Those Rubies

Yes, she was dead at last- Margaret Derrierest of Stony Lodge - and the shock of her iemisehad shaken Bellevue f rom center to ;ircumfarence. Heart disease, the doctors said, when she was found one morning with í smile of peace frozen on her stern and ithered features. The relatives accepted ihe verdict with due resignation, following ;he remainsof the "dear departed" to their final resting place amid an ostentatious display of crape and black bordered kerchiefs. But when the will was read the excitement of the heirs-at-law rapidly ascended to fever heat. Miss Demorest had retained her eccentricity to the end and woven it Lnto her last will and testament. With the exception of a few bequests to her servants, the whole of her property, landed and personal, to the amount of $500,D00, was to pass iuto, the possession of that one ainong her kinsfolk who should discover the hiding place of the 12 Demorest rubíes. Should the gems remain undiscovered after the lapse of one year from the date of her death, the estáte was to be sold and a j home for old maids founded with the ceeds. "I shall contest the will," said thin lipped Reuben Gray. "H cannot stand." Mrs. Meredith was Miss Demorest'sniece, ' and Reuben Gray her nephew. The two were brother and sister, and the nearest akin to the dead woman. Next carne Margie Vane, child of the favorite nephew, who was to have been the heir had he not displeased his aunt by marrying, against her will, a girl of obscure parentage - "a pauper," Miss Demorest termed her. Harold Vane had died, closely followed fcy his wife, and the one daughter, Margaret, was left alone in the worïd and utterly penniless. Mrs. Meredith had taken her - for the old lunt remained obdurate- and she was now serving in the capacity of maid to her beaubiful cousin Maude. Margie Vane was not present at the reading of the will. Mrs. Meredith considerad it unnecessary, and Margie herself had not the faintest hope of being remetnbered kindly by her father's stern old relative. When, therefore, they returned in anger and disappointment and gave an account of the wording of the will, Margie's hazeleyes opened wide in wonder. That afternoon and many ensuing afternoons Mrs. Meredith, Maude and Margie walked over to Stony Lodge and wandered fruitlessly about amid the treasuresof brica-brac, statuary, books and rare old china. On one of these occasions Margie met ' Will Demorest, a cousin several times removed of her father's. He was a frank and handsome young fellow, with dark blue eyes and close curling fair hair. His was ;he genuine Demorest face, the index of a strong, noble character, By occupation he was an artist in glass j blowing, having learned the art in Venice. j He had done considerable work for Miss Demorest, with whom he was a prime favorite. "So yTu thought you would have a look for the rubies with the rest of us," said Mrs. Meredith, with a sneer, as she found the young glassblower examining the books in the library one moruing. "Yet. I thought you abhorred mercenary considerations." "I am not in quest of the gems," Will replied as his blue eyes rested in unmistakable admiration on Margie's fair, sweet face. "Humph! I hope you don't take me for a lunatic or a fooi, Will Demorest," was the scathing rejoinder. "For neither, I assure you," said Will, with a bow. "Only at present I am more interested in pearls than rubies. Cousin Margie, may I show you the house? I believe I know it more thoroughly than most people." Margie shyly acquiesced, and the two went off together, leaving Mrs. Meredith and Maude to continue their search. "Are you anxious to find the rubies also?" asked Will as tbey paused in the china closet to admire the cut glass. "I have not even looked for them," answered Margie, with a brigbt smile. "Yet you have an equal right with the rest," persisted the young man, watching her face keenly. "Oh, no, I have not indeed," she said simply. "Papa displeased Aunt Demorest, as you know, and she has never taken the slightust cotice of me. This being the case, 1 should not feel entitled to join in the search for the rubies even if I desired to do so." "They are magnificent gems," said Will, "and were never set. I saw them just once, and theynearly took my breath away." "I should like to see them," Margie said musingly, "but, oh, Will, were they any more beautiful than these exquisite cups? Surely that is impossible." The cups in question were indeed exquisite. Blown of the costliest venetian glass, lily shaped, with curled leaves for saucers, and glowing with ïainbow tints, they resembled nothinif so much as a bed of gorgeous tropical flowers. "How lovely! How dainty! How fairylike!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "See, Will, this one is exactly like an opal with a touch of fire, and here is an amethyst, and here is a glowing emerald." As sbe spoke she took the ruby cup into her hand. Will half started forward as if to prevent her, but drew back again with a palé, startled face. Mrs. Meredith and Maude appeared upon the scène. "Margie," cried he former, "put down that cup and come along. I should think you would have more pride than todawdle here all day talking with Will Demorest." Margie's soft bazel eyes filled with tears as Lawyer Fay entered the room and from under his busny brows glanced sharply at each of the group. Margie's hand tightened on the cup, her rosy forefinger pressed a raised stam en in the calyx of the lily bell, when, presto! change! it sank beneath her touch, and her startled eyes gazed straight into a small cavity where glowed a ruby of inestimable valué, like a drop of rosy fire. "Solved!" shouted Lawyer Fay as his eyes also beheld the gems. Will, very white, shrank back against the wall, while Mis. Meredith and her daughter pressed closer to Margie and the lawyer. "The rubíes!'' gasp-ed theavancious woin an, making a dive for the other cup. Buttbe lawyer placed himself inner way. "I beg your pardon," he said. "The discovery is Miss Margie's, and in aceordanee with the terms of the vrill of my deceased cliënt she is feeiress to the Demorest estate." Mrs. Meredith grew palé with chagrín, Mande burst into tears, and Reuben Gray, who had heard all from the door, announced his intention of breakinx such an unjust vrill. "Yon may try it," ws all Lawyer Fay said to the threat. Will came slowly forward and congratulated Mai-f?ie on her good fortune. The disappointed relatives maliciously declare that the whole thing was neither more nor less than an infamous conspiracy betweeu Will Demorest and Lawyer Fay. But Margie says the property is rightly Wiü's, as he was the old maid's favorite, and in wedding uim she is but aiviua him back bis