The Diva's Ruby

hose real name was Miss Margaret Donne, was engaged to Monsieur Konstantin Logotheti, a Greek financier of large fortune established in

ugged their shoulders at the news that he was to marry a singer, or shook their heads wisely, or smiled politely, according to the scale of the manners they had inherited or acquired; the shopkeepers sent him thousands of insinuating invitations to inspect and buy all the

as if they were a treaty, a revolution, a divorce, or a fraudulent trust. But they did not encourage the noise, nor go about side by side in an offensively happy way, nor accept all the two hundred and eighty-

er more than two years. Margaret was engaged to sing at Covent Garden that summer, and the first mention of the match was coupled with the information that she intended to cancel all her engagements and never appear in public again. The result was that

rican, she had developed, or fallen, to the point at which very popular and successful artists cannot live at all without applause, and are not

ward Margaret was honest and brave, rather sensitive, and still generous; the outward woman, the primadonna whom most people saw, was self-possessed to a fault, imperious when contradicted, and coolly ruthless when her artistic fame was at stake. The two natures did not agree well toget

e would have him if he asked her, he had answered her quite frankly that she was no longer the girl he had cared for, and he had suddenly disappeared from her life altogether. So Logotheti, brilliant, very rich, gifted, gay, and

d said, and he had bee

ey told their friends that

had been so terrific that the dead man's identity had only been established by means of his pocket-book, which somehow escaped destruction. So Lady Maud was a childless widow of eight-and-twenty. Her father, when he had no prospect of ever succeeding to the title, had been a successful barrister, and t

, my dear!' said Lady Maud

she had not even the excuse of having been engaged to him, she had married with indifference the first handsome man with a good name and a fair fortune who offered himself. He chanced to be a Russian diplomatist, and he turned out a spendthrift and an

o had no misgivings to speak of, and was generally a chee

to watch other people play, and those who cannot bear the sight of a roulette table. I'm one of

would be dreadful if I looked like Juliet, or Elsa, or Lucia! Everybody would laugh, especially as Konstantin is ra

tle. But he is a ve

quivered, but Mar

he is-but I'm awfully fond of him all the same. Isn't that enough to marry on when there'

going to have a regular knock-down-and-drag

ise slang, but she mad

season's quite over, or perhaps in the autumn, and then there will be nobody here.

uld like a show wedding in Hano

,' said the Primadonna, rather enigma

uely thoughtful, and with the slightest possible i

ashamed of what she

sometimes talks of being married in tweeds and driving off in a hansom! Then he suggests going to Constantino

I'm afraid I cannot help you with the wedding-gown. I d

hing so ridiculous. It will end in the chapel-of-ease, I'm sure. He always has his own way. That's probabl

say in answer to this; but as she really

s engagement. He said that most great singers married because the only way to the divorce court led up the steps of the altar. Thoug

fferent words should be taken to have a special meaning if the person to whom he has spoken chooses, or is able, to understand them

look, but her handsom

he marriage should not take plac

?' asked Griggs, with a faint smile on his weather-beaten face. 'A

we are. Goo

and looked after her, gravely admiring her figure and her walk, as he might have admired a very valuable thoroughbred. She was wearing mourning for

t that she was not quite pleased with him for having suggest

Lady Maud, which had very nearly become a scandal. The truth was that they were the best friends in the world, and nothing more; the millionaire had for some time been interested in an unusual sort of charity which almost filled the lonely woman's life, and he had given considerable sums of money to help it. During the months preceding the beginning of this tale, he had also been the object of one of those dastardly

adonna himself, the old author's observation suggested such a possibility. Van Torp was a man who had fought up to success and fortune with little regard for the obstacles he found in his way; he had worked as a cowboy in his early youth, and was apt to look on his adversaries

supremely astute and superlatively calm, but imbued, at heart, with

ble advantage of having been accepted by the lady; but the American was far more regardless of consequences to himself or to others in the pursuit of what he wanted, and, short of committing a crime, would put at least as broad an interpretation on the law. Logotheti had always lived in a highly civilised society, even in Constantinople, for it is the greatest mistake to imagine that

