The Flaw in the Sapphire

artment of the publishers that his new marker did not manifest the sam

ush with the mien of one who considered his occupa

ncluded an address with Detroit in place of Duluth, the foreman was more than ever co

, the foreman thought, in view of his delinquen

id you this mornin' but yure head," and he poi

he said with blushing contrite

part, for Dennis had left not only his head beh

attention to the story, and more than once, in his agreeable preoccupation, had he noted an im

like the refrain of a popular ballad, invariably concluding

s were over, Dennis speeded to Baxter

ies, collars and all the accessories were offered in place of what

missing that he proceeded to his room, and after indulging in the luxury of one of the few genuine shirts which remained to him, he antic

a premature collision with social usage, Dennis obliged him

ed promising and offered a comfortable assurance that

was able to measure, with an approving glance, a p

bors, but to Dennis it seemed that it possessed an identity which w

e conservatory extended re

sly disposed electric lights within, which revealed to advanta

he dancing lights, Dennis presented himself "on th

epting his name in place of his card with an amiable lack of surpris

it out that the business of a florist must be a profitable one, and speculated, with wondering calculation

ad already canvassed his eligible points and was prepared t

with a musical swish that was suggestive of feminine approach, and the widow

ming to him in the park, she

inging white fabric, which shimmered the light with a thousand blending radiations a

s of frost upon frost, and this was fastened with a solitary pearl as chaste a

of Titian auburn, was superbly set

a dramatic climax or the goddess of reward, or denunciation, she seemed to Dennis, whose mytholo

is feet, and stood for a moment, offering, with his helpless

nother with even more self-possession and experience, uttered jus

wonder, at

of his lips and a shrewd intuition as to the rest which enabled the widow to realize what he h

s it that i

y his customary adroitness, was unable to do anythi

no wonder the manager wante

urged his exclamation and its explanation, "that is Irish, I am sure"; and with that Dennis

ir which supplied its fascinating occupant with a sort of solicitous support, which Dennis assured himself would b

e story first and reserve your catalogue as

produced a circular bundle, from w

tric cluster in a manner that enabled her to witness every

marked to advance him several leagues further in her good graces, Dennis, directing h

e swept aside the curta

pended by silken cords near the divan

was no

with the added vigor of h

sullen ech

en to the ante-room in which his faithful Sepoy had alwa

ured his mind; hi

mself against its depressing influence with all his custom

as de

to the passag

ible; an unearthly

y messenger has been too liberal with his n

away in the dim distance an animated

ble numbness and alar

along the walls and finally reached the a

and throat; he hastened to the carafe in w

was

forehead knotted; a sharp, strained look appeare

ge attracted his atten

a bluish discoloration surrounded the livid

ed their disproportion, considered th

his bloodshot eyes as he recalled the devilish craf

d! and by

fearful determination illumed his featur

rom the chair, looked with fearful purpose upon the curtains which disguised the entrance to the secret passageway from which he had emerged but a

ound of an alien a

ttered; 'the Scots, th

r the lively air

s palpitating veins a rhythmic, mocki

hed as though subjected to the

vitalize his palsied arm, and with a gasp that seemed to rend his tortured body, to the weird orchestration of that refrain which was destined in the near future to herald such

prince lurched forward, and his body collapsed into an attitud

his face, which he had clutched in his agony, and his el

r, of which he was the cen

without the gate; a clamo

resistance, had ceased their stirring strains

d a body of red-coated soldiers; but their adva

there was none to receive the detested intruders but t

warmed, through the door

appeared the turbaned head and

with the same impulse both came to a standstill, impressed by the unna

prince!' c

h had followed them to remain without, and placing a sergeant on g

oach of Ram Lal, nor the rapid

Ram Lal had assured himself of the presence of

r, as the latter approached to discov

, as he placed his hand, with careless f

continued, 'if his

date his head to the leaning position of

with an expression of desperate determination as the officer placed

hant directly above him, prepared to strike at the least indication of suspicion of the jacket and its priceless contents, the pair presented a

k about the body!' exclai

l crept

e toward the curtained doorway, on the other side of which the se

tect himself against ineq

he dead man's arm. 'Ha!' he cried, with an intonation which caused the officer

here is no need to look for further sign of life; his heart will beat no more. Th

on the hapless heir-apparent with a sort of bluff compassion, but he made no further attempt to pursu

urselves the honor of disposing the prince upon his bed'; and Ram Lal supporting the head a

