Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-11-24

of the little mans reach. "Now," he
challenged, tell me where 1t isl"
Into the goldsmith's eyes came q
lightning flash of intelligence, such as
Flora remembered to have seen there
when Farrell Wand, leaning on the
dusty counter, had hidden him go and
bring something pretty. He seemed
to CULVER a moment in indecision.
Then he whipped his hand out of his
sleeve and held it forth palm upward.
This time it was Chatworth who cried
out. The thing that lay on the gold
smiths palm Flora had never seen,
though once it had been described to
her" a bit of an old gold heather
god, curled around himself, with his
head of two yellow sapphires and a
big blue stone on top"
There it blazed at her, the jewel
she had carried In her bosom, that
she had hidden in her pouch Of gold,
and that had vanished from it at the
touch of a magic hand, cunningly
restored to its right place in the fore
head Of the Crew Idol, browning him
with living light.
Speeches. they looked together at
the magic thing. They had thought it
far at sea-; and as If at a wave of a
genii's wand it was here before them
flashing in the quiet garden.
With an effort Chatworth seemed to
keep himself from selling on ring
and man together. He looked search
ingly at the goldsmith and seemed or
the point of asking a question, but,
instead, he slowly held out his hand.
He held 1t out cu%p-fashion. It shook
so that Flora saw the Chinaman
steady it to drop in the ring. Then,
folding his check miraculously small,
enveloping it in the ragged piece Of
newspaper, the little man turned and
shufled from them down the gravel
walk.
Chatworth stood staring after him
with his idol in his palm. Then, turn,
ing slow eyes to Flora, "How did h
come by this?" he asked, as sternly as
if he demanded it of the mystery it.
self.
"He had it, from the very first"
The pieces of the puzzle were flashing
together in Flora's mind. ''That first
time Harry left the exhibit he took
it there"
"But the blue sapphire?" Chatworth
insisted.
Harry" Flora whispered, Harry
gave it up to him"
Gave it up to him!" Chatworth
echoed in scorn.
But she had had an inspiration of
understanding, "He had to-for
money to get off with. He gave Clara
all he had so that she would let him
get away. Poor thing!" she added in
a lower breath, but Chatworth did not
hear her. He had taken the Idol in
his thumb and finger, and, holding 1t
up in the broadening light, looked
fixedly at 1t with the passionate in,
credulity with which one might hold
and look at a friend thought dead,
She watched him with her Jealous
pang increasing to a greater feeling
a feeling of being separated from him
by this jewel which he loved, and
which had grown to seem hateful to
her, which had shown itself a breeder
of all the greedy passions. She came
softly up to him, and, lifting hel
hand, covered the Idol.
He turned toward her in wonder.
"Ah, you love it too much" she
whispered.
That's unworthy of you," he re
preached her. 81 have loved vol
more; and that In spite of what
believed of you, and what this mean
to me. To me, this ring is not
pretty thing seen yesterday. 1t Il
the symbol of my family. It is thu
power and pride Of us, which GU,
women have worn on their hands al
they have worn our honor in thei
hearts. 1t is. part of the life of m.
people; and now it has made itsel
/ part of u life, of yours and mine
Shall ! v e forget how starkly yol
d, held it for the sake of my honor
even against myself? Should I eve
have known you without it?" H
put the ring into her hand, and, smi
+ ing with his old dare, held it over tn
: fountain. Nov, if you want to, dro
= it in" He released her hand an
turned to leave her to her will.
: For a moment she stood with powe
in her hands and her eyes on hi
+ averted head. Then with a littl
t rush she crossed the space betwee
them. Here, take it! You love it
/ want you to keep it! but l can't foI
e get the dreadful things 1t has mad
people do. 1t makes mt afraid"
s In spite of his smiling he seemed t
e her very grave. "You dear, sill
e child! The whole storm and troubl
s of life comes from things being /
v the wrong place. This has been |
" the wrong place and made mischief
Like me-" she murmured.
d Like you," he agreed. "Now "
d shall be as we should be. Give N
your hand"
He drew off all the rings wit
h which she had once tried to dim til
Q sparkle Of the sapphire, and, dro
s ping them into his pocket like
|; much dross, slipped on the Idol thi
g covered her third finger in a splendt
< bar from knuckle to joint. Holdir
3. her by Just the tip Of that finger, lea
ing back a little, he looked into h
eyes, and she, looking back, knew tn
d 1t welded them once for all.
a nIyz MIN