Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-03-26
CHAPTER

IT HAVE SAID that James. first
owner Of the Camden ruby. was q
sick man when he returned from
Jerusalem. He had gone to that far
country. a young man. a man in his
prime, and when he came back to
his castle. after a few years. his hair
was tinged with gray. and his eyes
were those Of an old man
HE brooded over the death OF
Gwladys, his beloved. And year
later he died. not violent death. but
O peaceful one. His brother, John, a
younger brother, no more than boy
when the call Of the Crusades had
gone out. became Lord Of Camden.
Nov. John had heard tales of the
great ruby. He had not himself seen
It, because James had quickly taken
It after Gwladys was found dead.
But there were knights who had
seen It glowing in Gwladys' hand,
and had murmured about it. So John
knew about it He searched the
castle for it day and night, thinking
that his brother had hidden it some
place. It was not in any Of the
strong boxes. For years he searched
for 1t. while other men were starting
out on a fresh Crusade to the east.
He saw his young son. mere
baby, take a banner and leave on the
Children's Crusade. without a muir
muir. John was married. and two
sons had been born to him, one. who
was never named. the boy who
bravely set out with other children to
show Jerusalem the light: another
Rolf, who figures later in this story.
Rolf was the younger not yet born
when James died.
Years passed. and still the ruby
was not found. At last an old man.
John desecrated the graves of his
brother James and Gwladys in his
search. He found the ruby at last.
In Gwladys' grave.
"John had a sweetheart-we don't
know her name 1t has been lost in
the ages somewhere. But gleefully
he brought the stone to her. It was
more beautiful than ever. blood-red
gem. Johns hair was white. his
shoulders stopped and bent; she was
young. handsome. She had heard
tales Of the ruby since she was
child in the castle Of Camden. At
last It was hers. It was she who had
suggested as last possibility that
the graves Of James and Gwladys
might hold the jewel.
"She put It around her neck. saw
the crimson shadow it cast on her
white skin. She was content. John
would have to search no longer.
I'm the morning when her maids
came in to awaken her. they found
her quite dead. the ruby clutched in
her fingers. much the way Gwladys
had held it.
"Once more the castle was in
mourning. John was Frustrated. He
began to believe the wicked stories
of the murder stone. Gwladys had
died. Now this woman whom he
loved He locked the stone up in his
strong chest. and set a guard by it
night and day. No one must handle
the jewel
'Soon John himself died and Rolf
was master Of the castle Of Camden.
Rolf. when he went through the
strong chest, found a great deal of
gold. an abundance Of jewels. At the
bottom wrapped in a bit Of parch-
ment inscribed with Latin was the
ruby. Rolf could only write his
name, so he summoned a scholar who
could translate the letters which
meant nothing to him. The scribe
told him what they meant John had
not written them himself. One of
the scholars in his castle had penned
the note at Johns dctation.
Il DO not have the note. but this
is the substance: John willed the
ruby to his son. Rolf. on condition
that the stone was to remain in the