The evening world., 1914-03-27


fruit had been torn. spinels,
Un peridots, star sapphires.
slab-shaped emeralds. cinnamon
stones. black pearl shaped like u
pear. diamonds. an enormous tur-
quoise de Ia vieille roche sun stricken,
coloied. flashing. the treasure OF 81.
mon Serpente lay before Gaspard.
other treasure there doubtless had
been in coin and gold. but this was
the cream of It,. skinned by Sagesse,
selected no doubt during that calm
behind which the sailors eye had seen
the approaching hurricane.
Loot from the towns of Spanish
South America. from ships plundered
and scuttled. from women and from
affairs, all lay here in confusion OF
lutely shouted of sacrilege: huge and
splendid. never could they have been
worn AZ Jewelry, except by emperors
or by jewelled saints in the twilit and
incense-laden aid of some cathedral.
Gaspard knew little OF precious
stones, but child or "A savage would
have guessed the worth of this amaz-
ing collection OF gems. For mo-
ment after he had turned them out
OF the handkerchief his breath came
in gasps like the breath of a person
dashed with cold water lie could not
touch them for moment, II was as
though he We're afraid of shatterifig
an Illusion. Then camo the thought:
They are mine.
lie curled his fingers. his lips drew
back from his teeth. then he laug he'd
They are mine.
lie banged his right hand. palm
down, ON the sand beside him: then
he clapped his knees with both hands;
then. stretching out his hand, he
seized Il wine -colored amethyst. II
was the least valuable stone Of the
lot, but IL was lovely and ii lay in his
palm like little lake Of color. lie
felt It's smOothness, turned 1t about.
touched II with his tongue as II he
wanted TO taste its beauty as well as
feel and see II.
II was his. all these things were
his. and ar the thought came back 10
him he sprang TO his feet and with
the amethyst in his left hand and his
right hand shading his eyes he looked
wildly around him.
Yes, he was alone: no one WAS
watching him. no one was there to
dispute his possession: the wind blew
and the bny-cedar bushes bent before
the wind. the sun shone, the sea
burned blue and flashed beneath the
sun. In all the island world there
was no sign or sound Of life save the
hiCkcring wings OF the Cormorants on
the northern beach and occasionally
their cries.
Loneliness no longer had ,errors for
him. the sight of "A ship at this mo-
ment would have funr him into con
stcrnation. lie, the man who had
fung himself face downward In the
tent weeping at the thought that II
might be- months before "A ship sighted
the ISLAND aud took him on to begin
his long journey back to Marfinidu,
and Mare. would, had he sighted q
sail At this moment, have cursed II.
with the knowledge Of possession
had come the fear Of disposSessiOn
He had not forgotten Marie, he hao
not foregone his desire 10 return tC
, Martinique but in tho first wonderful
hours with his treasure he wished Il
be alone. to feel il live under his hand
To make plans as 20 safe disposal, t'
, dream for while the wonderful
dream Of wealth here, where there wa!
nothing to disturb him but the gull
, and the waves
Besides why should he grievc abou
Marie now? There was nothing I,
stop him from reaching her, tho roa'
, was clear before HIM once he was fre'
from the island, the least OF thos,
stones lying there In a glitterlng heal
would give him his passage to Martin
iuu- from the ends Of ihe earth.
He looked around AT the far horizon