to call on the police. I wouldmean prison for Clinch, misery and ruin for you, Eve. So -- I tried tosteal the jewels ... to save you both."
He looked at Stormont, who seemed astonished.
"To whom do these jewels belong, Jim?" demanded the trooper.
"To the young Grand Duchess of Esthonia. ... Do you remember that Ibefriended her over there?"
"Yes."
"Do you remember that the Reds were accused of burning her chateau andlooting it?"
"Yes, I remember."
"Well, it was Quintana and his gang of international criminals who didthat," said Darragh drily.
And, to Eve: "By accident this case of jewels, emblazoned with the coatof arms of the Grand Duchess of Esthonia, came into your father'spossession. That is the story, Eve."
There was a silence. The girl looked at Stormont, flushed painfully,looked at Darragh.
Then, without a word, she turned ascended the stairs, and reappearedimmediately carrying the leather case.
"Thank you, Mr. Darragh," she said simply; and laid the case in hishand.
"But," said Darragh, "I want you to do a little more, Eve. The owner ofthese gems is my guest at Harrod Place. I want you to give them to heryourself."
"I -- I can't go to Harrod Place," stammered the girl.
"Please don't visit the sins of Henry Harrod on me, Eve."
"I -- don't. But -- but that place----"
After a silence: "If Eve feels that way," began Stormont awkwardly, "Icouldn't become associated with you in business, Jim----"
"I'd rather sell Harrod Place than lose you!" retorted Darragh almostsharply. "I want to go into business with you, Jack -- if Eve willpermit me----"
She stood looking at Stormont, the heightened colour playing in hercheeks as she began to comprehend the comradeship between these two men.
Slowly she turned to Darragh, offered her hand:
"I'll go to Harrod Place," she said in a low voice.
Darragh's quick smile brightened the sombre gravity of his face.
"Eve," he said, "when I came over here this morning from Harrod Place Iwas afraid you would refuse to listen to me; I was afraid you would noteven see me. And so I brought with me -- somebody -- to whom I feltcertain you would listen. ... I brought with me a young girl -- a poorrefugee from Russia, once wealthy, to-day almost penniless. ... Her nameis Theodorica. ... Once she was Grand Duchess of Esthonia. ... But thismorning a clergyman from Five Lakes changed her name. ... To suchfriends as you and Jack she is Ricca Darragh now ... and she's having awonderful time on my new snow-shoes----"
He took Eve by one hand and Stormont by the other, and drew them to thekitchen door and kicked it open.
Through the swirling snow, over the lake-slope at the timber edge, agraceful, boyish figure in scarlet and white wool moved swiftly over thedrifts with all the naive delight of a child with a brand new toy.
As Darragh strode out into the open the distant figure flung up one armin salutation and came racing over the drifts, her brilliant scarfflying.
All aglow and a trifle breathless, she met Darragh just beyond theveranda, rested one mitten hand on his shoulder while he knelt andunbuckled her snow-shoes, stepped lightly from them and came forward toEve with out-stretched hand and sudden winning gravity in her lovelyface.
"We shall be friends, surely," she said in her quick, winning voice; --"because my husband has told me -- and I am so grieved for you -- and Ineed a girl friend----"
Holding both Eve's hands, her mittens dangling from her wrist, shelooked into her eyes very steadily.
Slowly Eve's eyes filled; more slowly still Ricca kissed her on bothcheeks, framed her face in both hands, kissed her lightly on the lips.
Then, still holding Eve's hands, she turned and looked at Stormont.
"I remember you now," she said. "You were with my husband in Riga."
She freed her right hand and held it out to Stormont. He had the graceto kiss it an did it very well for a Yankee.
Together they entered the kitchen door and turned into the dining roomon the left, where were chairs around the plain pine table.
Darragh said: "The new mistress of Harrod Place has selected yourquarters, Eve. They adjoin the quarters of her friend, the CountessOrloff-Strelwitz."
"Valentine begged me," said Ricca, smiling. "She is going to be lonelywithout me. All hours of day and night we were trotting into oneanother's rooms----" She looked gravely at Eve: "You will likeValentine; and she will like you very much. ... As for me -- I alreadylove you."