of admiration which acknowledged beauties take for granted, and to which they attach no value unless it is refused them; but there is another kind that brings them rare delight when they receive it, for it is always given spontaneously, whether it be

ged to be married, adding that it seemed to her one of the most ill-assorted matches of the season, and that her friend the singer was sure to be miserable herself and to make her husband perfectly wretched, though he was a very good sort in his way and she liked him. There had been no reason why she s

r many months, but Lady Maud thought there could not be much doubt as to his reason for coming now. She knew well enough that he had tried to persuade the Primadonna to marry him during the previous winter, and that if his passion for her had n

him to a volcano, quiescent just now, so far as Margaret was concerned, b

and had only been thwarted because a royal rival had caused him to be locked up, as if by mistake, in order to carry her off himself; in which he also had failed most ridiculously, thanks to the young singer's friend, the celebrated Madame Bonanni. That was a very amusing story. But on another occasion Margaret had found herself shut up with her Oriental adorer in a room from which she could not escape, an

nce from New York in five days twelve hours and thirty-seven minutes, which will doubtless seem very slow travelling if any one takes the troubl

e departed Leven from the time when he had been attached to the Russian Embassy till he had last gone away. She was giving it up now, and it was already

alian delightfully cool; but the Londoners were sweltering when Van Torp arrived, and were talking o

at had caught and saddled and bridled many an unridden colt in the plains, a mouth like a carpet-bag when it opened, like a closed vice when it was shut. He was not a handsome man, Mr. Rufus Van Torp, nor one with whom any one short of a prize-fighter would meddle, nor one to haunt the dreams of sweet sixteen. It was not for his face that Lady Maud, good and beautiful, like

king the white hand in both his own, 'how have you been? Fair to middling?

on the man's right, which was uppermost on

a lark instead of a he

swered her friend philosophically. 'But I'll make it a nightingale next time,

yes were suddenly kind as they looked into the woman's face. She led him t

lection. 'Yes, I'm feeling pretty che

trouble you wer

and I was thankful when it was through. It's another matter altogether that I'm ch

ha

e known for some time, so don't talk about it, pleas

old the Nic

s remained part

'It's only a funny little bit of glass I picked up,' he continued, producing a small twist of stiff writing-paper. 'You needn't think it's so very

ent red colour which is known as 'pigeon's blood,' and which it is almost impossible to describe. Sunlight shining through Persian rose-leaf sherbet upon white silk makes a little patch of colou

I didn't know they imitated rubies so well, though, of course, I know nothin

uietly. 'It'll make a pretty hat-pin a

it is for a little while. It's such a lovely colour, just

a Russian or something, for he has a kind of an off-look of your husband, only he wears a beard and an eyeglass. It must be about

d, looked at it some time with evident admiration, and then set it

Mr. Van Torp carelessly. 'Somebody might take a fancy to it

how much I like it!' She twisted it up tightly in its bit of

e old Nickel Trust,' said her frie

itting down again; and now that she returned to the question her

I would, when I was ready. Why do you look

and her voice rippled del

e Nickel Trust, that's all! What in

I'll take a rest and sort of look around. Maybe something will turn

you thought of

denly foreseen when she had parted with Griggs in Bond Street a few days earlier. If Margaret had not at last made up her mind to accept Logotheti-supposing that her decision was really final-Rufus Van Torp would not suddenly have felt sure that he himse

with prim disapproval, nor fancy that she would like to be a medi?val nun and induce the beatific state by merciless mortification of the body. She knew very well what the Virtue-Curtain was trying to hide; she lifted it quietly, went behind it without fear, and did all she could to help the unhappy ones she found there. She did not believe in other people's theories at all, and had none herself; she did not even put much faith in all the modern scientific talk about vicious inheritance and degeneration; much more than half of the dwellers behind the scenes had been lured there in ignorance, a good m

young,' the devil had said, assuming the appearance, dress,

at you'll really like not being bad,' said Lady

and hearing a good deal about men which would have surprised and even shocked her socia

