The San Francisco call., 1906-09-16
1AGAR OF THE RAWN5HOP rERdjG7 GJ HUME

- Eta4lAk lNtI4N NAte@i NNNt~
their faces. The curve OF the
mouth. the glance OF the eyes
she could interpret these truly; for 20
her feminine instinct she added legi
cal judgment masculine in its discre-
tion She was rarely wrong when she
exercised this faculty; and in the many
customers who entered the Lambeth
pawnshop she had ample opportunities
10 use her talent. To the sleek, white
faced creature who brought for pawn
ing the renaissance casket Of silver she
took an instant and violent dislike.
Subsequent events proved that she was
right in doing SO. The ninth customer
-as she called him-was an oily
scoundrel. In appearance he was re-
spectacle servant--a valet or a butler
and wore an immaculate suit OF
black broadcloth His face was as
white as that OF a corpse, and almost
as expressionless. Two tufts OF whis
kers adorned his lean cheeks but his
thin mouth and receding chin were un-
covered with hair. on his badly
shaped head and of his low. narrow
forehead the scanty hair Of iron gray
was brushed smoothly. He dropped his
shifty gray eyes when he addressed
Hagar. and talked softly in a most
deferential manner. Hasar guessed
him TO be q West End servant. and by
his physiognomy she knew him 10 be
a scoundrel.
This "gentleman's gentleman"-as
Fagar guessed kim rightly to be-gave
the name OF Julian Peters. and the ad-
dress - Mount street Mayfair. AS
certainly as though she had been in
the creatures confidence Eiagar knew
that name and address were false.
Also. she was not quite sure whether
he had come honestly by the casket
which he wished 10 pawn, although
the story he told was a very fair and,
apparently, candid one.
Ny late master. miss. left me this
box as a legacy he said deferentially,
and I have kept it by me for some
time Unfortunately. 1 am now out OF
a situation. and to keep myself going
until 1 obtain a new one I need money.
You viii understand miss. that 1t is
only necessity which compels me to
pawn this box. want f15 on it,"
you can have f1s." said Hagar.
pricing the box at a glance.
"Oh. indeed, miss. I am sure it is
worth hfteen." said Mr.. Peters $50
caued). If you look at the workman
ship
- s..,.o 1oor,oa - a,-o,,.+t;,,er.. ra
piled Hagar. promptly-"at the silver.
the workmanship. the date. and all the
rest OF e."
The date, miss" asked the man. in
q puzzled tone.
Yes: the casket is Cinque Cento
Florentine work I dare say II you
took ii 10 a West End jeweler you
could get more on it tnan am prepar-
ed to lend. Thirteen pounds is my
limit"
~rH take it," said Peters, promptly.
4 don't care about pawning it in the
West End. where ] am known"
"As a scoundrel. no doubt" thought
Hagar. cynically. However. it was not
her place to spoil good bargain
and getting the renaissance casket for
fIS was a very good one-so she made
out the ticket in the false name OF
Julian Peters. and handed it to him. to-
gether with a fI0-note and sover-
eigns The man counted the money.
with greedy look in his eyes. and
turned to depart with a cringing bow.
Al the door Of the shop he paused.
however, 10 address a last word to
Hagar.
Il can redeem that cssket whenever
like. miss2" he asked anxiously.
Tomorrow. II it pleases your" re-
piled Hagar. ooldly. so long as you
pay me a months interest for the loan
Of the money"
Thank you, miss; I shall take back
the box in a months time. In the
meantime, I leave il in your charge.
miss. and wish you a very good day"
Hagar gave shudder OF disgust as
he left the shop. FOR the man to her
was noxiors thing. like a snake or a
toad. IL instinct were worth anything.
she felt that this valet was thief and
q scoundreL who was abusing the trust
his employer placed in him. The cas-
ket was far more likely to have been
thieved than TO have come to Mr..
Peters by will Il is not usual for
gentlemen to leave their servants leg
acies of Cinque Cento caskets.
The box. as Peters called IT. was very
beautiful. an exquisite example OF gold
smiths art, worthy of Benvenuto Gel
lini himself Probably It was by one
OF his pupils Renaissance work GER
tainly. FOR IN its ornanentation there
was visible that mingiing Of Christian
fly and paganism wAich is so striking
a characteristic of the rebirth OF the
arts in the Italy of Dante and the
Medici ON the sides Of the casISot in
relief there were figures OF dancing
nTmph and piping satyr: flower
wresthed altar and vine-crowned
priest on the lid fun length dgure
~ the virgin with uprsised hands.
below clouds and the turrets OF a
castle. overhead the glory Of the Holy
Ghost in the form of wide-winged
dove and auttering eherubs and grave