ight place in the
forehead of the Crew Idol, crowning him with living light.

Speechless they looked together at the magic thing. They had thought it
far at sea; and as if at a wave of a genii's wand it was here before
them flashing in the quiet garden.

With an effort Chatworth seemed to keep himself from seizing on ring and
man together. He looked searchingly at the goldsmith and seemed on the
point of asking a question, but, instead, he slowly held out his hand.
He held it out cup-fashion. It shook so that Flora saw the Chinaman
steady it to drop in the ring. Then, folding his check miraculously
small, enveloping it in the ragged piece of newspaper, the little man
turned and shuffled from them down the gravel walk.

Chatworth stood staring after him with his Idol in his palm. Then,
turning slow eyes to Flora, "How did he come by this?" he asked, as
sternly as if he demanded it of the mystery itself.

"He had it, from the very first." The pieces of the puzzle were flashing
together in Flora's mind. "That first time Harry left the exhibit he
took it there."

"But the blue sapphire?" Chatworth insisted.

"Harry," Flora whispered, "Harry gave it up to him."

"Gave it up to him!" Chatworth echoed in scorn.

But she had had an inspiration of understanding. "He had to--for money
to get off with. He gave Clara all he had so that she would let him get
away. Poor thing!" she added in a lower breath, but Chatworth did not
hear her. He had taken the Idol in his thumb and finger, and, holding it
up in the broadening light, looked fixedly at it with the passionate
incredulity with which one might hold and look at a friend thought dead.
She watched him with her jealous pang increasing to a greater feeling--a
feeling of being separated from him by this jewel which he loved, and
which had grown to seem hateful to her, which had shown itself a breeder
of all the greedy passions. She came softly up to him, and, lifting her
hand, covered the Idol.

He turned toward her in wonder.

"Ah, you love it too much," she whispered.

"That's unworthy of you," he reproached her. "I have loved you more; and
that in spite of what I believed of you, and what this means to me. To
me, this ring is not a pretty thing seen yesterday. It is the symbol of
my family. It is the power and pride of us, which our women have worn on
their hands as they have worn our honor in their hearts. It is part of
the life of my people and now it has made itsel