The Flaw in the Sapphire

n arranging to retire the night before, he awoke with considerable astonis

and a feeling of insecurity attending his first efforts to stand

his accustomed furtive regard of things, he was suddenly reminded by the s

ed his recent visits to the secret recess ret

negations, and revolved the button in the concave. In response, the false register swung

losed his eyes, and when he opened them again they rested, with unerring precision, upon a bag somewhat detached from the othe

, and dropped it with a groan to the floor, where it fell with a heart-breaking, distrac

ing in his countenance, which was illumed for one fitful moment with a ray of hope as he inserted his hand in his waistc

amond-

ll some conso

ion to his loss. If there was no gain ther

fingers found on

iction and awaits in fearful silence the grewsome confirmation of another, he stood without

ers leaped from their futile search, like scotched reptiles, into the opposite pocket a

, a flickering effort of his shriveled fingers to adjust themselves to some ribald rh

name it w

ixteen y

very lar

nbacks

uri-li

ld, unfastened the locks, removed the heavy bar, opened the door, and cried out in a voice t

ollapse to the floor, and lay there-shriveled, grotesque, in no way pathetic, in all points contemptible, as hi

t followed Raikes lay oblivious to

ciated man to his suspended consciousness, until, toward the morning of the fourth day, the spinster, who sat near-by in weary vigil, was startled to behold the d

quired with anxi

in lips of the suf

ng over the unfortunate Raikes, heard

est, and when the last difficult swallow conveyed the refreshing draught along

it was evident that some transformation, more wholesome than su

id well-being seemed to have replaced the hunger of her eyes; there was a vague

sharp eyes would discover them, the spinster recalled, with a s

ted by the amused Sepoy, the poor woman had enjoyed the privileges of the table

ther, the spinster had supplied the cravings of her appetite with a gusto that was a revelatio

and a qualified delight she heard her

of the name, his sister hastened to recount to him the i

o resume its abandoned functions, and at

rt?" he said.

exclaimed his sister, and

a cheerfulness he was far from feeling as he witn

Raikes, with a feeble attempt at his customary inciv

y the spinster, which provided his uncle an unobstructed view of the embonpoint and

weakly, "move the bed around so tha

Robert did as

n that moves the valves

to his astonishment and the miser's consternati

d neglected to spring the catch that held the radiator on the occasion of the mishap whi

eplied

his treasury had been thus unguarded during h

ne by one, and deposi

with anxious notation, a sigh of unutterable rel

had been

weight assured him that his nocturnal visito

nephew seated himself near the bedside, "it has been my purpose to conceal

s to that recess and helped hi

ual precautions taken by him to secure his room from intrusion,

s hiding place, extract the plunder, restore the locks to their original condition, and re-issue into the passageway without disturbing the latches or the c

onfidences as features of the unhappy man's condition, but as the latter progressed, with a con

s? Is it not worthy of a Poe or a Maupassant? I tell you, I m

s mind, stimulated by the eerie perplexitie

f any of his own speculations; the nearness of the calamit

s intelligence was apt and rapid, but these unheard-of compl

roceeded, Robert had been able to develop

e feverish questions of hi

der such conditions we take counsel of our prejudices instead of our judgment. Your thoughts are apt to return to the central feature of yo

it awakens lead to nothing. However, I should not regard the cas

iverted, if not convinced, by the

d of Gratz?" i

secret s

es

e case to him means another in the sec

t," returned Robert. "Do yo

es n

lso remember the Belmont scandal. Gra

suggestions; they encourage me and alarm

bert exclaimed with some warmth: "Yes, but think, also, how insignific

ated Raikes wi

ointed chief of the bureau to which he belongs. Whatever can be placed to his

ed to undertake the case with this prosp

ted Raikes, "ca

"I know him very well. If you will consent to lea

s killing suspense. I do not believe that I could endure a repetition of the incidents of the las

ing-room he discovered his aunt at

s own table, and from that point of observation occupied himself, during the next twe

th still suggestive of restrained sarcasm in their dull, red sheaths, as, with grave courtesy, he made himself agreeabl

domestic Argus had made her cravings more equable, and she accepted the edible suggestions o

