The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-10-08

Dag, HOT mucn Digger tnan an ordinary
purse, fastened with thin thongs,
which he slowly united. Mr.. Van Torp
watched the movements of the deli
cate fingers with great interest, for he
was an observant man.
With those hands," he silently re-
Elected, "it's either lady or a thief,
or both"
Barak took several little twists of
tissue paper from the bag, laid them
in row on the tablecloth and then
began to open them one by one. Each
tiny parcel contained a ruby, and when
the young man counted them there
were five in all, and they were fine
stones If they were genuine; but Mr..
Van Torp was neither credulous nor
easily surprised. When Barak looked
to see what impression he had pro-
duced on such a desirable buyer, he
was disappointed.
Nice" said the American careless
ly; nice rubies, but I've seen better.
I wonder if they're real, anyway.
They've found out how to make them
by chemistry now, you know"
But Barak understood nothing, of
course, beyond the fact that Mr.. Van
Torp seemed Indifferent which was a
common trick of willy customers; but
there was something about this ones
manner that was not assumed Barak
took the finest Of the stones with the
tips of his slender young fingers, laid
it in the palm of his other hand, and
held it under Mr.. Van Torp's eyes,
looking at him with an inquiring ex-
preston. But the American shook his
head.
mo rubies to-day, thank you," he
said.
Barak nodded quietly, and at once
began to wrap up the stones, each in
its own bit of paper, putting the twists
back into the bag one by one. Then
he drew the thongs together and tied
them in a neat sort of knot which Mr..
Van Torp had never seen. The young
man then rose to go, but the million
aire stopped him.
Say, don't go Just yet. I'll show
you a ruby that'll make you sit up"
He rose as he spoke, and Barak un-
derstood his smile and question, and
waited. Mr.. Van Torp went into the
next room, and came back almost i'm
mediately, bringing a small black mo-
rocco case, which he set on the table
and unlocked with a little key that
hung on his watchchain. He was not
fond Of wearing jewelry, and the box
held all his possessions of that sort,
and was not full. There were three
or four sets Of plain studs and links;
there were half dozen very big gold
collar studs; there was a bit of an old
gold chain, apparently cut off at each
end, and having one cheap little dia-
mond set in each link; and there was
a thin old wedding ring that must
have been a woman's; besides a few
other valueless trinkets, all lying loose
and in confusion. Mr.. Van Torp shook
the box a little, poked the contents
about with one large finger, and soon
found an uncut red stone about the
size of hazelnut, which he took out
and placed on the white cloth before
Luc
Now that's what | call a ruby" he
said, with smile of satisfaction. Got
any like that, young man? Because
If you have I'll talk to you, maybe
Yes" he continued, watching the orr
entails face, Il told you I'd make you
sit up. But didn't mean to scare you
baldheaded. What's the matter with
you, anyway? Your eyes are popping
out of your head. Do you feel as il
you were going to have fit? l say.
Stemp!"
Barak was indeed violently affected
by the sight of the uncut ruby, and
his face had changed in a startling
way; a great vein like whipcord sud
denly showed itself on his smooth
forehead straight up and down; his
lids had opened so wide that they un
covered the white of the eye almost
all around the iris; he was biting his
lower hip so that it was swollen an6
| blood-red against the little white
teeth; and a moment before Mr.. Var
Torp had called out to his servant, the
ypuhS man udu lttleu NlSlDly, ant
would have collapsed if the American
had not caught the slender waist ant
supported the small head against hi:
shoulder with his other hand.
Stemp was not within hearing
therefore Mr.. Van Torp called to hin
in vain, and meanwhile stood wher,
he was with his arm round Barak
and Barak's head on his shoulder; bu
as no one came at his call, he liftet
the slim figure gently and carried i
towards the sofa, and while he wa
crossing the large room with his bur
den the palpable truth was force,
upon him that his visitors shines
was more apparent than real, and al
affair of shape rather than of pounds
Before he had quite reached tn
lounge, however, Barak stirred, wris
gled in his arms. and sprang to tn
floor and stood upright, blinking a Iii
tie, like a person waking from
dream, but quite steady, and trying t
smile in an apologize sort of way
though evidently still deeply di,
turbed. Mr. Van Torp smiled too, a
if to offer his congratulations on tn
quick recovery.
| "F6} better now ." he manfred in