, except to ruin yourself before the

world. Remember, your guests have rights. Already you have insulted them

by having the doors locked. Come, we are wasting time. Sell me the

pearls, and I will promise you two things. First, I will satisfy your

guests and restore you to their good opinion. Secondly, I will recover

and keep those pearls. Your rival shall never wear them.'

"'My rival?'

"'Your rival. Why mince matters? Is it not evident to you that I know

all the details of this affair?'

"'You are a devil! Have your own way then. Take the pearls at your own

price, and pay for them when you like. All I demand is that you fulfil

your agreement. She must not have them. Good night. I cannot meet my

guests again. Explain things for me, will you?'

"She was nothing but a woman again--a conquered woman, relying upon the

chivalry of her conqueror.

"'Trust me,' I replied. 'Lean on me and I will escort you to the

stairway.'

"All eyes followed us as we crossed the ballroom, and Madame looked ill

enough to evoke pity. At any rate, my explanation was accepted

generously, and Madame was forgiven."

"I am curious to know," said Mr. Barnes, "how you recovered or expected

to recover those pearls?"

"It certainly was a unique bargain, to purchase stolen property while

yet in the possession of the thief. I will tell you what I did. After

leaving Madame in the care of her maids at the foot of the stairway, I

returned to the ballroom, and made a little speech. Addressing the

throng that crowded about me, I said:

"'Friends, I beg that you will forgive Madame Damien's hasty words. She

was overwrought, and spoke irresponsibly. She had just met with a

serious loss under most peculiar circumstances. Imagine her standing at

the refreshment table, while one of her guests intrudes an arm through

the window behind her, unclasps and removes from her neck a string of

pearls worth a fabulous sum of money. Naturally her first thought was to

recover the pearls, and to her distracted mind the only way seemed to be

to demand that no one should leave the house. Of course she now regrets

her words, for no loss can excuse such treatment of guests. But I am

sure you will forgive her, especially the ladies, who will appreciate

her feelings. Now, in regard to the pearls I may state that I have

undertaken to recover them. Fortunately I witnessed the theft, though

from a distance, so that I could not prevent it. But I know who took

the pearls, and who has them. Consequently it is unnecessary to cause

anyone any further annoyance in the matter. To the thief, I will say

that I understand the motive of the theft, and that I am in a position

to promise that that motive can be consummated if the pearls are

returned to me within three days. If they are not returned, it will be

necessary to have the person arrested and imprisoned.'"

"A bold stroke, and ingenious too," exclaimed Mr. Barnes. "The thief, of

course, could not know whether you saw the act or not, and if a person

of high social position it would be too great a risk not to return the

pearls."

"So I argued. Of course, had it been a man, he might have taken even

that risk, believing that my threat was a 'bluff,' as we say in poker.

But a woman--a woman would not take such a risk, especially as I

promised that her purpose could still be fulfilled."

"Now it is my turn to be mystified. Did you not say that your sphinx

maiden was absent? Who else could steal the pearls? What other woman, I

mean?"

"Why, no other woman, of course. Therefore it followed that my little

mysterious maiden must have been present, which merely means that as

soon as she found that Madame would insist upon having the pearls, she

boldly plotted to recover them. Her first move was to rush off and

change her costume. You see, I was the one she most feared. Others

might know her face, but they would not know her reasons for committing

such an act. I could do that but I could recognize her by her costume

only. Thus I was sure that she was still in the house, though

differently attired."

"How did your plan result?"

"Of course she brought me the pearls, though not until the third day.

She delayed action as long as she dared. Then she came to me openly and

confessed everything. It was really a pitiful tale. She was an orphan,

living with an aged aunt. She met the young man, and at once they loved.

After a time she began to suspect that he was not absolutely true to

her, and she followed him to the first masquerade to spy upon him. She

overheard enough that night to make her believe that the young man was

making a dupe of her. Then she also heard the men plotting the robbery,

and feared that he might be hurt. Seeing me she told me enough to

prevent that. Then she went home, and brooded over her sorrow until she

decided to go into a convent. Then came the second fete, and the

temptation once more to watch her fickle swain. This time what she heard

brought her happiness, for did he not give up the other woman for her?

Did he not even yield up his greatest family treasure, the pearls?

"She decided to recover the pearls, and she had the courage to carry out

her purpose. When compelled through fear of arrest to bring them to me,

she was delighted to know that they would not be restored to Madame

Damien. It was when I told her this, that she drew from her bosom the

pink pearl which is now in the centre of the string, but which does not

belong to the set as they came from the brow of the idol.

"'There is a story,' said she, 'that these pearls each represent the

price of a maiden's honor; the price of withdrawing from the service of

God's temple. So I will add this pearl to the string, for I had promised

to devote myself to God's work, and now I am going to my lover. This

pearl was worn by my mother, and it is said that her mother also wore

it, and that her blood stained it the color that it is. Her stupid

husband, my grandfather, doubted her wrongfully and stabbed her with a

dagger, so that she died. I think the pearl is worthy of a place among

the others.'

"I took the pink pearl, agreeing with her that it might better be with

the others. Then, as she turned to go, I asked her:

"'Why did you choose the costume of the Sphinx for the ball?'

"Her reply astonished me, as it will you. She said:

"'Why, I did not represent the Sphinx. I was dressed as Isis.'

"A strange coincidence, was it not?"