Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-04-19

"Have You Really No idea What
These Are7"
in this country, anyhow. There's
nothing like them in all New York,
from Tiffany's down to Maiden Lane,
and never has been. never saw any
thing iike-near like any of them
except the one in the Russian crown
of Anna Ivanovana. That's bigger,
but it hasn't the same fire"
| just laughed at him. why, Bill
ings, these pajamas were sent me by
a friend in China, and l assure you
Assure? What can you assure
what do you know about it," said
Billings rudely. What did your friend
know, or the one he had these things
from-or the one before him-or, the
one still before that? Pshaw!" And
he snapped his fingers.
With his hand he swept up the lit
tie caps and the long, wirelike threads
that held them and shifted the hand.
full crricusly.
"H'm! Funky sort Of aromatic smell
J sam, cedar oil or something like
b H." he muttered half aloud. That
accounts for the preservation. Blu.
still"
He crossed his legs and pulled
thoughtfully.
Tell you how I figure this out
Dicky," he said finally. These night.
les your friend has sent you are aw'
fully rare and old; and for delicate.
dainty elegance and that sort of thing
+hcy've get everything else in the sill
way showed off the clothes-line. But
as to these jewels, you can just bet
all you've got that whoever passec
them on was not wise to them being
under these covers"
Here he got to looking at one OF
the buttons and murmuring his ad.
miration-regular trance, you know.
by Jove!" I remarked, just to stir
him up a bit. And he unloaded a
great funnel of smoke and continued:
my theory is that during some
danger, some mandarins' war, likely
somebody got cold feet about these
jewels and roped them in with these
bits of silk-see how different they
are from the rest of the stuff! Then.
when the roughhouse came, these pa
jamas were swept along in the sack
ing-sort of spells of pillage, you
know. 1t was a clever method OF con.
cealment-clever because simple-a
aiding place unlikely to be thought OF
because right under the eye. You re-
call Poe's story of The Purloined Let
ter?'"
I asked Billings how much he
thought one of the rubies was worth.
I had in mind how devilish hungrily
he had looked at them But he sighed,
then frowned and answered impatient
ly:
That's it! That's the trouble about
all the rare and beautiful things OF
this life! Always some debasing,
prohibitive sordid money value, dam
mit!"
He squinted at the stones again and
let the weight Of one rest upon his
finger. He shook his head, signing.
We'll, they're over twenty carats
each, and therefore, of course, many
times the value of first water dia-
monds. After you get above five
carats with real Oriental rubies, dia-
monds are not in it,
With an abrupt gesture he pushed
the things away and rose. His pipe
had gone out, but l noticed that he
did not relight it. I held the gems
full In the rays of the lamp, and Bill
ings paused, holding hungry gaze
over his shoulder.
Il say, Billings, how much did you
say one was WORTH" I asked care,
lessly. For a moment he did not re.
ply, but muttered to himself.
II didn't say" he finally replied,
and rather GROSSLY. Then he whirled
on me impulsively. See here, Light
nut" he exclaimed, "if you'll let me
have one of those for my collection,
I'll give you twenty-five thousand for
it-therei"
He gulped and continued:
"I'll have to make some sacrifices,
but don't mind that. +"
But l shook my head. Really, ]
could hardly keep from laughing in
his face.
Sorry! Can't see IT, old chap" l
said. Wouldn't sell one OF them at
any price"
Billings gulped again. 81 suppose
not; don't blame you. Way you're
fixed, you don't have TO-" He walked
slowly to the window and back. Take
my advice, Dicky, and get those fire
Goals into your safe deposit vault first
thing in the morning. Hello, you're
counting them off! that's WISE"
For with the knife he had left on
the table l was cutting away the
tough threads that held the rubies. l
cut off the second and fourth, leaV-
ing the first ruby at the collar and
the other two alternates.
Go on" said Billings, AS laid down
the knife. you've only removed
two"
"Don't believe I'll cut of any more,
I said. Want you to help me tie up
the others just as they WERE"
What"
I insisted. And though Billings pro-
tested and argued and even called me
names, we did as said.
For, by Jove, you know it was per-
fectly clear that if they had been safe
so long under the little covers, the
Jewels couldn't find any better place.