Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STRANGER pearls. And here’s a yellow diamond that would make a good many mouths water. And here’s the White King. Look at that, will you?” It was a great diamond, an unspeakably brilliant pool of light. ‘‘ Oh, they’ve chopped heads off for that boy!”” went on Logan, chuckling. ‘“ And he’s worth all the heads. A diamond like that isn’t for sale. Only a swine can sell a jewel like that. For my part, I should have made it a part of my religion. It should never have left me. But—let that go!” He dropped one or two more lesser jewels into her hands and then two sapphires. ‘The Hindoos call ’em the Twin Heavens,’”” went on Logan. ‘ And I sup- pose we'll all agree that the names will do to fit °em. Good gad, what a blue! And what size! Well, let’s skip over them and get on to the next.” It was a blazing ruby, a red giant full of fires. It made the diamond and the sap- phires and the clustering smaller stones in- Significant in contrast with its wonderful color. “That’s the Blood of the Prophet—or a long Arabic name which means about that. It’s not worth as much cash as the White King, but I’d give it a spare hour by way of attention, now and then. For every sparkle there’s been a drop of blood. You know that saying? It’s true for the Blood of _ the Prophet. I remember just one chapter, for instance, by way of giving you an idea. “Tt was back in the fourteenth century, or something like that. A Venetian ship heard that the Blood of the Prophet was to be sent to Tunis. They held up three Turkish ships and sank ’em because they were unlucky and didn’t have the ruby. Then they tried a fourth ship and got the Blood of the Prophet, well enough, and made the crew walk the plank just the same to honor the occasion. D’you see? Jolly old times they used to have in those days!” He paused and looked around the room, his glance lingering an instant on every face, and Olivetta followed his example. Every one was tensed with excitement as this strange story went on. “That was only one little turn in the 875 path that the Blood of the Prophet has fol- lowed. In India they say it’s a sacred stone—they say that it actually represents just that much of the blood of Mahomet turned into a ruby!” He laughed softly. “‘ But here’s another that will catch your eye less, though there’s more to it than to all the rest put together. It comes last. And that’s the best place. Ill wager that even John—er—Hodge ”—he remembered the name with difficulty—‘ will want to come up close and take a look. How about it, Mr. Hodge?” John Hodge made no pretense of cover- ing his interest. He simply strode out from the corner where he had been lingering up to this point and now stood close beside the bed, a hungered, a wolfish face. Olivetta looked at him in amazement. So strange was his expression that she wondered every eye in the room did not turn and hold upon him. But the other eyes were too in- tently bent upon her cupped hands into which the jewels had been falling, one by one. The fingers of Logan separated. They al- lowed a great pear-shaped pearl to roll out over the tips and fall with the softest crush- ing sound upon the heap of jewels. “There,” said Logan, ‘is the Sheik!” A whisper came from the onlookers. A great tawny-skinned hand came out. “Steady, Mr. Hodge. Steady!” said Logan. He pressed his head back, made a gesture with his now emptied hand, and smiled mockingly up to John Hodge. ~ “ Ah!” he said. ‘‘JI thought this would interest even you!” The hand of John Hodge trembled, and fell away. Olivetta, looking up to him, saw that he was gray with emotion. And he was more wolflike than ever. 3 ‘And to whom,” said Hugh Dascom, his voice a little uneven, “‘ do these jewels all belong?” “To whom?” said Logan, ‘ Well, Mr. Dascom, I understand that in that peculiar will of his, Commodore Dascom gave you the use of his house during the summer and all of the furniture in_ this house to keep forever. Isn’t that true?” COMmilclOolkxs AT THE GATE. (CO)