A Set Of Sapphires

" Jobo " - pretty Mrs. Cecil Morirán stood beside her husbaud'ii cliair witli h t range hesitanej' of look and manner - "could you iet me have a liule money?" John Morgan, hend bookkeepeer in tlie roiiimission-honse of Macray & Co., l.ii'l d" n Ida atornille papal with a stifled i!i'i. lie lookcd up kindly into the fair, roae-tloted lace of his youug wite whose lapphlre blue eyes were bent 011 hU face cxpectantly. He did !.ot reply for a nioment, bui drew her down on his lap, and utroked tbe curly golden hair with his slim, whittí lingera. She was a lovely, loving, but thoughtless little woman - she was his wife, and he loved hcr devotdly - but sometimos, not often, her vanitiesjarred on his flner sonsibilittes ; for Cecil Morgan was not the woman to meet the wants of a grave, intellectual man like her bushand. w lióse wortli, houesty and nobility of thought was simply incomprehensible to her tender, but fhallow nature. "Su you want a little money. How miich, Cecil '! " lie siniled as the (limpies carne and went in the smoolli pink cbeeks. "Oh. ever so mucli, John." - Oecll's spirits rose as alie caressed ber jeweled llngers, and she laughed in a ciiiidish faahlon. "Well, out with it. How much ? Tell me" - as she hesitated. ''I must huiry dowB town, as we areunusually busy Just now." "You are always that when I want anyIhiii'í," pouted Ot-cil. "Why, you know that lovely set of upphirM in Knby & (ío.'s window " Blrt. Murían piinjnít. and her spirits feil a tnfle for John's lace grew suddenly clouded; "tliey are just perfect, and would suit my styie- matcli my eyts, you know - and they are only two hundred dollars. I want thein to wear with my white moiie nt Mrs. Cassel's reccption." "Indeed!'' was Jolin's ciminifiit, as he cougbed tlij;lit!y, md delíberateiy seated Üif wife un an Ottoman, at his side. ' CVcil" - he rose i-lowly to his feet- "I mu Mrry to reluse ymi, but I cannot lure tliiit. ainoiint ot moncy it piosent." "Uut they are just lovely, John," per sisted Mrs. Morgan, with lieightened color, "and so unique! These eettlngare peculiar in design - so enaste and delicate, and they are so cheap. Ouly two hundred for the complete set!" "Cecil"- John Morgan lookedasifhe wasabout Ut u II some vcry UBwkolesoue trulhs- "what wottld my employers thiiik l my wife wearing a two hundred dollar sel of jewelry? Soine of yur eyening dresses have alrcady exeited comment; but IIO one knew 1 liad walked to md trom the office, denled myself Oigan, and even the daily papers, to pav for your extrav.igance. "My cxtraviijíancc ! " cried M'S. Mortrau, with a subducd wail, as she put her haiidkercliief %o her eyes and burst mto childlab leáis- i weak woman's beit deIcn-e. "That'8 nlways the ciy- my ex truvagaiice!" '¦No, Cecil." he sald sadly, as he laid his hiiml on the golden head,"you camiot gay that I oí ten reproacb yon with extravagance. I$nt 1 am tired of living on oulv lil for a heimit, and the everlastlng plnchlng lo everythmg but dress. Ï on ilo not ni'i-d tlns jeweliy.and it would not be ndVlíable to wear it, if you liad It; lor men with only moderate salarles, must put up with moderate luxuries. I will deny yuu nothing in reason but you caiinot liavc those sapphircs." TIn-re was a ring of uninitakable deelsion in his voice. He slowly drew oi bil overcoat and gloves, evidi-ntly ex pecting some reply from lii vife. But she maile none, hiiU sulleuly mlosed to look up 8 he stooped to kl.-s her. "'Don't let us qiiarrelover such buiiblc9 Cecil," lie shíiI gently, a9 lie stroked the silken huir. "Life is too short to be wai-ted ui fooliali biekeringg." Tlien tlie door closed on him, and Mrs. Morgan burst luto a passion of aujrry tuur, for she lind set lior frivolous heart on tlie s.ipphir. s, and it was not often sh'_' ilid not obtain lier heart's deaire. Slie was u blonde, of the most nttructlve typt- veiy lovely with a fluwer ]ke face, and ii gritceful figure that he loved to iirray i n acostly raimont. Her husband's torced economy was often a sore trial to hT, and was the canse of uiany annoying dill'erenees. Had she possessed one atom of tlnancial jiidtmeut she would have seen Ihüt thelr present style of living tnxed her husbund's salary to the utmost. Bui she had been a spoiled and pretty ehild, educited under tusaionahle influences, and when, hy one of tliose stranjie freaks of fancy, John Morgan - grave, matter-of-fact John - proposcd, Cecil, atter the iiiaiiner of too mauy of lier sex, luarried him, witli the expectation that her married would be one long ilre mi of satisfled wants; for John wai a rising man, and expe.etnd a partnership In the firm. Bat his wlfe's evident