Part 2

EPISODE FOUR A PRIVATE WAR 75

EPISODE FIVE DROWNED VALLEY 93

EPISODE SIX THE JEWEL AFLAME 110

EPISODE SEVEN CLINCH'S DUMP 134

EPISODE EIGHT CUP AND LIP 157

EPISODE NINE THE FOREST AND MR SARD 180

EPISODE TEN THE TWILIGHT OF MIKE 209

EPISODE ELEVEN THE PLACE OF PINES 233

EPISODE TWELVE HER HIGHNESS INTERVENES 255

THE FLAMING JEWEL

EPISODE ONE

EVE

During the last two years Fate, Chance, and Destiny had been too busy to attend to Mike Clinch.

But now his turn was coming in the Eternal Sequence of things. The stars in their courses indicated the beginning of the undoing of Mike Clinch.

From Esthonia a refugee Countess wrote to James Darragh in New York:

"--After two years we have discovered that it was José Quintana's band of international thieves that robbed Ricca. Quintana has disappeared.

"A Levantine diamond broker in New York, named Emanuel Sard, may be in communication with him.

"Ricca and I are going to America as soon as possible.

"VALENTINE."

The day Darragh received the letter he started to look up Sard.

But that very morning Sard had received a curious letter from Rotterdam. This was the letter:

"Sardius--Tourmaline--Aragonite--Rhodonite * Porphyry--Obsidian--Nugget Gold--Diaspore * Novaculite * Yu * Nugget Silver--Amber--Matrix Turquoise--Elaeolite * Ivory--Sardonyx * Moonstone-- Iceland Spar--Kalpa Zircon--Eye Agate * Celonite-- Lapis--Iolite--Nephrite--Chalcedony--Hydrolite * Hegolite--Amethyst--Selenite * Fire Opal--Labradorite-- Aquamarine--Malachite--Iris Stone--Natrolite-- Garnet * Jade--Emerald--Wood Opal--Essonite-- Lazuli * Epidote--Ruby--Onyx--Sapphire --Indicolite--Topaz--Euclase * Indian Diamond * Star Sapphire--African Diamond--Iceland Spar-- Lapis Crucifer * Abalone--Turkish Turquoise * Old Mine Stone--Natrolite--Cats Eye--Electrum * * * 1/5 [=a] [=a]."

That afternoon young Darragh located Sard's office and presented himself as a customer. The weasel-faced clerk behind the wicket laid a pistol handy and informed Darragh that Sard was away on a business trip.

Darragh looked cautiously around the small office:

"Can anybody hear us?"

"Nobody. Why?"

"I have important news concerning José Quintana," whispered Darragh; "Where is Sard?"

"Why, he had a letter from Quintana this very morning," replied the clerk in a low, uneasy voice. "Mr. Sard left for Albany on the one o'clock train. Is there any trouble?"