The Flaming Jewel

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.

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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?"

"Why, he had a letter from Quintana this very morning," replied the clerk in a low, uneasy voice. "Mr. Sard left for Albany on the one o'clock train. Is there any trouble?"

"Plenty," replied Darragh coolly; "do you know Quintana?"

"No. But Mr. Sard expects him here any day now."

Darragh leaned closer against the grille: "Listen very carefully; if a man comes here who calls himself Jose Quintana, turn him over to the police until Mr. Sard returns. No matter what he tells you, turn him over to the police. Do you understand?"

"Who are you?" demanded the worried clerk. "Are you one of Quintana's people?"

"Young man," said Darragh, "I'm close enough to Quintana to give you orders. And give Sard orders. ... And Quintana, too!"