Aunt Jane's Nieces in Society

lared 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

kless profusion at the flower booth, which thus became the center of attraction and the marvel of the public. T

vagant he had been; so they were obliged to guess at the sums to be demanded and in consequence sold priceless orch

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 s

successful evening-successful especially for the thre

her sensuous style of beauty. To enhance its effect she had worn around her neck the famous string of

ecially 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, althou

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,

the mouth of an empty Doulton vase-empty save for the water which had nourished the flower

lessly, her head close to that of Louise. "Ma

Diana," was the l

and in the interests of charity," persisted

was a

, and went back to th

another, and Louise at the third. Diana now passed softly around the booth, interch

uaintances, she suddenly clasped her throat a

pear

n Taer pearls

" said Diana, as if d

ve lost t

lost!" sh

the private detective employed oh all such occasions, while others hastily searched the booth

ed a quiet voice, that of the official

opposite, and exchanged a word with Miss M

ed, and Charlie Mers

Lost the big pearl

eturned at once to the flower booth, around which a crowd of searc

the Major, confidentially. "If the girl really dropp

d awkwardly knocked the Doulton vase from the shelf with his elbow. It smashed

this side of the triangle. The girl appeared turned to stone as she gazed down at the gems. Mersh

his is a strange occurrence-a very strange oc

ccuse no one. It is enough that an acc

uietly dispersed, leaving only Arthur, Uncle John and the

tle millionaire, with a red face,

Major, sternly; "her early educat

ed Arthur to Louis

tively; "let us stay where we belon