The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1919-12-04

Copyright by the Bobbs-Merrill Company
our reckless passion for spending
wasn't equal to twenty-five dollars for
a pair of slippers. Madame came down
ten francs and invelgled us into trying
on the slippers. There was a differ
ence Of half a size in the pairs and
they fitted as though they'd been made
In heaven. Madame came down ten
francs more and then knocked OF tiye,
and we bought them at a hundred
francs a pair, laughingly telling eacf
other we'd caught each other in tht
act and promising never to give eacl
other away.
had liked this American woman
and should have been glad to see hei
again; and mere she was She was
pleasant and unaffected, woman OF
possibly forty; dark hair, black eyes
waxy as to complexion; not what ]
would call handsome but with O dis.
tinct air.
Claire had introduced her as Mrs.
Delari0 and later the child COnfdetI
that her father had found her by ac-
Cldent as he had me. That he paid
her fare over as an inducement to her
to come on this steamer-wth me, /
even then surmised. Claire and she
shared the largest stateroom on
board.
There were two other women going
over, but Mrs. Delario and / seemed
the only ones able to keep our sea
legs, while Claire stayed In her berth
for almost the entire passage.
But the really friendly acquaintance
between Mrs. DelarIo and me began by
our being flung into each others arms
when our frIsky little craft took an
unexpected dive, trying TO see If she
could hit bottom with her nose. We
made prOfuSe apologies aud dropped
for safety into the nearest chairs.
wns clutching vigorously at the arm
of mine, when she fastened her gaze
on a ring wore, reached out and took
my hand.
She said, "What very curious
ring-it locks as though II had a his
tory" turning 1t for dlfferen: angles
and fumbllng at It as though she meant
to draw 1t off.
l said II had, and she asked me to
tnt bnr tni,o ~ nff o-j tr,, 10 c, nod
curled my fingers over hers to prevent
II, for hate to have people trying on
thy rings. So | shook my head and
replied, "That would break the SPELL"
She dropped my hand Instantly;
spid, Excuse Ine--l didn't know II was
that, though felt the speli--the occult
lnhuence--before l touched It. You
know think | felt II that first time
we met vixen we bought the slippers,
though l Gldn't see the ring. ! felt
something occult all around you. You
are Under the protection Of very pow
erful Influences"
We'll, Of course, I hadn't meant any.
thing so serious as that when / spoke,
but seeing that she was very much IN
earnest I let II pass and told her the
story Of the ring. It is a pleasantly
romantic tale, the curious escapes from
perlls and sudden deaths colncident to
the rings possession giving you the
feeling that It's lucky.
Mrs. Delario listened, and when !
had finished she burst out, "t'm mad
over gems--slmply mad It's been the
dream Of my life to own them In hand,
fuls. You can't Imagine the influence
they have over ME. could slng--l
could dance. They thrill me through
and through. People don't generally
think 1t, but gems are alive"
We had come discussion on this,
rather flippant on my part. and 1t was
this incident that started is talking
gems and germ values, subject that
had been my pet delight since child.
hood when ] learned the story Of the
ring that was one day to be my own.
A few days later che came to my
statrroofb with very mysterious air,
said she had some stones she would
like TO have me value for her, and pro-
dBced a package Of topazes. She said
she hsd bought thsp IN q little town