The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-01-07

those two mlsn were, and what became
of tie one who disappeared"
l Give strong impression that 1 saw
him In New York the other day." Van
4 Torp answered. eff I'm right, hess
made money--doing quite well, Il
: should think. 1t wouldn't surprise me
to hear he'd got together million or
go
Really? What is he doing? Your
stories grow msre and more inter.
esting."
I IF hess the fellow we used to call
Levi Longlegs On the ranch, he's
Russian now. Pin not perfectly sure,
for he had no hair on his face then,
ana now he has beard like French
sapper. But the eyes and the nose
| andt the voice and the accent are the
same, and the age would about cor.
respond Handsome man, suppose
you'd call him. His name is Kralinsky
just at present, and he's found whole
mine of rubies somewhere"
Really? 4 love ruBies. They are
my favorite' stones"
Are they? That's funny. I've got
an uncut one in my pocket now, II
you'd like to sse it. believe it comes
from Kralinsky's mine, too, though
| got it 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. Iiogotheti," he said, Just as he
| found it. Hes discovered hand
some young woman from Tartary, or
somewhere, who has a 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 hiss hand She took 1t
(which was so white that the gem
shed delicate pompegranate-colore
| light on the skim 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, cut her hand to give back
the ruby.
81 shonld' like you to keep it, il
you WILL" he said Il 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
Iva L.
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 {,
large affectionate bulldog.
You're very kind to want to give
it to me-" she answered after a nor
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,
mean to remember this day, indeed
/ do!"
Il gave nothing for the ruby" said
Van Torp, still not taking it from her.
so it has no value for me. 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 helped her in a. sort of
way. When / wanted to pay for it she.
tried to throw it out of the window. So,
| had to accept it to calm her down.,
and she went off and left no address,,
and 1 thought I'd like you TO have it.
if yon 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"
1--WE told you exactly what hap
pened," said Van Torp, Won't you
take it nOw?"
Yes, | will, and thank You very
much indeed. love rubies, and this
is beauty, and not PROFESSIONALLY
big. l think 1 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. shall think of the
Good Friday music and the chimes,
and this hideous little room, and your
clever whistliag. 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 1? 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 brighten me ever so much.
But I'm not in the least afraid of you
nowi"
why should any one be afraid Of