The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1912-03-07

waiting for her yacht to be put into
commission. Meanwhile she was max
ing up the party for this Mediter-
ranean trip. I had no idea
where to send you the letter. Have
you read it?"
Have l had time, sweetheart OF
mine?"
There was an interlude.
In the distance the thunder rolled
and rumbled.
Resolutely the young woman dis
engaged herself and withdrew to lit
tie distance.
Read, monsieur" she insisted, per
emptorily.
I've better things to do. me dear"
he retorted with composure.
You'll find it interesting"
T find me wife more interesting
than How dye know will?"
Perhaps I have read It."
ORourke turned the letter over IN
his hand and noted what had thereto
fore escaped his attention-the fact
that the envelope. badly frayed on the
e6ges through much handling, was
open at the top.
$50 ye may" he admitted.
1T was that way when received it.
And l have read it. How could help
it,"
Then ye've saved me the bother"
He. prepared to rise and capture her.
She retreated briskly. Read"
she commanded. Read about the
Pool of Flame
He stopped short, thunderstruck.
1.-THE Pool of Flame?" he reiterated
slowly What dye know about that?"
What the letter tells memo more.
What has become of it?"
But he had already withdrawn the
enclosure and tossed the envelope
aside, and was reading-absorbed, ex-
cited oblivious to all save that con-
veyed to his intelligence by the writ
/ ing beneath his eyes.
1t was a singularly curt, dry and
business-like document for one that
was destined to mold the romance Of
his life-strapgely terse and tritely
phrased for one that was to exert so
far-reaching an influence over the lives
( of so many men and women. Upon a
single sheet Of paper bearing their let
| terhead. Messrs. Secretan and Sypher,
solicitors, of Rangoon, Burmah, had
caused to be typed communication
to Colonel Terence O'Rourke, inform
ing him that on behalf of client who
preferred to preserve his incognlto
they were prepared to offer reward
of one hundred thousand pounds ster-
ling for the return, intact and un-
marred, of the ruby known as tho
Pool of Flame. The said ruby was,
when last heard OF, in the possession
Of the said Colonel O'Rourke, who
would receive the reward upon the
delivery of the said stone to the un-
dersigned at their Offices in Rangoon
within six months from date. Said
delivery might be made either in per-
son or by proxy. With which Messrs.
Secretan and Sypher begged to re-
main respectfully his.
The Irishman read 1t once and again,
memorizing its import; then deliber-
ately shredded it into minute pert-
cles.
$50 it's come" he said heavily. "tust
an the O'Mshoney foretold 1t would"
He sank back in his chair, and his
wife went to him and perched herself
upon the arm Of 1t, imprisoning his
head with her arms and laying her
cheek against his.
What has come, my heart"
"One hundred thousand pounds"
he said treble Its worth.
double what the O'Mahoney expect
ed.
who is the O'Mahoney. dear?"
He reused. can old friend, Beatrix
an old comrade. He died some years
back, on the banks of the Tugela,
fighting with a Boer commando. He
was lonely man, without kith or kin
or many friends beside meself. That
I presume, is how he came to leave
the Pool Of Flame with me-" He
wound an arm round her and held her
close. "Hearken, dear, and I'll be
telling ye the story of it"
! Behind them the Internal glare lit
up the portentous skies. Thunder
echoed between clouds and sea like
heavy cannoning. The wife shrank
close to her beloved. 81 am not at all
afraid" she declared, when her voice
could be heard-"with you. &.
Tell me about the Pool of Flame"
'The O'Mahoney left 1t with me
when he went to South Africa" ex-
planned O'Rourke. "'Twas a paste
board box the size of me fist, wrapped
in brown paper and tied with bit Of
string, that he brought me one even
ing, saying he was about to leave, and
would I care for It In his absence. I
knew no more OF 1t than that twas
something he vaHded highly, but I put
It away in a safs-deposit vault-which
he might've done II he hadn't been q