sciousness lest her slightest movement might betray
her. She only moved her eyes to look up at him questioningly, suspending
acknowledgment of what he meant until he should further commit himself.

"I mean the sapphire," he said. He waited.

"Yes," she answered coolly. "I saw that it interested you last night,
but I couldn't think especially why. It's a beautiful stone."

He laughed without a sound--shook noiselessly for a minute. "Meaning
that a gentleman shouldn't pounce upon any beautiful stone he may happen
to see?" He got up and moved about restlessly in the little space
between their two chairs. "Quite so; lay it to my being more than a
gentleman; lay it to my being a crack-brained enthusiast, a confounded
beauty worshiper, a vicious curio dealer, an ill-mannered ass! But"--and
he flashed around at her with a snap of his nervous fingers--"where did
you get it?"

For the life of her she couldn't help her wave of color, but through it
all she clung to her festal smile. Sheer nervousness made it easy.

"Well, suppose it was begged, borrowed, or--given to me? Suppose it came
from here or far away yonder? What's that to do with its beauty?" She
gave him question for question. "Did you ever see it before?"

He never left off looking at her, looking at her with a hard inquiry, as
if she were some simple puzzle that he unaccountably failed to solve.

"That's rather neat, the way you dodge me," he said, dodging in his
turn. "But I don't see it _now_. You're not wearing it?"

She played indifference with what a beating heart! "Oh, I only wear it
off and on."

"Off and on!" His voice suddenly rang at her. "Off and on! Why, my good
woman, it's just two days you could have worn it at all!"

She stood up--stood facing him. For a moment she knew nothing except
that her horrible idea was a fact. She had the eye of the Crew Idol, and
this man knew it! Yet the fact declared gave her courage. She could face
his accusal if only he could give the reason for it. But after a moment,
while they looked silently at each other, she saw he was not accusing
her. He was threatening her and beseeching her indulgence in the same
look. He opened his lips, hesitated, turned sharp about and walked away
from her.

She watched him with increasing doubt. After saying so much, was he
going to say nothing more? She had a feeling that she had not heard the
worst yet, and when he turned back to her from the other end of the room
there was some