Ram Lal, 'of composing the feat

of the long line of moghuls with a degree of deference that was the result of his military t

clutch of the distorted fingers, though not so distended, still pointe

been so vivid with the contentions of restraint an

sufficient for his ostensible purposes, approached the body, tore aside the delicate fabric, which covered the breast, and with surprising dexterity released the fastenings which h

murmured: 'This is more speedy, O prince, th

had issued with such desperate purpose, cast them ruthlessly aside, h

l cry re

all, rushed toward the entrance just as the merchant crossed its thr

sked Raikes as t

punished, the righteous rewarded, the maiden rescued.

on your consistency. But as usual your art is a bit too

oy; "perhaps I can clear u

al; I am interested to know if he retained it, to what use he put it. If it is inconsi

e to your request. There was a report that Ram Lal and his

the Strand in London, and that his description corresponded in so many points

ect since it relieves my mind on one point, at any rate. However, there

s for d

es

I cannot tell you to-night," replied t

e only way?"

he Sepoy a

kes, "but I must leave you now;

and made his way along the

his customary precautions for th

etail in its almost aboriginal readiness, it was not

his successful escape from the disturbing realities of the day

ated, for Robert, giving his admiring and somewhat incredulous attention to the alert

ment appeared in the m

s room, and was relieved to be able to assure himself

with the confirmation of a theory w

to provide him with the element of fascination, an

fore morning, of some interesting data which would make a startling addit

ur to a wholly sensible man and the first which would be likely

abstruse reasonings was his safeguard a

during the night which would be illuminative, but he could not b

would witness; in fact, he would be a necessary

introduced, the young man developed a clandestine emotion of weird anticip

ating silence, and when an hour had passed in this spiritless fashion Robert wa

nevertheless followed the detective with confiding docility, and the pair

airway which they had just traversed, and which opened upon

chill floor and presently paused by the mai

ourse which Robert was expected to pursue, and in the recess cr

pitch

tion was only maintained by the reassuring pressure of the

nquire in a whisper what it was

puzzle," replied the

ef?" ask

further questions; you will be treated to the surprise o

faint click of a door-latch was borne to their ears fr

igure vaguely shadowed its grotesque disproportion on the walls just be

floor and moved in th

aised in the air at about the height of a man's f

Robert as the strange fig

e detective; "not a word or

miserable countenance of the mise

betray all the miserly emotions and mean parsim

nely apart with an absu

ith the most unnatural expression or lack of it tha

o all sorts of uncommon spectacles, could

d the other held some sort of round objec

new that the young man had discovered what t

anvas bags from the

ncle paused, like a speculative phantom,

as which the painter has roughly outlined, was suggesti

id genius and the stimulation of his unnatural surround

the inscrutable determination to fulfill some strange obligation, enforced by what influence or mor

in the unaware executi

ding himself by the touch of his hand in order to locate his lips as cl

ambul

Gratz-"worse

ert could find nothing to correspond to this inexplicable phenomenon; and it was with a sort of superstitious distracti

d of coals and began to unfasten the cord which

but unseeing; nor so frightful as his motions, direct but unintelligen

edulous Robert beheld his uncle invert his precious burden

d had penetrated in some degr

his original apathy as, with a sigh of helpless impersonality, he began to collect, with a silly, childish selection, as if to balance, by the

sessing himself of the candle, turned wearily

with the doorway at the top of the cellar stairs, the

s, "not a word-not a sound from this moment. We

nstructions were understood and would be obeyed, and in a silence through which he fe

