The Tupelo journal., 1910-02-04

said. Il will weigh 1t and give you
q careful estimate
As a matter of fact, before Van Torp
entered, Logotheti had got SO far as
the question Of setting the gem for a
lady's ring, but Mr.. Pinney, like all
the great jewelers., was as discreet
and tactful as a professional diplo-
matist. How could he be sure that
n customer might like another to
know about a ring ordered for a lady?
If Logotheti preferred secrecy, he
would only have to assent and go
away, as If leaving the ruby to be cut,
and he could look in again when 1t
was convenient; and this was what
he at once decided to do.
II think YOU'RE right, Mr.. Pinney,"
he said. 81 shall leave it in your
hands. That's really ALL" he added,
turning to Mr.. Van Trop.
Really? My business won't take
long either, and we'll go together. if
you like, and have a little chat. l
only came to get another of those ex-
ira large collarstuds you make for me,
Mr.. Pinney. Have you got %another?"
I'VE always keep them in stock for
your convenience, sir" answered the
famous jeweler, opening a special lit
tie drawer behind the counter and
producing a very small morocco case.
Mr.. Van Torp did not even open it,
and had already laid down the money,
for he knew precisely what it cost.
Thanks" he said. You're always
so obliging about little things, Mr..
Pinney."
Thank you, sir. We do our best.
Good-morning, sir. good-morning."
The two ~millionaires went out to-
gether. Two well-dressed men stood
aside to let them pass and then en-
tered the shop.
(Which way" asked Logotheti.
your way" answered the Amer
! lean. I've nothing to do"
Nor have l." laughed the Greek.
Nothing in the world! What can
anybody find to do in London at this
time of year"
Tn sure l don't know" echoed Van
al PASoSoieiys odPPCoSo yoo
were on the continent somewhere"
and thought you were in Amer
lea, and so, of course, W. meet at old
Pinney's in Eondon!"
Really! Did you think I was in
America? Your friend, the heather
girl in boys clothes, brought me your
card this morning. I supposed you
knew l was here"
mo, but l thought you might be,
within six months, and | gave her sew
eral cards for people l know. So she
found you out! She's a born ferret
she would find anything. Did you buy
anything of herr"
mo. I'm not buying rubies to-day.
Much obliged for sending her, all the
same. You take an interest in her, l
suppose, Mr.. Logotheti? Is that so?"
"I?" Logotheti laughed a little.
mo, indeed! Those days were long
ago. I'm engaged to be married"
by the bye, yes. I'd heard that,
and / meant to congratulate you. 1 do
now, anyway. When is it to be? Set
tied that YETI"
Some time IN October, l think. So
you guessed that Barak is a girl"
Yes, that's right. l guessed she
was. Do you know anything about
herr"
Logotheti told his companion the
| story of the ruby mine, substantially
as it was narrated at the beginning of
this tale, not dreaming that Van Torp
had perhaps met and talked with the
man who had played so large a part
in it, and to find whom Baraka had
traversed many dangers and over
come many difficulties.
ct sounds like the Arabian
Nights said Mr.. Van Torp, as if he
found it hard to believe.
!! Exactly" assented Logotheti. "And,
oddly enough, the first of those stories
is about Samarkand, which is not SO
far from Baraka's native village. 1t
| seems to have taken the girl about a
| year to find her way to Constantine
| pie, and when she got there she natur-
ally supposed that it was the capital
of the world, and that her man, being
VCly SlSdL anu NCAy AAShy hohho W
her, must of course live there. So she
searched STEAMBOAT and Pera for him,
during even or eight months. She
lived in the house of a good old Per-
| sian merchant, under the protection of
| his wife, and learned that there was
a world called Europe where her man
might be living, and cities called Paris
and London, where people pay fabu-
lous prices for precious stones. Per-
i sian merchants are generally well-edu-
Gated men, you know. AT last she
made up her mind to dress like a man,
she picked up an honest Turkish man
servant who had been all over Europe
with a diplomatist and could speak
some French and English al well as
Tartar, she got a letter OF recommen-
| dalton to me from a Greek banker,
| through the Persian who did business
with him, joined some Greeks who
were coming to Marseilles by sea, and
as I do. She is perfectly fearless, and
as much more sure of herself than
| any man aver was, as some young
women can be in this queer world. OF
course, she'll never find the brute who
thought he was leaving her to be MUIR
dered by her relations, but If she yer
did, she would either marry him or cut
his throat"
Mice, amiable kind of girl" re-
marked Mr.. Van Torp, who remem
bered her behaviour when he had re-