"I thought Avery would faint, but when he had managed to collect his wits, he whispered hoa.r.s.ely, 'I don't understand-were they _genuine_ pearls?'

"So I told him the story and we both rushed away to hire a taxi and then we drove madly to Tiffany's, again. I introduced Avery as the owner of the pearls, and he was treated to a sight of his little twelve-dollar bargain.

"Well, the upshot of it was, Avery received a 'present' of a hundred thousand dollars from the French Government, and in return he signed a release for himself, his wife, his heirs, friends, acquaintances, and, in fact, every American citizen in the census. He was told that he would be held responsible, thereafter, for all claims or lawsuits inst.i.tuted against France to recover the necklace. And he accepted the burden, considering he had such a price paid for the job.

"One day Izaacs got a present through the mail, of a draft for a thousand dollars and to this day he doesn't know who the signer 'William Avery,' can be.

"My old jeweler on Union Square got another thousand, and I-well, I refused everything, and Avery called me a numb-skull and an easy mark!

So he invested half of all he received in my wife and Nancy's name, and that is how they went to Europe." Mr. Fabian smiled reminiscently at the end of the story.

CHAPTER V-FIRST DAYS AT SCHOOL

Polly and her friends had moved into the Studio and were recovering from the orgy of the house-warming given them by the Evans and Latimers the previous evening, when the two boys came to say good-by.

"Ah, come on, Nolla-bring Polly and see us to the train," coaxed Jim, watching the clock on the mantel.

"But, Jim, we honestly haven't the time! If you _knew_ all we had to do this week!" sighed Eleanor.

"Why, we could have _been_ there in the time you have taken to explain how busy you are," grumbled Jim.

"Then get out! If I have wasted so much precious time it is because you stand there and make me. Good-by, old pal, now scat!" Eleanor held out her hand and laughed. But Jim was not so easily daunted.

"Where's Ken all this time? Oh, I say, Ken! Come on!"

"I think Ken and Polly went down the street while you two were out in the garden hunting for the gra.s.s," said Mrs. Stewart, without a smile.

Jim laughed. And Eleanor caught up her hat from the divan and ran to the door. "If they go away like that, then you and I will, too."

Having reached the corner, however, Jim and Eleanor saw Ken and Polly intently studying something held in the latter's palm.

"Come on-we will see what it is they caught?" said Eleanor.

"Oh, Nolla, see what Ken gave me for a keep-sake. We found it over at Old Izaac's," exclaimed Polly, holding out the strange trinket for her friend to admire.

"Why, it's a real scarab. Isn't it a beauty," said Eleanor, then suddenly wishing Jim had thought of giving her a keep-sake.

"That's why I wanted you to come out with me. I told Ken you girls'd forget about us the minute we were out of sight, unless you had something to remind you of us," explained Jim.

"Come on, then, and let Nolla pick out what she wants," added Ken, laughingly.

"I'll take the queen's pearl necklace!" and young hearts made merry of the pearls that had cost so many lives and so much misery.

Eleanor selected a peculiar seal set in a strange stone. "There, I will use it on the first letter I write you," she said.

"Now that you are here, you may as well jump on the car and take us to the train," begged Jim.

And this time he had his way. But they did not catch the four o'clock express to New Haven, as it was four-ten when they reached the gates and found them closed.

"Now we'll have to sit and talk until five," laughed Jim, exultantly.

"We'll do nothing of the sort! I told you we had no time to waste on you boys, and we only came thus far to be polite in exchange for the keep-sakes. But you can have them back if you think it gives you the right to order me around."

Eleanor held out the seal, but Jim looked forlorn. Then she laughed because he felt bad at her teasing.

"Come now, Jimmy, say good-by like an old dear, and tell Polly and me to run home."

"I wish you were my sister!" sighed Jim.

"Your sister? What good would that do you?" asked Eleanor.

"Because you'd let me kiss you good-by!" retorted he.

They all laughed merrily, and Polly said: "You'd never want to kiss her if she was a sister. You wouldn't even have asked her to come to the station with you."

"You're right, Poll! Now I'm going-good-by, boys!" and Eleanor held forth both hands-one to each boy.

After many repeated good-bys, the girls left and slowly walked down the avenue. When they had reached the parkway that runs over the car-tunnel, and is known by the name of Madison avenue, Polly said: "Why wouldn't you wait for the train, Nolla?"

"Because, Polly, I like both those boys and I don't want to lose them so soon. If a male thinks we females will run at beck and call for them, they quickly weary of such a game. It is the one who refuses to be wound about a finger, that always keeps the beaux on a string."

Polly laughed. "You are too worldly-wise for me. Now I never should have dreamed of such a thing."

"Well, I'm right! One reason Bob never has a beau is just because she shows how anxious she is for one."

"Oh, no, Nolla! The reason Bob hasn't any beaux is on account of her disposition-you know that!"

"That, too, Polly. But mostly, because she throws herself at the head of any eligible man. I tell you, a man won't have it so!"

"Never mind, Nolla. You and I are never going to have beaux, so we should worry! We will marry our profession!" said Polly.

The following Monday, Anne escorted her two charges to the school on West End avenue. It was a wonderful Autumn day and the girls pictured how beautiful the mountains about Pebbly Pit must look on such a clear day.

As the Fifth avenue bus was most convenient for Polly and her companions, boarding it at Thirtieth street and leaving it at the corner of Seventy-second street where West End avenue started northward, they had but a short walk to reach the school.

Eleanor had been most particular with Polly's, and her own appearance, that morning. "For," said she, "first impressions are lasting. We must be sure and make a favorable dent in these girls."

"But we don't know one of them, Nolla," argued Polly.

"All the more reason why we should take the head of the line!" retorted Eleanor, tossing her head.

Anne laughed, and thought to herself, "They will surely take the head in everything, for I never saw two such live girls."

But to Eleanor's chagrin the examinations cla.s.sed Polly with girls of fifteen to sixteen, while she was placed with girls of fourteen years.

This caused the temperamental girl to feel discouraged and she began to blame her ill-health for her backwardness.