sure she could assume, would have added the basis of a serious relap

y the poor creature evinced t

int of a possible filling out of the crevices of her countenance, and her eyes certai

ew, was thoroughly enjoyed with a sort of chu

him to provide whatever nourishment was needed,

ent of her room, surrendered herself to the enjoyment of remi

was chara

like any normally constituted being, he assured his m

sickness was more the result o

ave the credit o

t of his condition, and presently had managed to convince himself that if he did n

he deep fissures in his forehead established a communication with the obstinate wrinkles at the root of his nose, and by noon he was well

w as additional indorsement when the latter made his appearance that evening, accompanied by the col

uld have been created for the purpose

pon which to delineate almost anything in the range of emot

er subordinate, and as devoid of physiognomical me

me amount of charac

seismic disturbance might awaken so

, two points of concentrated fire and ceaseless animation glea

was adjusted

ible agility and recuperative strength it housed,

oked in any gathering, and was almost nondescript enough

ed up quickly at the first appearance of the detective, and had seen the sharp

nness of the famous of

evidences of repletion which he viewed with

sible for fabric to be, and considered with his meager physique and vacant physiognomy, was a fitting complement to

his descendant of Lecocq accosted his patron, and with business-like brevity indicated that he was already familiar with th

he was entirely at the d

concentration, the

ct anybody in

N

ask why? Under such circumstances the mind g

almost. I will have to explain how it is possible for any one to enter this room, penetrate that recess, make

after a moment's reflection, he inquired:

elf," answe

iately below, its lack of vicinity to other windows, and last, the strong fastenings, to disturb wh

passive as ever, he retu

the hidin

in the concave, which he moved with slow manipulation for the edification of the alert watcher, who witness

e the

being produced a small rod of steel from one of his

ls of the inner recess, a proceeding

ied Gratz, "if there is any

eplied Raikes. "This is a false radiator, th

e backs up against nearly t

cupied by one no more burglarious

is helpful, but I am never satisfied to rely u

not want disturbed, so all the doubts they dissipate

rpose than to retire from an embarrassing position with some sho

xtraordinary keys which Raikes had given him. He shot the bolts backward and forward; noted the

ew moment

you between sunrise and suns

of petty detail, which had no p

ed this meager résu

me about t

tions; the watch of his sister upon the doorway during

red Gratz. "Why do

ion, his bright eyes, and his gene

as carefully as yo

uire: "Why do you ask about him so particularly? He could no more enter

ave just said that you visit this Sepoy, as you call him, with some deg

ot," repl

ing look of inquiry in the count

orate to confine to one sitting, and my purpose in re-visiting him was to g

to relating it to

ospect of the extended effort which this

ate, if your story is more mysterious than the predi

ents which usually precede a protracted campaign, Raik

is first conscious effort to review the weird recital of the

he had reached the climax in the first division of his effort his hearers were interested enough to ha

pt terminations had upon him, Raikes contrived his irritating pauses with remorseless enjoyment an

r of eleven, which enabled him to develop the narr

his hearers were in possession of all he knew, "and now will you kindly tel

ng the question of the narrator: "Will you give me the keys of this building you occupy, and in

," replied Raikes w

ested Gratz with emotionless directness of

responde

you can sleep in peace to-night, and bolt your doors with all the assura

you to guide me for a short while, and as

es good-night and departed from the room, which th

ion of the detective he retired, after indicating to this curious official that when he had c

nce on the ensuing morning, Rober

on a fragile raft in the m

he rode the waters so insecurely began to disintegr

uting at intervals with what vim remained, in an attempt to a

og-horn sent forth a heavy blast seaward p

e planned the intervals, he was bound

more stentorian than the others, caused the very tempest to hush, and Robert awoke to discover Gratz the cause of his fictitious misery, sleeping upon

hich the most diplomatic must submit at times, his countenance, so imp

in rigid partnership; there was a hint of purpose in the solitary wrinkle which corr

emotions, concealed during the

cant mien and colorless repose, in him expr

ned partly by the sounds of rising and partly by his tumult of snores, and in an ins

inquired

t," replied Grat

, then?" demanded R

ion me further just now. I want

he closed door leading to the apartment occupied by Raike

aps, he opened the d

s?" deman

ll not communicate it to yo

aikes with manife

ace of the other, "at that time I fancy that I shall not on

him, then?"