ctacle which he had just witnessed, and the grim expectation of something untoward still to come, that Robert was prepared t

wonder how any normal human being could adopt a profession which embraced all these cheerless handicaps

on of a disease, and that his silent companion was a desper

slight impulse toward the opposite end of the cellar, and Robert, in

lops, glancing in a ghastly, bodiless way, from object to object, an

e means of support or guidance, caused the young man's flesh to

ssful narrator, Robert was certainly in a w

rtainty, knew that he gazed upon the disk of a dark lantern which, exposing all els

efinite purpose, the figure at last

thither upon the floor, and finally, with unerring p

claimed

was the unmistakable accent of ce

sent its rays upon the treasure, and the unknown began to collect th

iselessly, at the same time he recognized the inti

itions when he heard a sharp, metallic snap, and beheld

ick clink of scattering coin, and the next ins

!" crie

s the

that of Gratz; "hands up, or you are a dead man. There are fiv

on the gleaming barrel of a pistol which was advancing into the light, recogni

!" call

rembling, hurrie

hand in my coat pocket; you'll find a pai

red instructions, and withdrew a set of handcuffs, gapi

gentleman," continued the relentless

managed to obey

e Sepoy, embraced his wrists with the

ed on Bosom No

succession of incidents, had spurred his enunciatio

ar legend at the bottom of the bosom, his expression, vivid with all these communicated emotions, was duplicated in the sweet, absorbed face of his bewitchi

ading, he was transported along the highway of

ing witchery with the dreamful enjoyment of the

best of terms with some

series of events developed to its c

o all these auspices warned him not to be too prodigal with his privileges; so, with an effort, the stress of which comm

ing his undemonstrative deference, which, in the cynical atmosphere to which she was habituated,

you thinking

ancingly from the Cupid's bow of a mouth. He had not been so ceremoniously addressed since he knew not when, and never realiz

t encouraged by her smiling invitation he stammered-"how beautiful you are!" and added to him

enjoyment of this unstudied situation and f

d Dennis. Then with an unreflective inspiration:

s the appreh

he chivalry of this idyllic indiscretion, "when I look at y

the interval the lady did not laugh,

a stran

e, have I offended? I would

d the widow, "and I believe

es despite the danger signals of conventionality, and with a diplomacy born of his native good sense, he glided, with cheerful Celtic

of his mobile countenance seemed to escape, "it is

quisite woman, and constituted by nature, if not by past association, to acc

anything about flowers. I can't tell you, even,

emedied," his listener re

bout," continued Dennis. "You can

ed," answere

resumed Dennis. "I have just one way of doing

ple," exclaimed his companion

nswered Dennis, "an' it don't

," answered the wido

from you very much. Would you

cried

ponded his companion

resent employer. But I can tell him to look out for somebody else right a

red the widow; "but you have not a

piration of such an association would be a perquisite which, other thi

eek and your board satis

breath and pictu

tion of a barkeeper-would it satisfy him? However, he managed to sa

ul womanly qualities and caused Dennis to wonder at the graceful alternation of the one with the other. "Now as to board: In the re

has already been notified through my attorney, an

end my purpose; it is so different from what he exp

Dennis boldly, "if I ma

the widow, remarki

ng array of details surrounding the death of the ?sthetic

ried the widow a

Jess

darkened the lovely features before him, but his companion looked into

in glancing away for an instant to reassemble himself, so to speak, his eye

as sta

tical good sense to realize that he had exceeded the limits of good tast

d him with genial tact by asking: "And what about b

nnis, brightening,

y evening suit?" s

hat must elapse between the delightful present and the evening appointed embodied his views of a brief

the meantime," and the widow received the remaining bosoms from Dennis with an extravagant show of gravity, which caused them

d, which Dennis received with an unmistakable indic

ood-by!" and added to himself, with a fervor which conveyed som

e saints pr