kindly, worn old soul, and he rose quickly. As he
gained his feet that amazing chair behaved in a manner wholly unusual
and startling; relieved of strain, the springs snapped and whined,
there was a violent oscillation of the back, a shudder convulsed the
thing, and it sprang after him, much as a tame rabbit thumps its feet
upon the ground in an effort to bluff a kitten.

The volunteer salesman spread out his dazzling wares upon the patchwork
counterpane, then stepped back to observe the effect. Ma Briskow's
hands fluttered toward the gems, then reclasped themselves in her lap;
she bent closer and regarded them fixedly. The Juno-like daughter also
stared down at the display with fascination.

After a moment Allegheny spoke, and her speaking voice was in pleasing
contrast to the nasal notes of that interrupted song. "Are them _real_
di'mon's?" she queried, darkly.

"Oh yes! And most of them are of very fine quality."

"Pa never told us a word," breathed the mother. "He's _allus_ up to
some trick."

"Please examine them. I want you to look them all over," Gray urged.

Mrs. Briskow acted upon this invitation only after she had dried her
hands, and then with trepidation. Gingerly, reverently she removed a
ring from its resting place and held it up to the light. "My! Ain't it
sparkly?" she gasped, after an ecstatic pause.

Again the girl spoke, her eyes fixed defiantly upon Gray. "You could
fool us easy, 'cause we never saw _real_ di'mon's. We've allus been too
pore."

The man nodded. "I hope you're not disappointed in them and I hope you
are going to see and to own a great many finer ones.

"We've never seen noth--anything, nor been anywhere, yet." It was Mrs.
Briskow speaking. "But we're goin'. We're goin' lots of places and
we're goin' to see everything wuth seein', so Pa says. Anyhow, the
children is. First off, Pa's goin' to take us to the mountains." The
mother faced the visitor at this announcement and for a moment she
appeared to be gazing at a vision, for her wrinkled countenance was
glorified. "You've seen 'em, haven't you, mister?"

"Mountains? A great many."

Allegheny broke in: "I dunno's these di'mon's is just what _I_ expected
'em to be. They are and--they ain't. I'm kind of disapp'inted."

Gray smiled. "That is true of most things that we anticipate or aspire
to. It's the tragedy of accomplishment--to find that our rewards are
never quite up to our expectations."

"Do they cost much?"

"Oh,