pphires,
amethysts, opals, emeralds, turquoises, and innumerable other stones
lay thus roughly heaped together and glittering as though for joy to
see the light of heaven once more. Some polished, some uncut, some
strung on necklaces and chains, others gleaming in rings and
bracelets and barbaric ornaments; there they lay--wealth beyond the
hope of man, the dreams of princes.

The chest measured some five feet by three, and these jewels
evidently lay in a kind of sunken drawer, or tray, of iron. In the
corner of this was a small space of about four inches square, covered
with an iron lid. As we gazed with straining eyes, Colliver drew one
more long sigh of satisfied avarice, and lifted this smaller lid.

Instantly a full rich flood of crimson light welled up, serene and
glorious, with luminous shafts of splendour, that, as we looked, met
and concentred in one glowing heart of flame--met in one translucent,
ineffable depth of purple-red. Calm and radiant it lay there, as
though no curse lay in its deep hollows, no passion had ever fed its
flames with blood; stronger than the centuries, imperishably and
triumphantly cruel--the Great Ruby of Ceylon!

With a short gasp of delight, Colliver was stretching out his hand
towards it, when I laid mine heavily on his shoulder, then sprang to
my feet. My waiting was over.

He gave one start of uttermost terror, leapt to his feet, and in an
instant was facing me. Already his knife was half out of his
waist-band; already he had taken half a leap forwards, when he saw me
standing there above him.

Bareheaded I stood in the moonlight, the white ray glittering
up my knife and lighting up my bared chest and set stern face.
Bareheaded, with the light breeze fanning my curls, I stood there and
waited for his leap. But that leap never came.

One step forward he took and then looked, and looking, staggered back
with hands thrown up before his face. Slowly, as he cowered back
with hands upraised and straining eyeballs, I saw those eyeballs grow
rigid, freeze and turn to stone, while through his gaping, bloodless
lips came a hoarse and gasping sound that had neither words nor
meaning.

Then as I still watched, with murderous purpose on my face, there
came one awful cry, a scream that startled the gulls from slumber and
awoke echo after echo along the shore--a scream like no sound in
earth or heaven--a scream inhuman and appalling.

Then followed silence, and as the last echo