The Pearls of Torres by Louis Esson, Adventure, July 18, 1918, Art: unsigned Read online

  who had been waiting patiently, asked him a He often wondered at her

  question about the lugger.

  refinement; but he learned that she was the While he was reading the letter from daughter of a cultured man, though a ne’er-New York, and giving Sato some directions for do-well, a French engineer, who had the next day, a small brown figure which had traveled the world seeking his fortune, and been hiding behind the low bushes at the foot at last come to Thursday Island. Later he of the cliff, crept into the shack. It was crossed to Cape York, and opened the little Utimaro. He went straight to the hole in the hotel, though most of his time he spent wall, opened the bag, and took out the pearl, pearling. One night his lugger went out, but and then glided off into the bushes like a snake it never returned. That was two years ago.

  into its hole. He wriggled along the sands till Suzette kept on the shanty, saving her little he reached the cliff, scrambled up the jagged money, so that she could return to her rocks and disappeared.

  mother’s people in San Francisco.

  Dismissing Sato, Jarrett, with the letter She was quite unlike the selfish, in his hand, returned slowly and thoughtfully to superficial Evelyn. She had known the shack.

  suffering; that was part of her charm. The He threw himself into a low chair, and, diamond is struck from the hard inanimate while the kettle was boiling, he again read rock, but the pearl is born of pain—that was Evelyn’s brief note. It destroyed his last the difference between them. The New York illusions about her. She took it for granted that girl was hard, cold, brilliant, a society he was a failure was usual, and would never beauty—a diamond; Suzette was soft and make a success of pearling. Shell had fallen a subtle, one who had known suffering, but hundred dollars a ton—she had made inquiries.

  with a depth of color, a delicate She would be pleased with a pearl from Torres, enchantment—a pearl.

  if it were a fine one; but fine pearls were rare,

  “Yes, a pearl,” he reflected, “the and fortune was not likely to favor him.

  pearl of Torres.”

  Her light chatter of automobiles, dances and supper parties, and the artificial pleasures IT WAS a quiet time in the Cape York that could be bought by wealth, jarred on the Hotel. Suzette was sitting in a rocking-chair, young man, who saw clearly that she was more pensively knitting, when Leon Rod came in.

  interested in his fortune than in himself. The He seemed greatly excited.

  pearl he had striven for, surely it was never

  “Wine, Suzette,” he cried, “I must destined for such a cold and calculating drink.”

  woman!

  Suzette rose, and brought a small As he sat, dreaming for hours in the bottle of champagne. The wine sparkled tropic night, he realized how strangely satisfied gaily in the glass. As he lifted it to his lips, he was with his lot. He liked the life, and the he gazed boldly at Suzette, who flushed and motley, adventurous crowd that gathered o’

  walked away.

  nights in the little shanty. Suzette, who was Leon Rod laughed, drained his glass, treated by the pearlers with a rough, but and called for more wine.

  The Pearl of Torres 7

  “I have good news,” he said, “good of that, think what Paris means to a man of news chérie.”

  wealth! That will be my life. Will you come When Suzette brought another bottle he with me?”

  leaned across the table and spoke eagerly.

  The girl’s eyes flashed.

  “Listen! At last fortune has been kind to

  “The wine has gone to your head, me. I am going to leave this infernal country. I m’sieu. ”

  have seen enough, too much. What have we

  “It is not the wine, it is you, ma here—fever, heat, flies, dirt—and as for the belle, Do you know Utimaro?”

  people, they’re the very scum of the earth. Bah!

  “Oui, m’sieu. ”

  It’s a terrible life. But I’m through with it, do

  “He, too, is one of my agents. I have you hear, Suzette? I have my fortune, and now fooled the American.”

  I go.”

  Suzette

  trembled.

  Suzette watched him closely.

  “Come, let us have a glass together!”

  “You have been buying pearls?” she said Rod.

  asked.

  Suzette hesitated a moment. Since

  “Mais oui, I have bought pearls.”

  the night Ted Jarrett had defended her, she

  “Where have they come from? The

  had thought only of him; but her love was American has found very few.”

  hidden deep in her heart like a pearl in the Leon Rod lit a cigaret.

  sea. She felt that it was hopeless; yet now he

  “He has found very few,” he laughed.

  was being cheated, she would risk anything

  “That is so.”

  to find out Rod’s schemes.

  “You are much cleverer,” said Suzette, Setting her teeth tight she brought a moving away.

  large bottle of champagne, and a glass for

  “I am not a shell-hunter, I am a herself. She sat down at the little table connoisseur.”

  opposite Leon Rod, who filled both glasses The jewel expert brought out a little with the sparkling wine. Suzette touched the case from his pocket. He opened it, and Suzette glass with her lips.

  saw it was filled with a choice collection of

  “Tell me about it,” she said. “It must gems.

  be amusing. You are not drinking.”

