ation and of human flesh. Of the
aviators there was left neither blood nor bone--they were consumed as
completely as the five souls who had gone inside.

Simultaneously, and with an immense concussion, the chateau literally
threw itself into the air, bursting into flaming fragments as it rose,
and then tumbling back upon itself in a smoking pile that lay
projecting half into the water of the lake. There was no fire--what
smoke there was drifted off mingling with the sunshine, and for a few
minutes longer a powdery dust of marble drifted from the great
featureless pile that had once been the house of jewels. There was no
more sound and the three people were alone in the valley.

9

At sunset John and his two companions reached the huge cliff which had
marked the boundaries of the Washington's dominion, and looking back
found the valley tranquil and lovely in the dusk. They sat down to
finish the food which Jasmine had brought with her in a basket.

"There!" she said, as she spread the table-cloth and put the
sandwiches in a neat pile upon it. "Don't they look tempting? I always
think that food tastes better outdoors."

"With that remark," remarked Kismine, "Jasmine enters the middle
class."

"Now," said John eagerly, "turn out your pocket and let's see what
jewels you brought along. If you made a good selection we three ought
to live comfortably all the rest of our lives."

Obediently Kismine put her hand in her pocket and tossed two handfuls
of glittering stones before him. "Not so bad," cried John
enthusiastically. "They aren't very big, but-Hallo!" His expression
changed as he held one of them up to the declining sun. "Why, these
aren't diamonds! There's something the matter!

"By golly!" exclaimed Kismine, with a startled look. "What an idiot I
am!"

"Why, these are rhinestones!" cried John.

"I know." She broke into a laugh. "I opened the wrong drawer. They
belonged on the dress of a girl who visited Jasmine. I got her to give
them to me in exchange for diamonds. I'd never seen anything but
precious stones before."

"And this is what you brought?"

"I'm afraid so." She fingered the brilliants wistfully. "I think I
like these better. I'm a little tired of diamonds."

"Very well," said John gloomily. "We'll have to live in Hades. And you
will grow old telling incredulous women that you got the wrong drawer.
Unfortunately, your father's bank-books were consumed with him."

"Well, what's the matter