The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-01
CHAPTER VI-continued

WAS worn, nOndeScript box that
he set down before them, but the
Jealous way he had carried it had
suggested treasure, and Flora leaned
eagerly forward as he raised the cover,
hair expecting the blaze Of a jewel
case. She saw at first only dull shanks
OF metal tumbled one upon the other.
But, after a moments peering, between
them she caught CLEANS Of veritable
light Her fingers went in to retrieve
q hoop OF heavy silver, in the midst OF
which was sunk a aawed topaz She
admired a moment the play Of light
over the imperfection--
But this isn't Chinese" she objected.
turning her surprise on Harry
Lots Of EN- aren't. These men CLEAN
everywhere. That's pretty" He held
Up a little circle Of discolored but
iusterful pearls-let IL fan again, since
Il was worth only a glance. He leaned
on the counter. Indifferent to urge
where value seemed so slight. He
seemed amused at Flora's enthusiasm
for clouded opals.
They look we'll enough among this
Junk" he said, but compare them with
your own rings and you'll see the diff
ference"
She heard him dreamily. She was
wishing. as she turned over the tum-
BILE Of DANA ged Jewels. that things so
pretty might have been perfect. To
ind q perfect thing IN this place would
be too extraordinary TO hope for. Yet,
taking up the next and the next, she
found herself wishing IL might be this
one-this cracked intaglio. No? Then
this blue one-say The setting
spoke nothing for it. II was a
plain. thin, round hoop OF palpable
brass. and the battered thing seemed
almost too feeble to hold the son
81 full IN the eve. the big. blazing, blue
eye>of It. What was the matter with
this one? A faw2 She held it to the
light.
she felt Harry move behind her. She
knew he couldn't but be looking al II.
For how, By all that was marvellous,
had she for q moment doubted it,
Down to fits very heart. which was near
70 black. il was clear fire, and outward
the facets struck flaming hyacinth hues
with zigzag cross lights that dazzled
and uesmerized. Just the look of it
the marvellous deep well Of its light
declared its truth.
Harry" she breathed. without taxi
ing her gaze from the thing in her
hand. 40 look at thisr
She felt him lean closer Then with
an abrupt Let's see II" he took 1t
from her-held. il to the light, laid
A. on his palm. looking sharply across
the counter at the shop keeper, then
back al the ring with a long scrutiny.
His face. too. had q flush Of excitement.
rs it-good?" Flora faltered-
"A sapphire" he said. and taking her.
third finger by the tip, he slid on the
thin circle Of metal
She breashed high, looking down at
the stone with eyes absorbed in the
blue FIRE There was none OF the
fnr
look II was the intrinsic beauty OF
this drop Of dark liquid light that had
captured her It had mystery, and her
nagfnation woke TO 1.-THE wistful
mystery OF perfect beauty. And per-
feet beauty IN such a place. II was TOO
beautiful. The feeling it brought her
was too sharp for pure pleasure. II
was dimly like fear Yet instinctively
she shut her hand about the ring
she nurmured out her wonder
How in the world did such a thing
come hereT'
aOh. not so strange" Harry an
Ex-ered. He leaned on his elbow upon
the counter, his head bent close 70 hers
above the single, glittering point mat
drew the four eyes TO one FOCUS.
sailors now and then pick up
thing OF whose value they have
no idea get hard up ana
oavvn it-stiu without any idea. These
chaps"-and his bold hand indicated the
Ehop keeper-+take in anythinE-that
is ANYTHING worth their while; ana
wait. and wait, and wait until they
see Just the moment-and turn IL TO
account"
II might be because Harrys eyes
were so taken with the jewel that his
tongue ran recklessly. He had spoken
low blit Flora sent an enxious glance
70 be sure the shop keeper hadn't over
heard She had meant only TO glance
hut she found herself staring INTO
eyes that stared back from the other
side Of the counter. That wide, un-
winking scrutiny filled her whole VS.
ION. For an instant she saw nothing
hut the dance Of scintillant pupils.
Then. with a little gasp she clutched
NJ her companions arm
s'Oh, Harry
His glance came quickly round to
her. why. what's the natter
She nurmured. That Chinaman has
blue eyes"
wonder.
WHY. Flora. haven't you blue on
the brain2 / believe he has, though,
he added. as he peered across the
counter at the shop keeper. whose gaze
now huttered under narrowed lids; but
wbv in the world should blue eyes
scare VOu[ his lOok ItNuAhCQ III
dulgentlv to FlOra's face.
She could not explain her reason of
fear to him. She could not explain
q to herself more than that the eyes
had seemed to know. What? She
could not tell: but they had had
deadly intelligence She only whispered
back. But he is awful"
@aOh. I guess not" Harry grinned,
and turned his back to the counter.
~onlv part white. Makes him a little
sharper at g bargain"
But. in spite OF his offhandedness.
Flora saw he was alert. touched with
excitement Once or twice he looked
from the shop keeper 10 the sapphire.
no you ike Il, Floral" he said. DO
Won want fts7 He spoke eagerly against
her reluctance.
TT is the most beautiful thing ever
saw but" She could not put Il to
bfu, why she shrank from It That
feeling which had touched her at the
f-st had a little expanded, the sense
Of the sapphire's sinister charm. She
faJfered out as much as she could ex-
nlain. ITS too much for me-"
his shoulders shook with apprecIa-
tIon Of this "Oh. I guess not! II you
keen that Up ] shall be thinking you
mean fl Is too much for me-"