A Ring of Rubies Read online

not far distant. In two months' time he was to earnsufficient to pay his weekly mite to the household exchequer.

  George, who was three years older than Jack, was doing quite comfortablyas a clerk at Lloyd's, and already spoke of taking a wife, and having ahome of his own. I used to wonder what sort of a girl George wouldmarry. I must frankly say I did not envy her her husband.

  This morning I found myself seated _by_ Jack's side in the railwaycarriage.

  "How is your headache?" I whispered to him.

  He looked round and favoured me with an almost glassy stare. He knew Ispoke to him, but had not heard my question. I repeated it.

  "Oh, better, better," he said hurriedly. "Don't speak of it, there's agood girl," and he lay back against the cushions and closed his eyes.

  I felt sure at once it was not better, but it was like Jack to shuthimself out from all sympathy.

  We got to Paddington in good time, and I once more found myself in anomnibus which would convey me to Regent Circus. Presently I got there.I had made all my plans beforehand. I was a curious mixture of thepractical and romantic, and I thought it best not to rely entirely onmyself in choosing the jeweller who would value my ring. I wanted toget at the real value, and a jeweller who naturally would suppose Iwished him to be a purchaser, would think it his province to run thering down. I knew a girl from our village, who was serving her time nowto a dressmaker in Great Portland Street. The girl's name was SusanFord. She had often helped me to turn my dresses, and was a verysensible, matter-of-fact, honest sort of girl. I knew she would doanything for me, and as she had been over a year in London, she musthave a tolerably wide experience to guide her.

  Regent Circus was only a few steps from Madame Leroy's address. Thehouse bore the customary brass plate on its door. I pulled the bell,and a boy in buttons answered my summons.

  "Is Susan Ford in?" I asked.

  The boy stared at me from head to foot, and made a supercilious andirrelevant reply.

  I saw at once that people who called to see the apprentices must notexpect politeness from the buttons. Nevertheless I held my ground, andsaid firmly that I wished to see Susan Ford if she could be spared tospeak to me.

  "I'll take up your name, and inquire," Buttons finally condescended tosay.

  I said I was Miss Lindley, from Thorpdale. I was then requested to waitin the hall, where I sat and shivered for quite five minutes. At theend of that time Susan, jubilant with smiles, joined me.

  "Oh, Miss Rosamund, how kind of you! How very kind--I am delighted!"

  "Susan, I particularly want to ask your advice. Would it be possiblefor you to come out with me for a little?"

  "Oh, miss, I'd like to, awfully, but I'm afraid it's against the rules.Still, it would be a treat to take a walk with you, miss, and MadameLeroy is very good-natured. I have a good mind to try if she'd spare mefor an hour; we are not particularly full of orders just now."

  "All right, Susan, do your best, for I really want your help," Ianswered.

  Susan nodded and disappeared. In an incredibly short space of time shereturned, wearing a very smart jacket and stylish hat. Oh, how dowdy Ilooked by her side!

  "I'm just given an hour, Miss Rosamund," she said.

  The moment we got into the street I told her what I wanted.

  "I have got a curious old ring with me," I said, "very old-fashioned; Iwant to find out what it really is worth. Do you know an honestjeweller who will tell me the truth, Susan?"

  Susan's eyes sparkled.

  "There's lots of jewellers in Oxford Street, miss," she said.

  "I don't wish to go to one of them. They will fancy I want to sell, andwill run my ring down."

  "Then," proceeded Susan, "there are men, Jews, most of them, who lendornaments to my missis, which she hires out to her ladies."

  Susan's eyes shone very brightly when she revealed this little secret toher country friend.

  "Another time you shall tell me more about these jewellers," I replied."But they surely would be the least honest of all, and could not help usto-day. Susan, you must think again."

  "I know an apprentice," said Susan. "And he's very clever, and--and--wonderful on stones, Miss Rosamund."

  "Ah, I thought you were the girl for me to come to, Susan. Thisapprentice is just the person whom we want. Where does he live?"

