The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-10-09

Sell. Will IuOleS 10
Snv msue one step forwards, plucked
the stone from his fingers. rather than
TOOK 1t, and with quick, but girlish.
V awkward movement, threw it to.
wards the window as hard as she
could, stamping angrily with her little
Ioot at the same moment Mr.. Van
iorp was extremely disconnected, as
ne sometimes was by the sudden &C..
lions OF the sex he did not under.
stand. Fortunately the stone hit the
wall instead of going out of the win.
dow.
I'm really sorry, Miss Barrack" he
said in tone of humble apology, and
he went quickly and picked up the
gem. Il hadn't quite understood, you
see"
She watched him, and drew back in
stinctively towards the door, as If ex.
pecting that he would again try to
give it back to her But he shook
his head nov. bowed with all the
grssee ne Could affect, which was little,
End by way of making her feel that
ne accepted the gift, he pressed 1t to
his heart, as she had done. and TO his
lips, but not to his forehead, because
he was afraid that might cause some
new mistake, as he did not know what
the gesture meant.
Barak's face changed instantly; she
smiled, nodded, and waved her hand
r 10 him, to say that it was all right,
and that she was quite satisfied Then
she made a sort of salute that he
thought very graceful indeed, as if she
were taking something from near the
floor and laying it on her forehead,
and she laughed softly and was out of
the room and had shut the door before
he could call her back again.
He stood still in the middle of the
room, looking at the gem in his hand
with an expression of grave doubt.
Well" he said to himself, and his
lips formed the words, though no
sound articulated them, that's queer
sort of a mornings work, anyway"
He reflected that the very last thing
he had ever expected was a present
of a fine ruby from pretty heather
girl in mans clothes, recommended to
him by Logotheti Though he almost
laughed at the thought when 1t &C.
Cured to him, he did not like the idea
I of keeping the stone; yet he did not
know what to do with it, for it was
\ more than probable that he was never
to see Barak again, and if he ever did
1t was at least likely that she would
refuse to take back her gift, and as
theoretically as on the first occasion
At that moment it occurred to him
that he might sell 1t to a dealer and
give the proceeds to Lady Maud fol
her good work, and taking his hat and
gloves he went out Immediately, with
out even telling Stemp that he was
going
He walked up at leisurely pace
om his hotel by the river to Piccadil
Is and Bond street, and entered jew
elers shop of modest appearance but
ancient reputation which had been II
the same place for nearly a century
and had previously been on the Other
side of the street.
Outside, two well-dressed men were
looking at the things in the window
within. broad-shouldered, smart
looking man with black hair ant
dressed in perfectly new blue serge
was sitting by the counter with hi.
back to the door, talking with the ole
| ieweler himself. He turned on the
chair when he heard the newcomer.
step, and Mr.. Van Torp found himsel
face to face with Konstantin Logo
theft, whom he had supposed to be il
Paris.
WELL" he said, without betrayinl
the surprise he felt, this is what
call a very pleasant accident Mr.. Lo
gotheti"
The Greek rose and shook hands
and the American did not fail to oh
serve on the counter a small piece O
tissue paper on which lay an uncu
stone. much larger than the one b
had in his pocket.
IF you are in any hurry" said Lc