Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1893 — THE DEMOREST RUBIES. [ARTICLE]

THE DEMOREST RUBIES.

Waverly Magazine. Yes, she was dead at last—Margaret Demorest of Stony Lodge — ahd shoek of her demise, had shaken Bellevue from center to circumference. For years her numeroxs relatives, each with an eye to the estate, bad watched her movements from a respectful distance, which she herself had interposed between them, and their hearts had grown sick with hope deferred. Heart disease, the doctors said, when she was found one morning with a smile of peace frozen on her stern and withered features. The relatives accepted the verdict with due resignation, following the remains of the “dear departed” to their final resting-place amid an os tentatious display of crape. But when the will was read the excitement of the heirs-at-law rapidly ascended. to fever heat. Always eccentric in life, Miss Demorest had retained "that eccentricity to the end and woven it into her last will and testament. With the exception of a few bequests to her servants, the whole of her property, landed and personal, to-wit: Stony Lodge, her present residence, with its beautiful park, which was a very Eden of loveliness ;' Rose Villa, her winter resort on - Lake Helen, Fla., together with a splendid house in town and money to the amount of $500,000, was to pass into the sole possession of that one among her kinsfolk who should discover the hiding-place of the twelve Demorest rubies Should the gems remain undiscovered after the lapse of one year from the date of her death the estate was to be sold and a home for old maids founded with the proceeds. "The old cat!” muttered fashionable Mrs. Meredith, viciously. “She hid those rubies herself, the spiteful thing!” “It is-too provoking!” pouted thepretty daughter Maud. “I shall contest the will,” said thin-lipped Reuben Qray. “It cannot stand.” Mrs. Meredith was Mrs. Demorest’s niece and Reuben Gray her nephew. The two were brother and sister and nearest of kin to the dead woman. Next came Margie Vane, child of a favorite nephew, who was to have been the heir had he not displeased his aunt by marrying against her will a gjrl of obscure parentage—a pauper, Miss Demorest named her, Harold Vane had died some years back, closely followed by his wife, and the one daughter, Margaret, was left alone in the woi’ld and utterly penniless. Mrs. Meredith hud taken her, for the old aunt remained obdurate, and she was now serving in the capacity of maid to her beautiful cousin Maude. Margie Vane was not present ai. • the reading of the will. Mrs. Meredith considered it unnecessary, and Margie herself had not the faintest hope of being remembered 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 hazel eyes opened wide with wonder. That afternoon, and many ensuing afternoons, Mrs. Meredith,. Maude and Margie walked over to StonyLodge and wandered fruitlessly about among the treasures of bric-a-brac. statuary, book's and rare old china. On one of these occasions Margie met Will Demorest, a cousin several times removed«pf her father’s. He was a frank, handsome young fellow, with dark blue eyes and close, curling, fair hair. His was tjie genuine Demorest face, the index of a noble, strong character.

By occupation he was an artist in glass blowing, having learned the art in Venice He had done considerable work for Miss Demorest, with whom he was a prime favorite. “So you thought you would have a look for the rubies with the rest of us,” said Mrs. Meredith, with a snaer, as she found the young glassblower examining the books in the library one morning. “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! 1 hope you don’t take me for a lunatic or a fool. 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 and 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 Maud to continue their search. “Are you anxious to find the rubies also?” asked Will, as they paused in the China closet to admire the cut glass. “I have not even looked for them,” answered Margie, with a bright smile. “They are magnificent gems,” said Will, “and were never set. I saw them just once and they nearly took my breath away.!’ * “I should like to see them,” Margie said, musingly; but oh,’ Will, were they more beautiful than these exquisite caps? Surely-that is impossible.” I The cups in question were indeed exquisite Blown of the costliest Venetian glass, lily-shaped, with

curled leaves for saucers and glo wing with rainbow tints, they resembled nothing so much as a bed of gorgeous tropical flowers. Margie s eyes sparkled as * she looked at them. “How lovely! How dainty! How fairy-like!” she exclaimejl. breathlessly. “See, Will; this one is exactly like an opal with a touch of fire, and here is an amethyst, and here a glowing emerald. Oh, Will, do look! , See how that strange glow as of hidden fire flashes from each! This one is jacinth, the.beryl, and—Will Demorest, here is a ruby! Oh, the beauty! The real gems cannot be more superb.” Ai? she spoke she took the ruby cup into her hand. Will half-started forward as if to prevent, - bait drewback'again withapale.startled face. Before he could frame a reply Mrs. Meredith and Maud appeared uponthe scene. “Margie,” cried the former, “put down that cup and come along. I should think you would have more pride than to dawdle here all day long talking with. Will Demorest.” Margie’s soft hazel eyes iy led with tears as lawyer Fay entered the room; and from under his bushy brows glanced sharply at each of the group. “Hunting for rubies, eh?” he said sarcastically. “But Miss Margie seems to be the only successful one of the party. This is a rare bit of glass, Miss Margie, and was blownby our friend here,” with a motion of his hand toward Will. Margie’s hand tightened on the cup id* her suprise; her forefinger pressed a raised stamen in the calyx of the lily bell, when, presto change! it sunk beneath her touch and her startled eyes gazed straight into a small cavity where glowed a ruby of inestimable value, like a drop of rosy fire. “Solved!” shouted Lawyer Fay, as his eyes beheld the gems? Will, very white, shrunk back against the wall, while Mrs. Meredith and her daughter pressed closer to Margie ana the lawyer. “The rubies!” gasped the avaricious woman, making a dive for the other cup. But the lawyer placed himself in her way. “I beg your pardon,” he said. “The discovery is Miss Margie’s, and, in accordance with the terms of the will of my deceased client, she is sole heir to the Demorest estate.” Mrs. Meredith grew pale with chagrin. Maud burst into tears and Reuben Gray, who,bad heard all. from the door, announced his intention of breaking such an unjust will. “You may try it,” was all Lawyer Fay said to the threat. Will came slowly forward qnd congratulated Margie on her good fortune. “And my congratulations are none the less sincere that with them I resign the sweetest hope ot my life,” he said. ’’Resign a fiddlestick!” muttered the old lawyer. “Margie, that boy refused to be made Miss Demorest’s heir, insisting that, it would be an injwrtiee-to those nearer -ot kin. Then she inade him blow these cups of tinted glass, with the central cavity and spring, fjjhe inserted a ruby in each cup, which combined with the different tints, gave them the rich coloring. He watched her hide the rubies and he has kept the secoet. Does he not merit some reward?” Margie flushed and glanced timidly at Will: Then she looked round for her aunt and cousin. Both hud disappeared. ‘ Take her, Will,” said the old lawyer, with twinkling eyes, “and bless ye. my children.” With a melodramatic gesture, he. too, vanished, and I think the young people were not long in coming to an understanding, for cards are now out for the wedding.