  "Well, miss, if you'll come with me now we'll catch him just before hegoes to his dinner. Sam is honest, if you like, miss, blunt I callhim."

  "Take me to Sam without a moment's delay," I said.

  We walked quickly, and presently found ourselves in Hanway Street. Weturned into a small shop. A lad of about twenty was selling a china cupand saucer to an old lady.

  The shop was full of all kinds of dirty, quaint, curious things. Itreminded me a little bit of Cousin Geoffrey's house. The lad had redhair; he winked at Susan, and I saw at once that I was in the presenceof Sam.

  Presently the lady customer left the shop in a considerable huff, andwithout the cup and saucer.

  "She'll come back fast enough, I've hooked her," said Sam. "The old'un'll be pleased. I most times hook a couple of customers in themorning, and the old 'un is always delighted. Your pleasure, ladies?How do, Susan?"

  All the favourable opinion I had formed of Susan Ford was abundantlyverified by her conduct during this interview. Sam examined the rubyring from every possible point of view, he squinted frightfully over it.He turned on the gas, and caused its rays to pierce through the heartof the gems. They leaped up as if with living fire.

  Presently he said that it was his bounden duty to consult the old 'un.Before I could expostulate he had vanished with the ring into an innersanctum. He came back in the course of ten minutes.

  "How will you take it, miss?" he said. "In notes or gold?"

  For a moment I felt too petrified to speak.

  "What do you mean?" I presently gasped. "I don't want to sell thering."

  "Oh, come now, miss, that's a good 'un! You know better than that.Don't she, Miss Ford?"

  Susan bridled and got very red when she was addressed as Miss Ford.But, being my staunch friend, she came quickly to the rescue.

  "Miss Lindley knows her own mind, Sam," she said severely. "She don'twant to sell the ring, only to value it."

  Sam, looking intensely mysterious and amused, darted once more into theback room.

  "I wish he would give me back my ring," I said to Susan.

  "Oh, it's all right, you let Sam manage it his own way," retorted Susan.

  After what seemed an interminable five minutes, Sam returned. His facewas now quite pale, and his voice had an awe-struck sound about it.

  "I never knew anything like it," he said, "never in all my life, butit's true for all that. The old 'un'll give you one hundred and fiftypounds for the ring, miss."

  I was nineteen years old, and I had never in the whole course of my lifepossessed ten pounds at a time. The idea, therefore, of walking out ofthat shop with one hundred and fifty pounds in notes and gold, all myown, my very own, was something of a temptation. Nevertheless I stoodfirm.

  "I don't mean to sell the ring," I said, "whatever it is valued at. Iknow now that it is worth not only one hundred and fifty pounds, but aconsiderable sum more. I cannot, however, get the exact value out ofyour master, as he wants to become the purchaser. I will, therefore,say good-morning. Come, Susan." Susan, casting a somewhat witheringglance at Sam, followed me into Hanway Street, and we presently foundourselves back again at the large house in Great Portland Street.

  "Good-bye, miss," said Susan. "I wish with all my heart I could ask youin, but I can't, and there's an end. I'd be delighted to help you inany other way, miss, about the ring, and if ever you do want to sell, Ihave no doubt Sam and his master will still hold to their offer."

  "Yes, but I shall never want to sell my ring," I replied somewhatproudly. Then I bade Susan a hearty good-bye and returned to OxfordStreet.

  I had some idea of calling
on Mr Gray, of taking him into myconfidence, of asking him to advise me as to the best means of becominga pupil at the Slade School. But I abandoned this idea for the present,and decided to take the next train home to my mother. Before doing thisI went into Peter Robinson's, and purchased two yards of delicatepearl-grey ribbon to put in her best cap.

  "Sweet, pretty mother!" I said to myself. "How I should like to buyreal Honiton lace to trim that cap, and a pearl-grey silk dress to matchthis ribbon; and how I should love to give her the daintiest food andthe most beautiful luxurious home, and to take away that coarse darning,and that rough horrid mending,