The Priceless Pearl

								

before. Pearl was, of course, immensely sympathetic about this loss;
and Augusta, with a flash of efficiency, suggested that Alfred could
live at the club for the two months Pearl was away, and the housekeeper
greeted the idea with enthusiasm.
And so, the last obstacle being removed, these two efficient women
went upstairs to the library and, sitting side by side, with the black
notebook between them, worked the whole thing out, as in their college
days they had so often worked up an examination. All the facts that
Wood had spread out for Augusta, Augusta now spread out for Pearl--the
salary, the bonus, the characters of those involved, the results which
Mr. Wood especially wished to see accomplished: That Antonia should be
made clean and neat and dressed like a normal little girl; that Durland
should be taught algebra thoroughly and made to stop smoking, though
that would be difficult; that Mrs. Conway should not be worried by her
former husband, and certainly prevented from lending him money.
"And there is his address in Mexico, and you're to write every day.
That's the most important thing of all--to write every day."
Pearl took the notebook and put it into her pocketbook.
"And how often does he write to me?" she inquired.
Augusta smiled.
"He never does--he never answers. I suppose it's the first time in
your life, Pearl, you ever wrote to a man who did not answer your
letters."
"I rather like the idea," said Pearl.
They were interrupted by a telegram being brought in and given to
Augusta. She opened it.
"It's from Mr. Wood," she said; and added with surprise, "It seems to
be about you."
"About me?"
"No," said Augusta with relief, "I read it wrong. It's about Mrs.
Conway's jewels. He told me she had a string of priceless pearls that
her husband gave her when they were first married.
"The message says, 'Please see that pearls are kept in safe on account
of recent Long Island burglaries.'" She gave the yellow sheet to her
friend. "Keep that," she said, "and be sure to mention in your first
report that you have received it. That will make absolutely sure that
you're me."
"You ought to say 'you're I' if you are going to be a governess," said
Pearl.
"But I'm not," said Augusta.

CHAPTER TWO

The following Thursday afternoon Pearl stepped from the fast train
to the platform of the Southampton station. Since the train reached
Quogue she had been agreeably aware of the damp saltness in the air,
which comes only from proximity to the open ocean. But now, on the
platform, she smelled nothing but the fumes of innumerable exhausts,
saw nothing but masses of automobiles crowding toward the station like
a flock of parti-colored elephants. She stood dazed for a minute by the
noise of self-starters and the crowd of arrivals, until, darting in and
out under the elbows of chauffeurs and passengers, she saw a little
bareheaded, barefooted figure in a dirty white dress edged with the