The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-10-09
OF the one VIC disappeared."


Torp answered. IF I'm right, he's
made money-doing quite well, I
should think. It wouldn't surprise me
to hear he'd got together a million or
so"
Really? What is he doing? Your
stories grow more and more inter
esting."
IF he's the fellow We used to call
Levi LOnglegs on the ranch, he's a
Russian now. I'm not perfectly sure,
for he had no hair on his face then,
and now he has beard like a French
sapper. But the eyes and the nose
and the voice and the accent are the
same, and the age would about cor
respond. Handsome man. I suppose
you'd call him. His name is Kralinsky
just at present, and he's found whole
mine of rubies somewhere.
Really? I love rubies. They are
my fayorite stones
Are they? That's funny. I've got
an uncut one in my pocket now, if
you'd like to see it. believe it comes
from Kralinsky's mine, too, though I
got 1t through friend Of yours, two
or three days ago"
"a friend of mine?"
He was poking his large fingers
into one of the pockets of his waist
coat in search of the stone
"Mr. Logotheti," he said, just as he
found it. Hes discovered a hand
some young woman from Tartary, or
somewhere, who has few rubies to
sell that look very much like Kra-
linsky's This is one of them"
He had unwrapped the stone now
and he offered it to her, holding 1t out
in the palm of his hand. She took it
deIicately and laid it in her own,
which was so white that the gem
shed a delicate pompegranate-colO
light on the skin all round it. She
admired it, turned it over with one
finger, held it up towards the window,
and laid it in her palm again.
But Van Torp had set her thinking
about Logotheti and the Tartar girl.
She put out her hand to give back
the ruby
4 should like you to keep it, if
you will, he said 81 shan't forget
the pleasure I've had in seeing you
like this, but you'll forget all about
our meeting here-the stone may just
make you remember it sometimes"
He spoke so quietly, Sc gently, that
she was taken off her guard, and was
touched, and very much surprised to
feel that she was. She looked into
his eyes rather cautiously, remember
ing well how she had formerly seen
something terrifying in them if she
looked an instant too long; but now
they made her think of the eyes Of a
large affectionate bulldog.
You're very kind to want to give
it to me-" she answered after mo-
ment's hesitation, but l don't like to
accept anything so valuable, now that
I'm engaged to be married. Konstantin
might not like it. But you're so kind;
give me any little thing of no value
that you have in your pocket, for l
mean to remember this day, indeed
l dol"
4 gave nothing for the ruby" said
Van TOrp, still not taking it from her
so it has no value for me. I wouldn't
offer you anything that cost me
money, now, unless it was a theater
for your own Perhaps the things
glass, after all; I've not shown it TO
any jeweler The girl made me take
it, because l helped her in a sort Of
way. When l wanted to pay for it she
tried to throw it out of the window. So
l had to accept it to calm Ter down,
and she went off and left no address,
and 1 thought Id like you to have it,
if you would"
Are you quite, quite sure you did
not pay for it," Margaret asked. IF
we are going to be friends, you must
please always be very accurate"
I've told you exactly what hap
pened," said Van Torp. Wont you
take it now?"
Yes, 1 viii, and thank you very
much indeed. I love rubies, and this
is a beauty, and not preposterOusly
big. l think l shall have it set as it is,
uncut, and only polished, so that It
will always be itself, just as you
gave it to me. l shall think of the
Good Friday music and the chimes,
and this hideous little room, and your
clever whistIing, whenever 1 look
at it."
You're kind to-day said Mr.. Van
Torp, after a moments debate as to
whether he should say anything at
all.
Am 1? You mean that I used to be
very disagreeable, don't you?" She
smiled as she glanced at him. Il
must have been, I'm sure, for You
used to brighten me ever so much
But I'm not in the least afraid of you
nowl"
why should any one be afraid of
me?" asked Van Torp, whose smile
had been known to terrify Wall street
when a "dorp" was expected.
Margaret laughed a little, without