tion which brought Logotheti such rare delight, and disguised a passion not at all more ethereal than Van Torp's might be. In refinement of taste, no comparison was possible between the Western-bred millionaire and the cultivated Greek, who knew every unfamiliar by-way and little hidden treasure o

for his next move. He had noticed the grave look that had followed

last. 'I've come over to get married

ed Lady Maud

believe there'll be t

her?' She was trying to

her quite well. I

aged to Monsie

ry her if she marries any on

help you to break off her e

e best husband for an English girl? That's what Madame Cordova is, after all. I put it to you. If

s not "forced" to

he same. Besides, I said "

eur Logotheti,' said Lady

she's in love, that's all. Anyhow, that's not an answer to my question. Other things being alike, if she had to cho

d tried

all my heart. If it were possible to imagine a case in which the safety of the world could depend on my choosing one of you for my husband

e a friend of hers, you ought to help her to do what's good for her. That's only fair. If she

I can

ice girl,

, ve

ike her, d

ather was my fath

that's neither here nor there. You know what you wrote me.

Maud answered truthfull

yway, as you know better than any one. Are you equally su

re. But that's

e a better chance of happiness with me than with Logotheti, I'm going to marry her myself, not only because I w

oes--' Lady Maud's ton

terrupted the American. 'So that's s

But if it should come to nothing, without your interfering-that is, by the girl's

going to be miserable,'

's not honourable to try and make trouble between en

here you were nearly smashed yourself! In the hunting field you'd grab her bridle if she wouldn't listen to you, but in a matter o

eyes met his angry

say such things,' she said,

I learnt things differently from what you did. I suppose you'd think it an insult if I said I'd giv

honour,' observe

's face darkened visibly

pounds sterling,' sai

e throat flushed as when the light of dawn kisses Parian marble, and the fresh tint in her cheeks deepened softl

lion pounds,' said Mr. Van Torp, after th

Lady Maud, in

millionaire thoughtfully. 'You could do quite

Please

r friend who had been brought suddenly to a great cross-road in life. She stood still one moment by the s

d went to the window, softly blowing a queer tune between

, in a tone of doubt,

thin hearing, though the door was shut. He stood before the window nearly a quarter of an hour, thinking that Lady Maud might come back, but as no sound of any step broke the silence he

er thoughts that she did not hear the click of

e opportunity for a wicked deed could ever present itself to her together with the slightest desire to do it. Her labours had taken her to strange places, and she knew what real sin was, and even crime, and the most hideous vice, and its still more awful consequences; but one reason why she had wrought fearlessly was that she felt herself naturally invulnerable. She knew a good many people in her own set whom she thought quite as bad as the worst she had ever picked up on the dark side of the Virtue-Curtain; they were people who seemed to have no moral sense, men who betrayed their wives wantonly, young women who took money for themselves and old ones wh

rs to help others. It was real temptation. The man who offered her a million pounds to save miserable wretches from a life of unspeakable horror, could offer her twice as much,

ctions. Lady Maud's influence over her was great, and Logotheti's had never been very strong. She was taken by his vitality, his daring, his constancy, or obstinacy, and a little by his good looks, as a mere girl might be, because the theatre had made looks seem so important to her. But apart from his handsome face, Logotheti was no match for Van Torp. Of that Lady Maud was sure. Besides, the Primadonna's antipathy for the American h

e engagement which now blocked his way. Under cover of roughness, too, he had argued with a subtlety that frightened her now that she was alone; and with a consummate k

, and which a good many women seem unable to understand. To refuse, was to deprive hundreds of wretched and suffering creatures of the only means of obtaining a hold on a decent existence which Lady Maud had ever found to be at all efficacious. She knew that she had not done much, compared wit

t deal of good with fort

d made many failures, and some terrible ones, which she could never forget; but there were real successes, too, there were over a dozen of them now, and she had only been at work for three years. If she had more money, she could do more; if she had much, she could do much; and she knew of one or two women who could help her. What might she not accomplish in a lifetime with the vast sum her friend offered her!-the price of hi

might well give him the advantage if it went home; and Logotheti himsel