love of display weakened hij chances of promotion, and Cecil secretly frettod over the sel-denial and economy lier ciicumstnnces forced her to endure. "I never wanted anything so bad in my iife," she murmured, as she dried her eyes and looked around the brealcfast room, with its warmth and sunlight, tasteful furniture, enaste picture and blooming planta in the bay window, "and I think John mlgllt let me have them. That hateful Mrs. Payue will be sure to be out in something odd injewels. Ifl could only eclipse her! I must have ihem, somehoiv, for they would contrast beautifully with the snowy whitenees of my dress. ' She rose with a languid yawn, and Ifl stepping toward the window, trnmpled on some flat subetanee. She stoopeil down and picked up.Iolin's pocketbook ! "Bless me," she exclaimed, smiles dimpling her roey cheeks, "what a lucky find ! I wonder what's la it" "She sinilingly uuclasped it, and a roll of bank notes teil out, which shecouuted wiili swift precisión. "Two hnndred exactly,"she ej acula ted, "and John said he could not spare the luoney. Well, what belong-i to my husUand belongs to me, and I will have thal set of sapphires ! " Slie laughed gleefully as she waltzed nut of the room to dress, for slie imj-ul aivuly (litcrinlned to secure t':e sapplnres belore John would miss tlie money. Delijrht leut haste to her niinble fingers, and before many minutes she was on the street looking so bright and fresh in her walking suit of Quaker drab that many admiring cyes followed the graceful ügure. Poor heedless Cecil never thought of the cousequeuces of her foolish act, alr.hough 8ho expected John would rebuke ner severely for spendiuir the money; but she trusted to his leuiency and her own powrrs of persuasión to soften his wrath. Ile bad never, as he said, refu9ed her anything iu reasou, and il' this was -ui iiiiparently useless purchase, she could easily turn the jewels iiito niouey, if tlie rainy day John was always predicting everarrivcd. On her return from Raby & Co.'s with thejenrel casket safely stowed away in her pocket, she was brougbt to a Rudden -tiiulïiil! by meeting her busband COUÏIDg out of the diiiing-niom with a pertuibed and snxious couutenance. Her face Uushed xuiltily, for alie knftw, or im agined ihe did, the cause of hn agitatian. 'ICecil,'1 he said hnrrledly, "I haTe lost my pocket-book. Did you tind it :¦ " "Lostyoitr pocket-book ? " echoed Mrs. Morjian, feigning great surprise and evading his question - not that he meant to deiiy flnding it, but the confession requin-il inore moral courage than she could tnaster at present "TeR, lost my pocket-book," repeatcd Mr Morgan n a troubled voice; and the money in it belonged to the (irm." Mrs. Morgan's heart stood still wHh coualernatioii, and she grew white to the lips. "Jwtin," glio gagped, as if somethinf! was choking her, "teil me - how it a5 '. " 'U was this way. Mácray gave me two humireil dollars as I was leiivinu' the office yosterday evuuing to pay a bilí we ovved Heuby & Sons. But they were closed when I reached their office, and I imnight the money home with me, inteiiding to pay as Í went down town this morninx; but owinpr to a death in the faiiiil v the store was still closed, and I never knew I had lost the money uutil I Imd reuched our own oflice. Cecil are gure it's nnt in the house f " ' I - I am sure I don't know," stamme red Cecil, too overwhelmed with fear ai.d mortiliuation to think rationally. Not .John'.-, money ! She feit dazed and crushed, and totally unnble to oonfes her folly. Bbe dropped loto a hall chair, looking so week aud ill that John forjfoc his own trouble iu anxiety for Cecil. "You must not be so frlghtened, wife," he said kindly; "it aiay turn up in the house. Come, help me to search for It." Cecil rose up mechanlcally, and fol lowed hitn from room to room, listeoing in mute terror, to his regrets when the pocket-book could not be found. luvoluntarily her hand went down In the pocket of her dress, and as she clutclied the jewel case in hercold fingers a de idly taintness almost overéame her, for, try as she would, she could not draw it foith, or foree her lips to confess what to her awakened conscience secmed notbing less ihan theft. She kuew her liusband's indlgnation would be deep, altqough B t loudly expressed, for dishonesty of any kind was contemptible iu her eyes. Would he excuse it in his wifc ? Ah, no ! and as the binful aspect of tne iffiir presented it8elf to her mind, her sliauie and agitation increased, and she found it still more dlfficult to confess her error. "It'g strauge," cominented Mr. Morton, musingly, as after Uiorougbly Marching the rooms, they paused in