The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-09-23

/ mine Of rubies somewhere"
Really? / love rubies. They are
my favorite stones"
Are they? That's funny. I've got
IN uncut one in my pocket now, If
you'd like to see it. l believe it comes
from Kralinsky's mine, too, though I
got it through friend of yours, two
or three days ago."
"A friend of miner"
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 a few rubies to
sell that look very much like Kra-
Hnsky's. This is one of them"
He had unwrapped the stone now
and he offered it to her, holding it out
in the palm of his hand. She took it
delicately and laid it in her own.
shed delicate pompegranate-colore
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 hef hand to give back
the ruby.
81 should like you to keep it, If
you WILL" he said. II shant 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, so 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 we'll 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 a 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 I
mean to remember this day, indeed
I do!"
| Il gave nothing for the ruby" said
Van Torp, still not taking it from her,
so it has no value for me. l wouldn't
offer you anything that cost me
money, now, unless it was 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 1 wanted to pay for it she
tried to throw it out of the window. So
l had to accept it to calm her down,
and she went off and left no address,
and thought I'd 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, l will, and thank you very
much indeed. l love rubies, and this
is beauty, and not preposterously
big. think 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 whistling, whenever look
at it."
You're kind today" said Mr.. Van
Torp, after a moments debate as to
whether he should say anything at
all.
Am I? You mean that used to be
very disagreeable, don't your" She
smiled as she glanced at him. Il
must have been, I'm sure, for you
used to frighten me ever SO much.
But I'm not in the least afraid of you
now!"
why should any one be afraid Of
me?" asked Van Torp, whose smile
had been known to terrify Wall street
when "dorp" was expected.
Margaret laughed little, without
looking at him.
Tell me all about the Tartar GIRL"
she said, instead of answering his
question.
Van Torp told her Baraka's his
tory, as far as he knew it from Logo.
theft.
Il never heard such an amusing set
OF stories as you are telling me to-
day." she said.
THAT particular one is Logotheti's," >"
he answered, "and he can probably
tell you much more about the GIRL
rs she really very pretty?" Marga-
ret asked.
WELL" said Van Torp, quoting A
saying of his favorite great man, for
people who like that kind of thing,
should think that would be the kind
of thing they'd like"
The prima donna smiled.
Can you describe herr" she asked.
did you ever read a fairy story
about a mouse that could turn into a
tiger when it liked" inquired the
American in tone of profound medi-
tation, as If he were contemplating a
vision which Margaret could not see