The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1904-04-22
"1 may take it with me now7" sn


The jewel doctor went to the door
! and called in Abdul. Five minutes
| later the princess passed the singing
Arab at the corner Of the street, Rue
| Ben-Ziad. She had signed a paper
bledging herself to return the emerald
to Safti at the end of 4S hours and te
| pay SIS for her possession of it during
| that time And she wore the emerald
on the forefinger OF her left hand.
That afternoon the princess implore6
Safti to sell her the emerald and as he
persistently declined she renewed heI
! lease of it for another 4S hours. As
she left the jewel doctors house she
| did not notice that he spoke some
! words in low and eager voice to Abb
| dull, pointing towards her as he did So.
| Nor did she see the strange hustle OF
varied life in the street as she walked
slowly under the great Moorish arch
of the Porte de France. She was deep
| ly thoughtful.
Since she had worn the ugly ring OF
| Safti she had suffered no pain from
her eyes. and strange certainty had
| gradually come upon her that whila
| would be safe from the terrible disease
of which she had so long lived in ter
| ror. Yet Safti would not let her have
| the ring. And she could not live for
ever in Tunis. Already she had pro-
| longed her stay abroad and was due in
| Russia, where her anxious husband
| awaited her. She knew not what to
do. Suddenly an idea occurred to her.
| 1t made her flush red and Jingle with
| shame. She glanced up and saw the
lustrous eyes of Abdul fixed intently
| upon her. AS he left her at the door
| of the hotel he said:
THE princess will stay long in
| Tunis?"
Another week at least, Abdul" she
answered carelessly. you can go
| home now. / shall not want you any
more to-day"
And she walked into the hotel with
out looking at him again. When she
was in her room she sent for list of
the steamers sailing daily from Tunis
for the different ports of Africa and
Europe. Presently she came to the
bedside of Nine. de Rosnikoff.
Countess she said. You are no
better?"
How can be? The drains are bad
and the tea here is too strong"
| There is a boat that leaves for
we go on it?"
The older woman bounded on her
| pillow.
Straight on by Italy to Russian"
she cried joyfully.
The princess nodded. A fierce ex-
element shone in her pretty eyes, and
| her little hands were trembling as she
looked down at the dull emerald of
Safti.
At II o'clock that night the princess
and the countess got into carriage,
drove to the edge of the huge salt lake
by which Funis lies, and went On
board the Stella d'Italia- The sky was
starless. The winds were still, and it
was dark. AS the ship glided out from,
| the shore the old countess hurried be-
| low. But the princess remained on
deck, leaning upon the bulwark, and
gazing at the fading lights of the city
where Safti dwelt. Two flames seemed
burning in her heart, fierce fame OF
joy, a fierce fame of contempt-of con-
tempt for herself. For was she not a
common thief? She looked at Safti's
ring on her finger and flushed scarlet
in the darkness. Yet she was joyful
triumphant, as she heard the beating
of the ships heart, and saw the lights
of Tunis growing fainter in the dis
lance and felt the onward movement
Of the Stella d'Italia through the night
She felt herself nearer to Russia with
each throb Of the machinery. And
from Russia she would expiate her sin
From Russia she would compensate
Safti for his loss. The lights of Tunis
grew fainter. She thought of the open
sea.
But suddenly she felt that the shil
was slowing down. The engines bea,
more feebly, then ceased to beat. The
ship glided on for moment in silence
and stopped. A cold fear ran over the
princess. She called to sailor.
Why" she said, why do we stop;
Is anything wrong?"
| he pointed 10 some ugntS on the pOr'
side.
I'VE are of Hammam-Lif, madam,
he said. 1--WE are going to lie to fol
half an hour to take in cargo
To the princess that half hour
seemed all eternity. She remained up
on deck and whenever she heard tbs
splash Of oars as boat drew near OF
the cultural sound of an Arab vote,
she trembled, and, staring into the
blackness. fancied that she saw the ~
figure, the pointed head, and the dc
} formed eyes of the jewel doctor. Blu
the minutes passed. The cargo was al
on board. The boats drew of. AND
once again the ship shuddered as tn,
J heart of it began to beat, and the ebol
water ran backward from its PROV.