The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-03
The Globes Daily Short story

somehow to upset his plans, and he went
back to the mines before his visit was
more than begun
Who do you think could have put
that piece of cloth into your bag?"
'Lawsy! You talk as if a bit of rag
was worth anything when body's muir
dered."
His eyes again turned tcwal G the silver
rose. Because a body was murdered that
bit of cloth would have been worth much
gold and fame to him year ago. Now:
He looked at Florine, who was looking
cautiously at the bit of color. She was
pale and awestruck, mentally contemplate
ing the Countess "weltering in her blood -
Has your son been home since?"
mo; his mines never PANIED out as he
hoped, and he has not been able to come"
Was he your only SOM"
Eyes, Florine's father was my only
boy?'
How was it he lost his little finger?"
Lost his little finger! Why, bless your
soul! He has all his fingers and was as
proper a man as you ever saw. What
would he go around losing fingers for?"
81 beg your pardon. l thought some
one told me so.''
Where he should find that missing frag-
ment of cloth he ought also to find man
whose left hand little finger had been cut
off diagonally where it joined the hand.
He had seen that missing fragment in a
bottle of alcohol in Paris.
when you find the man whom this
fits the chief said, you'll have the rlur-
derer and you'll be wealthy and famous.
1t was picked up on the place where the
countess was murdered, cut off by the
servant who came up just as the muir r
er was leaving after he had secured the
jewels and who attacked him with a
knife but did not succeed in doing more
than to slice off this finger
Alphonzze felt that much practice had
made him a connoiSseur in left hand
little fingers.
Alphonzze fingered long over those I'M
finished effects. The crimson fire of the
sumach burned against the dark foliage
of the woods one day when he met
Florire by the little stream that wound
along the rim of the forest. She was
carrying cluster of late violets that had
blossomed by the waterside.
''You do not know who has come-my
father, after all these years. Oh, there
he is-coming to meet me-"
She ran to him and came back leading
him by the hand.
This is Alphonzze, papa. You must
like him becauSe-because | do and he
is my friend"
Mechanically through the habit of
years the eyes of Alphonzze sought the
strangers left little finger. A sudden
darkness swept away all the rest or
the great world. but through it all he
saw as plainly as in the brightest light
the palace where that finger should
have been. The stranger said some
thing and he supposed he answered be-
cause the man went on talking as If all
things had not just gone to naught.
1t might have been only a moment
that he stood there, but 1t seemed like
endless ages. Then the newcomer
went his way. Alphonzze leaned heavi-
ly against a tree
What is it?'' cried Florine In alarm.
Are you ill?'
Alphonzze passed his hand over his
eyes.
at was only a ray of light that daz-
Zled me for moment
He leaned over the stream took some
thing from his pocket and dropped it on
the water. 1t went dancing on the rip
pies shining golden in the sun. As he
watched it a sudden whirlpool drew it
down. He turned and looked into the
face that was like wild rose blooming
in the light Of June. The darkness was
all gone and the sun slanting down to
the west made a path of golden glory
through all the world.
81 love you" he said gently. Yes, I
love YOU.
She put the vieIets softly to her lips
and laid them in his hand They were
the color of the sweet eyes upturned to
him. Was not the radiance of love there
in worth all the fame and wealth that
life could hold?