Blue eyes and diamonds

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

76713

Title

Blue eyes and diamonds

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In this 1929 mystery, detective Harry Milholland is pressured by his friend Betty Danford to help her stage a robbery to recover a pawned diamond necklace. Complications arise when Betty's husband, Chester, reveals he already redeemed the jewels, leading to a tense confrontation on a bridge where a fake necklace is thrown into the river. A tale of deception, loyalty, and clever detective work.

Summary up to 500 words

In Lemuel De Bra's *Blue Eyes and Diamonds*, the narrative centers on Betty Danford, a spirited woman who gambles away her diamond necklace. Unable to confess the shame of pawning the wedding gift to her husband, Chester, she enlists the help of Detective Harry Milholland. Betty devises a desperate plan: hire a thief to steal a fake paste necklace from her room, creating the illusion of a burglary. This ruse would allow her to pawn the fake stones to repay her debts while convincing Chester that the real necklace was stolen. Milholland, though reluctant to involve criminals, agrees to the scheme. The plan faces immediate peril when Chester returns home unexpectedly. Betty manages to distract him, but he reveals he already knows about the pawned necklace; his friend Abe Arnstein had inadvertently revealed the truth. To spare Betty further humiliation, Chester had secretly redeemed the real necklace and replaced the fake one in its secret compartment. When Betty rushes home to find the house empty and contacts Harry, they meet on a bridge where the hired thief awaits. Believing he is stealing the fake necklace, the thief is tricked by Harry and Chester into throwing the paste stones into the river. Overwhelmed by the shock of the deception, Betty faints. Upon regaining consciousness, Betty learns the full truth: Harry and Chester orchestrated the entire event to protect her feelings and dignity. Chester confirms that the necklace he showed her earlier was the real one, and the story about Abe Arnstein was a fabrication to keep her calm. Though initially furious at Harry for his involvement in the staged crime, Betty eventually forgives him. She accepts the real necklace but vows not to wear it until she feels she truly deserves it, symbolizing her redemption. The story concludes with Betty reconciling with both men, having been spared the agony of a public confession through a carefully constructed lie of convenience.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Short Stories
• Classics
• Romance
• Detectives -- Fiction