t she stared at it with expanding eyes, then gave a
little shriek of rapture and flung herself into his arms, the child
he had married.

"Is it true? But true? Shall I wear this wonderful thing? The women will
die of jealousy. I shall feel like an empress--but more, more, I shall
wear this lovely thing--I, I, Helene Ruyler, born Perrin, who never had a
franc in her pocket in Rouen! Price! Have you changed your mind--but no!
I cannot believe it."

That was it then! He watched her mobile face sharply. It expressed
nothing but the excited rapture of a very young woman over a magnificent
toy. There was none of the morbid feverish passion he had dreadfully
anticipated. His spirits felt lighter, although he sighed that a bauble,
even if it were one of the finest of its kind in the world, should have
projected its sinister shadow between them. It had a wicked history. But
Helene saw no shadows. She held it up to the light, peered into it as it
lay half concealed in the cup of her slender white hands, fondled it
against her cheek, hung the chain about her neck.

"How I have dreamed of it," she murmured. "How did you come to change
your mind?"

"I thought it a pity such a fine jewel should live forever in a safe; and
it will become you above all women. Nature must have had you in her eye
when she designed the ruby. I had a sudden vision ... and made up my mind
that you should wear it the first time I was able to take you to a party.
I must keep the letter of my promise."

"And I can only wear it when you are with me?"

"I am afraid so."

"I'm you, if there is anything in the marriage ceremony." Then she kissed
him impulsively. "But I won't be a little pig. And I can tell everybody
between now and the Thornton fete that I am going to wear it, and I can
think and dream of my triumph meanwhile. But why didn't you let me know
you were down? It is Sunday, our only day. I overslept shockingly. I
didn't get home till two."

"Two? Do you dance until two every night?"

"What else? They lead such a purposeless life out here. We sometimes have
classes--but they don't last long. I have almost forgotten that I once
had a serious mind. But what would you? It is either society or suffrage.
I won't be as serious as that yet. I mean to be young--but young! for
five more years. Then I shall become a 'leader,' or vote for the
President, or ride on a float in a suffrage parade dressed as the Goddess
of Liberty, with my hair down."

He