  “I am an expert,” he said, “These pearls Rod raised his glass.

  are small, but very fine. Would they not make a

  “Gem-buying is an art,” he replied, pretty necklace, Suzette?”

  jocosely. “It is much better than fitting out a Rod was in an eager, amorous mood, lugger. I have the choice of the spoil from and Suzette became curious as to his designs.

  many luggers, and I buy very cheap, not

  “What are you going to do with the always from the fleet owners, you may be pearls?” the girl asked.

  sure. It is a dangerous game, now Big Bailey

  “I will sell them at the right time.”

  is on the lookout, but I have a little

  “Here?”

  arrangement with the best of the colored

  “No! In the best market, London, Paris, divers.”

  New York. I have done with Torres. How I

  “Ah, that is how you manage,” said have suffered in this hell-hole! And you must Suzette, with a little jerky laugh, as she have suffered too, Suzette. But tomorrow I sail refilled his glass.

  away. Singapore, Colombo, Port Said,

  “Mais oui, I love you, Suzette.” Leon Marseilles, and then Paris, Paris—the Rod leaned over the table trying to grasp the boulevards, the theaters, the cafes—Paris; think girl’s hand. “Tonight I am going to buy one

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  more pearl, the finest of all.”

  the beach.

  “Who found it?” she asked.

  Leon Rod winked knowingly.

  “THE PEARL of Torres,” murmured Ted

  “Utimaro. He stole it from the softly.

  American.” Rod, who was now flushed with His long reverie was interrupted by a wine, whispered confidentially, “I shall meet cry from Suzette. With loosened hair, and Utimaro on the beach, when I get the word sparkling eyes, she told her story, rapidly from Sato.”

  but clearly, her pale hands flashing to and

  “Is it a very fine pearl?” the girl fro in pretty and expressive gestures.

  inquired innocently.

  Jarrett

  listened

  intently.

  “It is perfect. I saw it only for a

  “But I have the pearl!” he cried.

  moment, for the Jap would not hand it over till Suzette

  looked

  surprised.

  he got the money.” />
  “Here it is,” he said, taking the bag

  “Will you have to pay him a great from its hiding-place. He opened it and deal?”

  started. “The pearl was gone.”

  “No. How else can he sell it? The

  “It is stolen!” cried Suzette.

  Chinese store-keepers would know it was The young American smiled grimly.

  stolen, and give him little, and nobody else So Utimaro had been spying on him! But he dares to buy from the colored divers. They all would recover that stolen pearl, for it meant have to come to Leon Rod. I am the friend of something to him—now. He looked at the the poor.”

  little French girl in admiration.

  Suzette was shivering with excitement,

  “Why have you done all this for

  but she kept filling Rod’s glass.

  me?”

  “You will come with me,” he cried, Suzette

  seemed

  agitated.

  “you will voyage as my wife. We will lead the

  “I must go, m’sieu. ”

  gay life, ah, Paris, Paris!”

  As they were speaking they caught At this moment Sato came in, handed sight of a small figure, gliding along the Rod a slip of paper, and then silently went out.

  beach. Jarrett made a sudden move.

  Rod’s eyes gleamed.

  “Be careful,” whispered Suzette.

  “Let me see!” cried Suzette.

  “I’ll see who it is,” said Ted, “I want Rod laughingly showed her the note, that pearl.”

  which was in code.

  “Keep to the cliff,” said Suzette, as Some of the pearlers were now she hurried away, “adieu, ”

  entering, and Suzette put away the champagne Ted Jarrett was too excited to notice glasses. The men called for drinks and cards.

  how she slipped off. Fixing his eyes on the Leon Rod looked at his watch, and small brown figure whose movements were pulled himself together with a start. He rose, so suspicious, he kept to the cliff, walking crumpling the note in his hand, and bowed to behind the bushes. The man, who was Suzette.

  creeping along the beach below, by a

  “A demain, ” he said significantly, as he familiar gesture revealed himself to Jarrett left the room.

  as the diver, Utimaro.

  At once Suzette called Li, the Chinese It was before a cave in the rocks that

  “boy,” told him to look after the place, and Utimaro stopped, and looked ’round. In a then without pausing to slip a shawl over her few minutes he was joined by another man, head, she left the shanty, and walked quickly to sauntering leisurely along, and smoking a

  The Pearl of Torres 9

  fragrant cigar. It was Leon Rod.

  Rod knocked the ash from his cigar.

  From his vantage ground on the cliff

  “The pearl!” cried Utimaro, making, Ted Jarrett could see them distinctly! Carefully a spring; but Rod was too quick for him, his he approached nearer, hiding behind some hand was on his automatic and he fired.

  rocks and bushes, till he hung straight over the Utimaro fell against the boulder, precipice. The men had entered the cave, and blood spurting from his throat.

  were sitting on a boulder.