the hall, "1 must have dropped it in the house, aud it cannot be found. Or, could any one have piL'kud mv lek(;t Cecil f A startled expression came iuto his cyes, aud he hastily examined the inaide pocket Of his overcoat. "No," he said, with a little laugh, "no one could piek that pocket without my knowledge. It must have lallen out." He looked keenly- without auy suspicion of the trutli, however - at tlie iovely downcast f.ice of his wife. "Cheer up, littfe wife," he said with allVcted gayety, "I raust go hack to ihe oillce; but you keep a sharp lookout for the money It may have got kuocked iulo some dark corner." " Does - does - "stammered Cecil, hot with anxiety; "does tbe tirm know W "M -irray does. I told hiin before I left the office." And John Morgan shut the door vvkh ¦ bang, al) unusual roughness for him, hiuving bid witi; standing in the din; llght, as if stricken duwb. # The large roomy office in the commission house of Maeray & Co., was a blaze of golden spring sunshine, as John Morgan fltMhad with his walk through the crisp morning air, entered It, after his iruitlesa search. His face wore atroubled expiession as he went up to Mr. Macray, a white-liaired benevolent man. "I have searcbfd the house tffectually for llia p'icket book, and '' "Yon did riot find it, John?" quickly intei rupted Mr. Maeray, with a curlous smile. "No, sir, X did not; and 1 einiiot ac oonnt for its loss." "John" - Mr. Macray laid his morning paper icros his knees, removed his gold eye-glasiJes and looked up into the face of hia faithfnl book keeper- 'I would never for onc moment doubt yonr word. But did you isk vour wife about it. "I did." "Aud she denied all knowledge of it?" "She did not find it" - John Morgan looked more troubled than ever - "and we went over the house together. "All !" Mr. Macray's line old face lln-heil elighily, and he lowered his voice, as if fearful of belng overheard by the clerks in the outer office. "Listen to me a moment, John. To-day is ray dauguter Sibyl's twentieth birthday, and I went down to Kaby & Co.'s to buy her a set of sapphlres tbat have been on exhibition fora few days. They were just what I wanted for a birthday gift, and the price was two hundred dollars. The clerk regretfully infonned me they had been sold to Mrs. Morgan, the wife of my bookkeeper, but a few moment! before." "Cecil!" - John Morgan grasped the ruil of the desk for support - "my wlfe ! Where did she get tlie money ? "Th;it is just the question I want you to answer - where did she get it?" said Mr. Macray, keenly watcbirig the tremb1 ing tuce of the younger man. "I asked the clerk if they were paid for. Yes, he replied in f uil ; and he opened the éafe, and showed me a rol! of bank notes; and' John, niuch as I rejjret to say it, it was the identicul roll I save you last eveninjr to pay that bill at Henby & Sons. Now did your wife tind the pocket-book; or was t ever lost, John ? " John Morgan dropped to the floor like one stricken a heavy blow; and a slijrlit atream of blood issued from his paliid liis Mr. Muoray lixalily tolophom ,1 r..i a physician, and Mrs. Morgan. "Don't be alarmed,"' John said faintly. " I have not been strong latelv, and thesiiock was too niuch for me. Oh. Cecil, Cecil ! " Halfan liour later Mrs. Morgan entered the office with a white, scared face. Her eyes were blinded by tears, and Mr. Macray, and the physician were unnoticed as she hurried to her husband's side. "John," she cried in great distres?, 'don't let the loss of that money kill you. For I found it and speut- I duin't know it belonged to the firm - for that set of sapphires." Sue threw the casket into his lap, and John lald his head against the carved back of hia chair, his face alowly redden ing with slianv. "Speak to me, John,'1 she sobbed hysterically, I'!l never be so wicked agaln; never spend a dolí ir without your codsent." Mr. Macray stepped forward, and laid his hand on hor arm. "Don't agitate your husband, Mrs. Morgan ; he is faint yet. Settle this matter in the future." But Cecil in deep humility, went down on her knees, and laiJ her face on her husband's breast, breathing words of contrition, that softened and revived the grieved heart. Mr. Mcray, with a gentleness she could not repel, explained the sin of overreaching her husband's salary, and the folly of useless display; ending the matter by taking the set of sapphires, and promUing to keep the whole transaction a secret. And John Morgan in the peaceful years that followed, often blessed the day he lost hisemployer's money; forit trans formed Cecil into a marvel of prudence. And Cecil - well - Cecil never saw a sappbire, without a sudden sensation of