The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-22

| l
looking forward to It myself until I
came here, and now I an, quite. quite
tired Of 1t beforehand"
| Ralph laughed delghtedly and sir
George reminding me that every ono
was dying OF excitement himself In
cluded.. ran upstairs to take the brown
bag from around my .neck, and In few
minutes returned with II In my hand
They were all waiting for me, Lady Mary
drawn UP In an armchair beside an
ebony table. on which a small space near
| her had been cleared. Charles alone hold
ing rather hloof, slipping his coffee with
his back to the fire.
Don't jostle,' he said. as they all
| crowded around me. "Eveyln, let me beg
Of you not to elbow forward In that un-
becoming manner Observe how Aunt
Mary restraints herself. Take time, Md
dieton! your coffee is getting cold. Won't
Iyou drink 1t first7"
| AS he finished speaking I turned the
contents OF the bag upon the table. The
| Jewels in the bright lampllght seemed
NO blaze and hurn Into the ebony of the
table. There was a general grasp ST.
lence, and then chorus Of admiration.
| Charles came up behind me and looked
over my shoulder.
Good gracious!" said Lady Mary. SOL
| EMMY. Ralph. you are rich man. Why,
| mine arc nothing to theml' and she
Il
on her own neck II never knew poor Sir
John had SO much good in him.
! ooh. Ralph. Ralph" cried Aurella.
clasping hcr'little hands with n deep sigh.
And will they really be my very own?'
Ralph assured her that they would.
and that she should act in them the fol-
lowing night IL she liked.
think there was not Il woman present
who did not envy Aureia as Ralph took
Ilup flashing diamond crescent and held
1t against her fair hair. I saw Evelyn
turn away and begin to tear up a small
piece Of paper in her hand. Women are
/ very Jealous OF each other. especially the
nice. by which mean the pretty ones.
I was sorry to see jealousy SO plainly
| marked in such n charming looking girl
as Evelyn: but women are all the Same
I about jewels Aurelia bushed AMI spark
i led, and pouted when the clasp caught in
her hair. and shook her lft:lc head impa-
ticntly. and was altogether enchanting.
/ After the first burst OF admiration had
subsidized. General Marston an old Indian
] officer. who had been somewhat in tho
rear came up and looked long at the
/ glttering mass upon the table.
4 Are You aware" he said, at last, to
J Ralph. pointing to tho crescent. "thnt
I those diamonds are OF enormous value?
have not seen such stones In any shop
in London. dare not say what that one
crescent alone is worth, or that emerald
bracelet. Jewels oL-.such value as this
are grave responsibility" He stood.
shaking his head little, and turning
the crescent in his hand. Wonderful
he said wonderful! Do not tear up that
piece Of rice paper, Miss Derrick" he
added. taking 1t from her. Tho crescent
was wrapped in It, and ! will put It
around It again. All these stones want
polishing, and many Of them reseUing.
! rht MI tn hn nd npat a -
/ In this way In n bag. with nothing to
\ prevent them scratching each other. See.
4 Ralph. here is a clasp broken: and here
1 are some loose stones: and this star has
no clasp Mt all. You must take them UP to
some trustworthy jeweler and have them
thoroughly looked over
II suppose the second son was specially
mentioned. Middleton?" said Charles as
drew back to let the rest handle and
admire.
I "of courser said Lady Mary, sharply:
"and very fortunate thing. too"
"very-for Ralph" he replied. 1T is
really provldcntial that I am what am.
Why, might have ruined the dear boys
prospects II I had paid by tailor's bill.
and lived in the country among the but
tercups and daisies. All! my dear aunt.
! as see you are about to remark how all
things here below work together for
good!'
II was not going to remark anything
of the kind" retorted Lady Mary. draw
ing herself up: but she added. spite
fully, II do not feel tho less rejniccd ut
Ralph's good fortune and prosperity.
when see, as so often do the ungod-
ly nourlshing like a green bay tree
''Of course said Charles. shaking his
head, III that Is your own experience,
bow before 1t. But FOR my own part.
must confess have not found 1t so.
Flourish like "a green bay tree! No. Aunt
Mary, 1t Is fallacy. They don't I am
sure; only wish they did But I see tho
rehearsal Is beginning. May ! give you
an arm to the hall?"
The offer was entirely dlsregarded. md
It WAS with tho help OF mine that Lady
& Mary retired from an unequal combat,
which she never seemed able to resist
provoking anew, and In which she was
invariably worsted. causing her, as I
could see, to regard Charles with the con-
centrated bitterness Of which severely
good woman alone IS capable.
(To Be Continued To-morrow.)