She put one arm around Eve's shoulders: "How could you even think ofremaining here all alone? Why, I should never close my eyes forthinking of you, dear."
Eve's head drooped; she said in a stifled voice: "I'll go with you. ...I want to. ... I'm very -- tired."
"We had better go now," said Darragh. "Your things can be brought overlater. If you'll dress for snow-shoeing, Jack can pack what clothes youneed. ... Are there snow-shoes for him, too?"
Eve turned tragically to her lover: "In Dad's closet----" she said,choking; then turned and went up the stairs, still clinging to Ricca'shand and drawing her with her.
Stormont followed, entered Clinch's quarters, and presently camedownstairs again, carrying Clinch's snow-shoes and a basket pack.
He seated himself near Darragh. After a silence: "Your wife isbeautiful, Jim. ... Her character seems to be even more beautiful. ...She's like God's own messenger to Eve. ... And -- you're ratherwonderful yourself----"
"Nonsense," said Darragh, "I've given my wife her first American friendand I've done a shrew stroke of business in nabbing the best businessassociate I ever heard of----"
"You're crazy but kind. ... I hope I'll be some good. ... One thing;I'll never get over what you've done for Eve in this crisis----"
"There'll be no crisis, Jack. Marry, and hook up with me in business.That solves everything. ... Lord! -- what a life Eve has had! Butyou'll make it all up to her ... all this loneliness and shame andmisery of Clinch's Dump----"
Stormont touched his arm in caution: Eve and Ricca came down the stairs-- the former now in the grey wool snow-shoe dress, and carrying hersnow-shoes, black gown, and toilet articles.
Stormont began to stow away her effects in the basket pack; Darragh wentover to her and took her hand.
"I'm so glad we are to be friends," he said. "It hurt a lot to know youheld me in contempt. But I had to go about it that way."
Eve nodded. Then, suddenly recollecting: "Oh," she exclaimed,reddening, "I forgot the jewel case! It's under my pillow----"
She turned and sped upstairs and reappeared almost instantly, carryingthe jewel-case.
Breathless, flushed, thankful and happy in the excitement ofrestitution, she placed the leather case in Ricca's hands.
"My jewels!" cried the girl, astonished. Then, with a little cry ofdelight, she placed the case upon the table, stripped open theemblazoned cover, and emptied the two trays. All over the table rolledthe jewels, flashing, scintillating, ablaze with blinding light.
And at the same instant the outer door crashed open and Quintana coveredthem with Darragh's rifle.
"Now, by Christ!" he shouted, "who stirs a finger shall go to God in onejump! You, my gendarme frien' -- _you,_ my frien' Smith -- turn yourdamn backs -- han's up high! -- tha's the way! -- now, ladies! -- backaway there -- get back or I kill! -- sure, by Jesus, I kill you like Iwould some white little mice!----"
With incredible quickness he stepped forward and swept the jewels intoone hand -- filled the pocket of his trousers, caught up every straystone and pocketed them.
"You gendarme," he cried in a menacing voice, "you think you shallfollow in my tack. Yes? I blow your damn head off if you stir beforethe hour. ... After that -- well, follow and be damn!"
Even as he spoke he stepped outside and slammed the door; and Darraghand Stormont leaped for it. Then the lout detonation of Quintana'srifle was echoed by the splintered rip of bullets tearing through theclos
ed door; and both men halted in the face of the leaden hail.
Eve ran to the pantry window and saw Quintana in somebody's stolenlumber-sledge, lash a big pair of horses to a gallop and go flounderingpast into the Ghost Lake road.
As he sped by in a whirl of snow he fired five times at the house, then,rising and swinging his whip, he flogged the frantic horses into thewoods.
In the dining room, Stormont, red with rage and shame, and having foundhis rifle in the corridor outside Eve's bedroom, was trying to open theshutters for a shot; and Darragh, empty-handed, searched the housefrantically
The Flaming Jewel Page 38
