pledged that day to a little Grand Duchess in rags, he had fulfilled to
the letter within the hour.

As the false dawn began to fade, he loosened hunting coat and cartridge
sling, drew from his shirt-bosom the morocco case. It bore the arms and
crest of the Grand Duchess Theodorica of Esthonia.

His fingers trembled slightly as he pressed the jewelled spring. It
opened on an empty casket.

In the sudden shock of horror and astonishment, his convulsive clutch on
the spring started a tiny bell ringing. Then, under his very nose, the
empty tray slid aside revealing another tray underneath, set solidly
with brilliants. A rainbow glitter streamed from the unset gems in the
silken tray. Like an incredulous child he touched them. They were
magnificently real.

In the centre lay blazing the great Erosite gem, -- the Flaming Jewel
itself. Priceless diamonds, sapphires, emeralds ringed it. In his
hands he held nearly four millions of dollars.

Gingerly he balanced the emblazoned case, fascinated. Then he replaced
the empty tray, closed the box, thrust it into the bosom of his flannel
shirt and buttoned it in.

Now there was little more for this excited young man to do. He was
through with Clinch. Hal Smith, hold-up man and dish-washer at Clinch's
Dump, had ended his career. The time had now arrived for him to vanish
and make room for James Darragh.

Because there still remained a very agreeable role for Darragh to play.
and he meant to eat it up -- as Broadway has it.

For by this time the Grand Duchess of Esthonia -- Ricca, as she was
called by her companion, Valentine, the pretty Countess Orloff-Strelwitz
-- must have arrived in New York.

At the big hunting lodge of the late Henry Harrod -- now inherited by
Darragh -- there might be a letter -- perhaps a telegram -- the cue for
Hal Smith to vanish and for James Darragh to enter, play his brief but
glittering part, and----

Darragh's sequence of pleasing meditations halted abruptly. ... To walk
out of the life of the little Grand Duchess did not seem to suit his
ideas -- indefinite and hazy as they were, so far.

He lifted the bridle from the horse's neck, divided curb and snaffle
thoughtfully, touched the splendid animal with heel and knee.

As he cantered on into the wide forest road that led to his late uncle's
abode, curiosity led him to wheel into a narrower trail running east
along Star Pond, and from whence he could make a farewell view of
Cli