Manchester Democrat., 1911-01-18
CHAPTER xxiv.-contlnued.

DO you feel better?" Mrs. Herrick
asked her Then she opened her eyes
wide and saw the walls and the high
arched ceiling of the hall directly
above her, knew herself lying on the
floor, saw above her the figure of
Clara standing with a bottle of salts,
and then remembered; and, with a
moan. buried her face in Mrs Her
arick's lap. oh. no. no. no; don't,
bring me back; don't want to come
back"
Their voices sounding high above
her we're speaking. Mrs. Herrick said:
What is that?' Then Clara muir
INJURED. Then there was the light
.fustling Of paper. Flora moved her
hand.
Give 1t to me: want It." shefelt
the stiff little square Of cardboard be-
tween her fingers. and closed them
around 1t fast
After a little she went upstairs hold
Ing tight to the baluster with one
hand and to Mrs. Herrick with the
other. After little of sitting on the
edge Of her bed she lay dowr, still
holding to Mrs. Herrick. She felt as
though some cord within her lad been
drawn tight, too tight to endure. and
every moment she hoped 1t would
snap and set her free. III x
You don't think I'm mad, do your
she asked. Her friend. earnestly dis.
claimed it. "Then things are" Flora
said. everything. Oh. oh!'' The
memory overwhelmed her. HE took
me there as II. by chance! He gave
the sapphires to me for my engage
ment ring. Oh. dreadful! oh. poor
Harry!',11s - - itsrt,i:. ~,
All that afternoon and all night she
slept fitfully. starting up at intervals.
trembling with 2nameless horrors-the
glittering koldsmith's shop. the China.
man. the great eye ,of the sapphire,
and. worst of all. Harry's face. always
the same calms ruddy, good-natured,
innocent.looking face that had led her
to the goldsmith's shop that had
smiled at her. falling under the spell
Of the sapphire, that had covered. all
those days. God knew what ravages
Of stress and strain, until the man
had linally broken. That face ap-
peared and reappeared through the.
flashing terrors of her dreams like
the presiding genius of them all. Fin
ally, drifting into complete repose.
she slept far into the morning.
She wakened langnid and weak. She
lay looking about the room. and. like
person recovering sitter heavy
blow. wondered what had happened,
Then her hand. as with her first
waking thought IT had done for the
last week. went ito the locket chain
around her neck Oh, yes. yes: she
had forgotten. The sapphire was,
gone. Gone by fraud. gone at kiss
for ever with Harry-no. with Farrell
Wand
For Harry was not Harry; and Kerr
was not Farrell Wand. He was In
deed an-unknown. quantity. Since she
had found Harry she had lost both
Kerr's naTe and bis place in her
sairy-tale. She had seen his very de-
mesnor change before her eyes. In
deed. her hour had come without her
knowing it. The spell had been
snapped which had made him wear
the semblance of evil His sinister
form was dissolving;; but what was to
be his identity when finally he stood
before her restored and perfect? If
he were not the thief whom she had
struggled SO to shield. why, then he
was that very strength of law and
right which, for his sake, she had be-
trayed.
She sat up quickened with humilia-
ton. The thing was not a tragedy, 1t
was grotesque. Blushing more and
more crimson, struggling with strange
mingled crying and laughter, she
slipped out of the bed, and, still in her
night-gown. ran down the hall, and
knocked on Mrs. Herrick's door, un.
til the disnayed lady opened it.
Il thought 1t was he" Flora gasped.
Il thought It was he who had taken
the ring! Why didn't he tell me?
Why did he keep 1t secret? l would
done anything to have saved it for
him, and let Harry get it! Oh. isn't
1t cruel? Isn't 1t pitiful? Isn't 1t RI
diculous?"
Mrs. Herrick, who, for ,the last SO
hours. had SO departed from her cur
riculum of safety, and courageously
met many strange appearances. now
was to hear stranger facts For Flora
, had let go completely, and Mrs. Her.
rick, without limiting at Mysteries, let
her laugh let her cry LET her toll