have supplied any lack of merriment on the part
of the other guests if it had been necessary. But it was not.

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE GAUNTLET BRACELETS.

No man with any wisdom whatever thinks of returning from a journey
without gladdening all the feminine hearts in his sphere with goodly
presents. Mellen had by no means forgotten his duty in this respect. He
had brought all sorts of curious Chinese ornaments, wonderful pagodas
for glove boxes, scented sandal wood repositories for laces, exquisitely
carved ivory boxes, and such costly trifles, which kept Elsie in perfect
shrieks of delight during the first glow of possession. He had also
brought stores of valuable ornaments which had once belonged to wealthy
Mexican families, their value increased by the quaint, old time setting,
and the romance connected with them; and Elsie consumed hours in
adorning herself with them, laughing at her own fantastic appearance,
and dancing about like a regular Queen Mab.

Among these presents were a pair of very valuable bracelets, made after
a fashion prevalent in Spain two hundred years ago--you may see such
things even now preserved among the old Castilian grandees, to be kept
through all changes of time and fortune, aired on festive occasions
only, and at last, if parted with at all, left in a fit of devotion
before some Catholic shrine, as a bribe for some Heavenly privilege.

When Louis XIV. was a youth and in love with Marie Mencini, he once
offended her mortally by bestowing a similar bracelet upon a young
stranger at the court. I dare wager it required a whole set of jewels to
put the haughty Marie in good humor and satisfy her Italian cupidity.

These bracelets Mellen brought with him, and gave one to his wife, the
other to Elsie. They were made of a gauntlet-shaped piece of gold,
widening at the back of the wrist, and covered with delicate chasing;
the gold was so fine and pure that they were supple as a bit of kid. A
double row of pearls and emeralds ran about the edge, and the clasps
were of large diamonds, arranged in the shape of a shield.

The jewels were exceeding valuable, though to anybody possessing the
least fancy, that made their least charm; they were ornaments that had
undoubtedly owned a history, and one might have woven a thousand
romances concerning the lives of those who had once worn them--that is,
one who is not ashamed of being a dreamer in this rushing, practical
age.

These were the last