ratz. "Unless I am serious

ted Raikes i

hear the conclusion of that remar

es, "I have already

doubtless oblige you with the balance. Arrange with him at breakfast-time for

began

d Gratz impressively. "It may be use

ed Raikes. "I will

ou that if a living soul learns of my presen

tand," sa

" added

Raikes prepared to make his

, and by the time Raikes presented himself she had managed to bestow a couple of furtive biscuits in her po

t she was at liberty to begin, the spinster obediently proceede

ing which had resulted from her recent regimen, she welcomed with genuine rel

Sepoy, "you have had q

im humor: "My physician has recommended a little diversion, an

hat?" aske

ar the conclusion of the story, for I judge, from the pr

mber?" exclai

y!" repli

ther. "Come at ten and I will gat

eatment to which he had subjected himself, and this, together with the prospect of the recovery of his

exhausting his mind with futile speculations as to the manner of its application to the unnatural conditions which distressed him so, Raikes at last c

g his recent guilty appropriation of the diamond, and a degree of confusion, which he could not entirely

h a brilliant to look upon during the progress of the story-an omission tha

ich he found it impossible to resist, and the Sepoy, with all the modulated lights and shadows of a

esting tale will be found on

eyes of unclouded blue, vivid with interest an

elieved that she discovered a shadow of vexati

it?" sh

question could refer to anything else than the habitual disa

ies C-an' it's me here an' Series C in Baxter Street

a subtle intimation in her manner that she did not consider the inconvenient termination such

ear the rest?" as

nuation of disappointed expectation that seemed to place the respons

d a hint, and Dennis, when he realized that the lady understood that the continuation of the tale involved a subsequent read

r equally convinced that his reception of the message was accredited to him,

ng about flowers?"

r," replied Dennis with a twinkle in his eye, to whi

lowers?" a

ady with a slight return

hs ago I was

moderate amount of life insurance,

s a fl

cated in the heart of a

e élite in this section which my husband

ng, for he added refinement to refinement until he be

ome of the tendrils he cultivated with s

us disturbance, and he could no more endure disproportionate and sharp distin

er his room with a deli

nd the upholstering was a delicate cretonn

y a border of deeper blue, lightly empha

that the dickey backs had been permitted to fall unregarded to the ground, and their printed extravagances, by contrast with this unusual reci

ected package arrived during my

y husband into a convulsion of delight which ended in a stupor so replete that we were able only to rest

owed the narration of this last episode he inquired, with the appreciative hesitation of one

d of flowers

e lady; "and we were never a

in pathological records, but that the contributing causes were different and that my husb

hat to deprive the invalid of his floral diversions would

be done than to surround the sufferer with placid considerations and neutral odors, and intimat

r his step seemed to be almost devoid of specific gravity-so I repeat, one day, as he wafted to the room in which he usually exper

uded, I proceeded in the di

ng fragrance which seemed to pervade and invite the c

ognized this pungent d

m should he inhale anything so t

nt in the conservatory, and as I placed my hand upon the door-latch leading to the section wher

the door, and there, a few feet

ied to

hich sometimes comes with death, was as serene as a lily, a

was

ty and criminal intent, were various clusters of

imed Dennis. "W

widow. "It almost equals

. "I don't know that I care to read the balance of

widow; "but you can judge

low me c

ssed a word for the world, and gazed upon the sweet-faced narr

the patronage is

lent to an embarrassment of riches on the one han

s attempted not to appe

a partner in the business; but his proposition is handicapped by the ch

oposal of marriage is an equivalent for

forts, Dennis

miled and

ince. Its suddenness surprised a plan whi

rmitted the manager to believe that I was impressed with

s with genuine Irish impulse

in. "Wait," she urg

ly personally obnoxious to me, but I fear th

s, and I now have a strong legal grip upon the situation, which enable

se and address to succeed him. And now," she added with a sim

key Series C, and come with it to this addre

t our minds at rest on that point, I will give myself the pleasure of listening to whatever r

an absurd pantomime of punching himself,

at the interview was at an end, and as she turned to

f attitude and demeanor, cheerily responded with a query

a duck