  When Rod saw that Utimaro was

  For some time they looked closely at dead, he left the body where it fell, and each other, but at last Utimaro displayed the stepped quickly out of the cave. He threw jewel, and handed it over to the illicit buyer.

  the incriminating weapon far into the sea, Rod talked volubly, offering a pries; but the and set out along the sand.

  face of the Jap was set and stern.

  Jarrett followed, and as the beach

  “It will not do,” he said.

  made a sudden curve about a quarter of a

  “But let me explain, Utimaro——”

  mile from the cave, he swung himself over

  “No

  explanation.”

  the edge of the cliff, and dropped lightly on Rod held up the pearl.

  to the sand. Rod started as Jarrett met him

  “It is big, and has a good skin, that I face to face.

  admit— but it is not perfect. I am an expert.”

  “What do you want?” he cried

  “I, too,” said the Jap, with a scowl. “My angrily.

  best price is one hundred pounds.”

  “My pearl,” said Jarrett.

  “Five,” snapped the Jap.

  Rod, who though slower in

  “impossible, my friend, impossible.”

  movement was the heavier man, closed with Utimaro remained silent. Then he held him, and together they swayed backward out his hand.

  and forward, each trying in vain for a

  “Give me the pearl. I no sell.”

  successful throw. At last Jarrett broke away, Rod put it in his pocket,

  and met his opponent’s rush with a straight

  “Listen, Utimaro,” he said, holding out left. Some blows were exchanged; and then a bank note, “take your money.”

  Jarrett making a feint, tempted Rod to smash

  “No! I will have the pearl. It is mine.”

  in a heavy right; but the blow fell short, and

  “Listen!”

  Jarrett, making the most of his chance, The Jap rose quietly.

  landed a well-timed hook on the point of the

  “We talk no more,” he said.

  jaw. The big man staggered and fell heavily.

  Jarrett waited for him to rise, but impatient. The American had not returned.

  Rod did not move. His eyes were shut, and She confided her fears to Big Bailey, the Jarrett thought it was a knock-out blow. As police officer, who immediately made ready he bent over and took the jewel from Rod’s for action.

  pocket, suddenly a knife flashed in his face,

  “I’ve had my eye on Rod for some gashing his forehead. It was a treacherous time,” he said. “This illicit pearl buying is blow, but the ruse succeeded. Rod turning too many good divers into thieves, cautiously raised himself, and picked up the and ruining the industry.”

  fatal pearl.

  “I'll go with you,” said Suzette.

  Jarrett lay helpless on the sands, and

  “Come along, then,” he growled, in a then lost consciousness.

  bluff, good-natured way.

  They left the pearlers drinking and BACK IN the shanty Suzette became playing cards, slipped out quietly, and made

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  for the beach.

  “I sure knocked him out,” he said, As they reached the cliffs they were bewildered at the sight, “but don’t say I startled by the splendor of the tropic killed him.”

  moonlight that bathed the lonely sea and

  “He’s dead all right,” replied Bailey, shore in brilliant light. The night was soft,

  “but don’t you worry. We saw the finish.”

  but as clear as day, and every object could Suzette pointed over the sea, where be plainly distinguished. Suzette uttered a the Malay was far out in his little boat.

  little cry, her heart beating fast. On the sands

  “Muda took a hand,” said Bailey, “a two figures had been struggling. She Malay is a man of one idea, and he has a recognized Ted Jarrett, the young American, long memory. Muda waited for his chance.”

  and Leon Rod, kneeling beside the body.

  Jarrett picked up the pearl. It was a Rod picked up the pearl, and then beauty as it gleamed in the moonlight.

  rose and walked quickly along the beach.

  “How lovely!” exclaimed Suzette.

  But he did not go far. A little boat touched

  “It is for you,” said Jarrett.

  the shore. A dark figure rushed out, came

  “Non, non, m’sieu, ”

  behind Rod, and plunged a kris between his

  “Mais oui. ” Jarrett persisted; but his shoulder blades. Rod fell forwa
rd on the small stock of inferior French soon gave out, sand and stirred no more.

  so he whispered something in her ear, in his It was a weird scene.

  own language.

  “Quick!” cried Suzette.

  Big Bailey, a diplomat in his way, As they stood on the cliff, the dark had turned his back on the pair and was figure made for the sea. It was Muda, the looking across the sea.

  Malay. He seemed to know what he was The girl shook her head.

  doing. He got into his little boat, and pushed

  “You must keep this pearl of

  off across the glassy sea.

  Torres,” she said. “You have fought for it, Bailey helped Suzette down the cliff-and won it.”

  side. The girl ran along the wet sand in her

  “You are the pearl of Torres,” he thin little shoes. She bent over the body of said softly. “You are the only pearl I want.”

  Jarrett, who opened his eyes and smiled.

  Suzette

  blushed.

  “Bon Dieu. ” exclaimed Suzette, with