Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-06-21


Within the room Billings had snap
ped out the lights, to bring out the
blazing fire of his treasured ruby,
and from the tray in the dark corner
where he was closing it in his collec-
ton vault, 1t cleaned like the end OF
bright cigar The other four We're
absently clutched in my darling's
hand and the crimson shine cleaned
bravely through her finger bars.
arbuncles-ancient carbuncles," the
professor had called them. that the
Chinese believed their dragons car
ried in their mouths, In their black
caves in days of old, to furnish light
whereby they could see to devour
their Victims" And that l believed,
for l could see some practical sense
about it,
What I should like to know" said
the dear, precious cub, hugging his
knee by the mantel, is where come
I'M"
"You don't come in" said Billings,
lifting him playfuIly by the ear; you
come Quit" And out they went.
And my dear girl and l were like
what's-his-name's picture-alone at
last you know. She stirred softly
and her sigh came like the wind
through the trees at night
81 suppose we will have to burn
them" she said dolefully; "the pro-
lessor says it is the. only thing to do"
Jolly shame, I say!" I murmured
Indignantly.
at seems a crime" she said softly,
| ar; there was little choke IN her
voice. She slipped to the soft-tibered
rug before the fire. gently brought
my chair closer to her.
For a moment she pressed her
cheek against the crimson mass, then
kneeling forward, laid it gently on the
| glowing Goals. There was flash, a
lightning blaze of red that almost
blinded US, and then for brief space
a field of shining ash. Against this
the tiny serpent frogs writhed and
twisted and turned at last to leaden
gray. Over the spread Of all, swept
wave after wave of golden, Grim
soned pictures-temples and pagodas
dragons that licked fiery tongues at
us-strange faces that came and went,
leering hideously into our own.
And then OF a sudden 1t was all
faded-gone! The breeze from the
open window stirred the ashes to the
side. She dropped back with a deep
sigh.
They're gone" she breathed mourn
fully. =.
Never mind" I said; you've these
left" And daringly l laid my hand
upon the one that clasped the rubies.
And | thrilled as 1t lay still beneath
my own.
"Good-by, you dear old, wicked, en-.
| chanted pajamas," she said. i don't
care-I just love you, because" She
paused.
Because they brought us togeth-
err" BY Jove, I didn't know I had
said 1t, till 1t came out!
An instant, and then I caught it
! just little whisper, you know:
"Yes-Dicky!"
By Jove! And then, dash it, my
monocle dropped! hut / let it 80.
Presently she looked at the glowing
| rubies in her hand.
"They are from India, you know,
Dicky-from MandaIay, the professor
said" And she murmured: ION the
road to Mandalay, where the old fotiL
la lay'-don't you remember? I've
been there. Dicky." ~
"By Jove!" l said. Have you.
though? Is it jolly?"
1.-THE poet seemed to think so"
She laughed. DO you know Kipling,
Dicky?" l tried to think, but dashed
II could remember.
I wondered ii 1t would be a good
| place to take trip to!
l hitched closer. What does-er-
this poet chap say about it? What's
1t like, you know?"
She laughed. "I'm afraid it's wicked,
Dicky. a good deal like the haunted
pajamas." She leaned forward, chin
upon her hand again, rocking into the
fading Goals. I'll tell you what he
says"
Then her voice Went on:
"Ship me somewhere east of Suez," where
the best is like the worst
Where there arn't no Ten Commandments
an q man can raise a thirst.
"By Joye!" said, interested.
"For the temple bells are calm, and it's
there that would be-
| BY the old Moulmein pagoda, lookin' lazy
at the sea-"
brought my hand down on my
knee.
"Oh, I say. you INCONSISTENCIES,
I exclaimed with enthusiasm, well
70 there for our honeymoon, by JoVe!
Shall we-eh?"
And then the jolly rubies rolled un'
needed to the floor. And nothing
stirred but the ashes OF the haunted
pajamas!
And then Oh, but Frances says
that's all!
THE END.