Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-03-17
CHAPTER VII.

meant to have a good look at the
ruby the Greek had brought him, and
was going to weigh it, not merely as
a matter of business, for he weighed
every stone that passed through his
hands from crown diamonds to sparks,
but with genuine curiosity, because in
a long experience he had not seen
very many rubies of such size, which
were also of such fine quality, and he
wondered where this one had been
found.
Just then, however, two well-dressed
young men entered the shop and
came up to him. He had never seen
either of them before, but their looks
inspired him with confidence; and
when they spoke, their tone was that
of English gentlemen, which all 9TH
er Englishmen find 1t practically i'm
possible to initiate, and which had
been extremely familiar to Mr.. Pin
ney from his youth. Though he was
the great jeweler himself, the wealthy
descendant of FIVE of his name in sue
cession, and much better off than half
his customers, he was alone in his
shop that morning. The truth was
that his only son, the sixth Pinney
and the apple of his eye, had just
been married and was gone abroad
for honeymoon trip, and the head
shopman, who was Scotch, was having
his months holiday at Ayrshire, and
the second man had been sent for, to
clean and restring the duchess of Bar
chester's pearls at her grace's house
in Cadogan Gardens, as was always
done after the season, and a couple of
skilled workmen for whom Mr.. Pin
ney found occupation all the year
round were in the workshop at their
tables; wherefore, out of four re-
sponsible and worthy men who usual
ly were about, only the great Mr.. Pin
ney himself was at his post.
One of the two well-dressed custom
ers asked to see some pins, and the
other gave his advice. The first
bought pin with a small sapphire set
in sparks, for ten guineas, and gave
only ten pounds for it because he
paid cash. Mr.. Pinney put the pin into
its little morocco case, wrapped it up
neatly and handed it to the purchaser.
The latter and his friend said good
morning in civil and leisurely man
ner, sauntered out, took a hanson
few steps farther down the street,
and drove away.
The little paper twist containing Lo-
| gothetis ruby was still exactly where
Mr.. Pinney had placed it on the coun-
ter, and he was going to examine the
stone and weigh it at last, when two
more customers entered the shop, evil
| IDENTIFY foreigners, and moreover of a
sort unfamiliar to the good jeweler,
and especially suspicious.
The two were Baraka and her inter-
prefer and servant, whom Logotheti
had called Turk, and who was real
ly Turkish subject and Mohamme.
dan, though as to race, he was half
bred Greek and Dalmatian. Now
Dalmatians are generally honest
truthful, and Trustworthy and the low
class Greek of Constantinople is us
ually extremely sharp, If he is nothing
more definitely reprehensible; anG
Baraka's man was a cross between
the two, as have said, and had beer
, brought up as a Musulman in a ricl
Turkish family, and recommended tC
Baraka by the Persian merchant IL
/ whose house she had lived. He hat
, been originally baptized a Christian
: under the name of Spiro, and haC
been subsequently renamed Salin
} when he was made real Moslem a
0 IL years old, so he used whicheve
. name suited the circumstances II
+ which he was placed. At present h
}, was Spiro.
+ The interpreter spoke broken blu
t ineligible English. He called Ba
= raka his master and explained tina
o the latter wished to see some rubles,
t Mr.. Pinney had any, cut or uncut. Tn
young gentleman, he said, did no
T. speak English, but was a good judg
y of stones.
2 For one moment the jeweler forge
@ the little paper twist as he turne
towards his safe. pulling out his key
D. at the same time. To reach the sal
d he had to walk the whole length {
o the shop, behind the counter, an
Ii before he had gone half way he r
(. membered the stone, turned, cam
" back and slipped it into his waistcos
pocket. Then he went and got n
ID little japanned stronghold with a pa
W emit lock, in which he kept loose stone
ut some wrapped up in little pieces
ie paper, and some in pill boxes. +
n. brought it to his customers, az
ig opened 1t before them.
/" They stayed long time, ana Spi
~ asked many questions for Barak
as chiefly relating to the sliding scale
". prices which is regulated by Il
at weight of the stones where their qui
ity is equally good. and BarakR ma