The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-11-15
To FLAMING, 60
s. JEWEL; F. 81
M By ROBERT W CHAMBERS

Jewels INTO one mana - ulleu tHe
pocket of his trousers. caught up
every stray stone and pocketed them.
you gendarme," he cried in a
menacing voice, you think you
shall follow in my track. Yes? I
blow your damn head off If you stir
before the hour After that
well. follow and be damnP'
Even as he spoke he stepped out
side and slammed the door; and
Darragh and Stormont leaped for 1t.
Then the loud defamation of Quin-
tana's rifle was echoed by the spin
tering rip of bullets tearing through
the closed door; and both men halted
IN the face of the leaden hail.
Eve ran to the pantry window
and saw Quintana in somebody's
stolen lumbersledge, lash a big pair
Of horses to gallop and go floun-
dering past into the Ghost Lake road.
AS he sped by in a whirl of snow
he fired five times at the house, then,
rising and swinging his whip, he
fogged the frantic horses into the
woods.
In the dining room, Stormont, red
with rage and shame, and having
found his rifle in the corridor outside
Ewes bedroom, was trying to open
the shutters for a shot; and Darragh,
empty-handed. searched the house
frantically for a weapon.
Eve. terribly excited. came from the
pantry:
Hes goneT' she cried furiously.
He's in somebody's lumber-sledge
with a pair Of horses and he's drtv-
ing west like the devilr'
Stormont ran to the tap-room tele-
phone, cranked It, and warned the
constabulary at Five Lakes.
Good GodP' he exclaimed. turning
to Darragh, scarlet with modification,
what a CHASTITY businessl I never
dreamed he was within miles Of
Cnnch'sl It's the most shameful
thing that ever happened to me"
What could anybody do under that
rifie?" said Eve holly. THAT beast
would have murdered the first per-
son who stirredF'
Darragh. exasperated and dread
fully Inundated. looked miserably at
his brand-new wife.
Eve and Stormont also looked at
her. She had come forward from the
rear OF the stairway where Quintana
har brutality driven her. Now she
stood with one hand on the empty
leather jewel case, looking at every
body out of pretty. bewildered eyes.
To Darragh, in a perplexed, I'M
steady voice: rs It the same bandit
who robbed US before?"
Yes; Quintana." he said wretched-
~. Rage began to redden his fea-
lures. "Ricca.' he said. 1T promised
I'd find your Jewels prom
Use you again that I'll never drop this
business until your gems-and the
Flaming Jewel-are in your posses
sion"
But, Jim"
L swear it, he exclaimed violently.
I'm not such a stupid fool as I
seem"
"DearI' she protested excitedly.
you have done what you promised.
My gems are in my possession-r be-
Heve-"
She caught up the emblazored case.
stripped out the first tray. then the
second. and flung them aside. Then,
searching with the delicate tip or her
foreinger in the empty case. she sud
denly pressed the bottom hard
thumb. middle finger and littls finger
forming the three apexes of an equi-
lateral triangle.
There came a clear. tiny sound like
the ringing Of the alarm in a repeat
ing watch. Very gently the false bot
tom OF the case detached itself and
came away in the palm of Their hand
And there. each embedded in It's own
shaped compartment Of channels. lay
the Esthonian jewels-ths true ones
deep hidden, always doubly guarded
by two sets OF perfect limitations lin
ing the two visible trays above.
And, in the center, biased the
Erosite gem-the magnificent Flam-
ing Jewel, glory OF living, binding
fire
Nobody stirred or spoke. Darragh
blinked at the crystalline blaze as
though stunned.
Then the young girl who had once
been Her Serene Highness Theo-
dorica. Grand Duchess Of Esthonia,
looked up at her brand-new husband
and laughed.
did you really suppose It was these