The Flaming Jewel   By: Robert W. Chambers (1865-1933)

Author of "Ailsa Paige," "Athalie," "Barbarians," "The Business of Life," "The Crimson Tide," "The Dark Star," "The Fighting Chance," "The Girl Philippa," "The Hidden Children," "The Laughing Girl," "The Little Red Foot," "The Moonlit Way," "The Restless Sex," "The Slayer of Souls," "Who Goes There," etc.

A.L. Burt Company Publishers, New York Published by arrangement with George H. Doran Company

Copyright, 1922, By George H. Doran Company

Transcriber's Note: The irregular spelling of words ("inquire", "enquire", etc.) in this etext tend to be reproduced faithfully from the 1922 edition, but accents are not preserved . . .

To my friend R. T. Haines Halsey who unreservedly believes everything I write.

To R.T.

I Three Guests at dinner! That's the life! Wedgewood, Revere, and Duncan Phyfe!

II You sit on Duncan when you dare, And out of Wedgewood, using care, With Paul Revere you eat your fare.

III From Paul you borrow fork and knife To wage a gastronomic strife 'n porringers; and platters rare Of blue Historic Willow ware.

IV Banquets with cymbal, drum and fife, Or rose wreathed feasts with riot rife To your chaste suppers can't compare.

V Let those deny the truth who dare! Paul, Duncan, Wedgewood! That's the life! All else is bunk and empty air.

ENVOI The Cordon bleu has set the pace With Goulash, Haggis, Bouillabaisse, Curry, Chop suey, Kous Kous Stew I can not offer these to you, Being a plain, old fashioned cook, So pray accept this scrambled book.

May, 1922 R.W.C.

Contents

Episode One Eve

Episode Two The Ruling Passion

Episode Three On Star Peak

Episode Four A Private War

Episode Five Drowned Valley

Episode Six The Jewel Aflame

Episode Seven Clinch's Dump

Episode Eight Cup and Lip

Episode Nine The Forest and Mr. Sard

Episode Ten The Twilight of Mike

Episode Eleven The Place of Pines

Episode Twelve Her Highness Intervenes

Episode One

Eve

I

During the last two years, Fate, Chance, and Destiny had been too busy to attend to Mike Clinch. But now his turn was coming in the Eternal Sequence of things. The stars in their courses indicated the beginning of the undoing of Mike Clinch.

From Esthonia a refugee Countess wrote to James Darragh in New York: " After two years we have discovered that it was Jose Quintana's band of international thieves that robbed Ricca. Quintana has disappeared. "A Levantine diamond broker in New York, named Emanuel Sard, may be in communication with him. "Ricca and I are going to America as soon as possible. "Valentine."

The day Darragh received the letter he started to look up Sard.

But that very morning Sard had received a curious letter from Rotterdam. This was the letter:

"Sardius Tourmaline Aragonite Rhodonite Porphyry Obsidian Nugget Gold Diaspore Novaculite Yu Nugget Silver Amber Matrix Turquoise Elaeolite Ivory Sardonyx Moonstone Iceland Spar Kalpa Zircon Eye Agate Celonite Lapis Iolite Nephrite Chalcedony Hydrolite Hegolite Amethyst Selenite Fire Opal Labradorite Garnet Jade Emerald Wood Opal Essonite Lazuli Epidote Ruby Onyx Sapphire Indicolite Topaz Euclase Indian Diamond Star Sapphire African Diamond Iceland Spar Lapis Crucifer Abalone Turkish Turquoise Old Mine Stone Natrolite Cats Eye Electrum 1/5 a a."

That afternoon young Darragh located Sard's office and presented himself as a customer. The weasel faced clerk behind the wicket laid a pistol handy and informed Darragh that Sard was away on a business trip.

Darragh looked cautiously around the small office: "Can anybody hear us?"

"Nobody. Why?"

"I have important news concerning Jose Quintana," whispered Darragh; "Where is Sard?"