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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West "

Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West

Yet

Jephson's--that's the firm--do not claim to equal our business. They deal

mostly in pearls."

"Pearls, eh?" said Arthur, musingly. "Then it was your firm that lost the

valuable collection of pearls you mentioned to Mr. Merrick?"

"No. They were the property of Countess Ahmberg, of Vienna. But we had

sold many of the finest specimens to the countess and have records of

their weight, size, shape and color. The one you are now wearing, sir,"

pointing to Uncle John's scarf pin, "is one of the best black pearls ever

discovered. It was found at Tremloe in 1883 and was originally purchased

by our firm. In 1887 I took it to Tiffany, who sold it to Prince Godesky,

of Warsaw. I carried it to him, with other valuable purchases, and after

his death it was again resold to our firm. It was in October, 1904, that

I again became the bearer of the pearl, delivering it safely to Countess

Ahmberg at her villa. It was stolen from her, together with 188 other

rare pearls, valued at a half million dollars, a little over a year ago."

"This pearl, sir," said Uncle John stiffly, "is not the one you refer

to. It was found on the shores of the island of Sangoa, and you have

never seen it before."

Le Drieux smiled sweetly as he brushed the ashes from his cigar.

"I am seldom mistaken in a pearl, especially one that I have handled,"

said he. "Moreover, a good pearl becomes historic, and it is my business

to know the history of each and every one in existence."

"Even those owned by Jephson's?" asked Arthur.

"Yes; unless they were acquired lately. I have spoken in this manner in

order that you may understand the statements I am about to make, and I

beg you to listen carefully: Three daring pearl robberies have taken

place within the past two years. The first was a collection scarcely

inferior to that of the Countess Ahmberg. A bank messenger was carrying

it through the streets of London one evening, to be delivered to Lady

Grandison, when he was stabbed to the heart and the gems stolen.

Singularly enough, Jack Andrews was passing by and found the dying

messenger.

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