Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

“ I have a firm opinion that there is a large class of incidents in this world beyond all known laws of accountability. I think poor Ruth's bogus emerald belongs to that class. We must simply put it out of our minds as much as possible, Ann.”
“I see no other way, with the wedding next week,” said Ann, miserably. “I hope everything will be right, and Ruth will be happy; but she is my only child, and to begin her matrimonial life with a sham gem for her betrothal-ring — Oh, Stephen, are you sure it is sham?” ”

“ Her faith in Jim is so beautiful. She has believed so, in spite of the evidence of reason and common sense, that I am not sure she has not been wearing a jewel more precious than any on earth. She will, of course, say, when she knows, that everybody has been mistaken. All that wonderful faith, in the face of everything, will lose its value. Stephen, are you sure you were right?”
“Sure that the stone I first saw was not an emerald? I wish I were as sure of anything else. Ann, I know. That was no emerald which I carried to Lord & Lovejoy's two years ago.” ”

“ I am no judge. Sometimes I think that education, generally speaking, should provide knowledge of things of such value.”
“It is a magnificent ring,” said Ruth, “and I shall refuse to take it off many more times. I shall begin to be superstitious.”
After Jim and Ruth had gone for a little stroll in the moonlight, Ann looked at her brother. “What did you think of that?” she asked.
“He is either absolutely above suspicion or the cleverest impostor of his generation,” said Stephen. “Personally I have no doubt. The man simply does not know. ”

“ Charlotte Gordon was perfectly sweet when Jim became engaged to Ruth; she insisted that he should use the setting of her own engagement-ring for the one he gave Ruth, and it was too small and had to be enlarged.”
“What became of the stone in Jim's mother's own ring?”
“She must have lost it, I suppose. Anyway, the setting is hand-wrought Indian gold and very beautiful.”
“What is the stone?”
“Oh, an emerald, of course. Ruth is as much a crank over green as her old mother. Here she comes now. She will be so delighted to see you.” ”

“ I love Jim, and he loves me. That is all. No green stone can separate us.”
Ruth kissed her mother and passed her, going into the house.
A ghastly expression was over Ann's face. “She will go on and marry him,” she said. “She will not speak of it to Jim. She knows nobody else will. As a matter of fact, I don't see how anybody ever can. There is no possible substantiality back of it. Jim Gordon never changed a real emerald for a false one and gave it to my girl.”
“I suppose that is true,” Stephen said, thoughtfully. “I don't really think one man at Lord & Lovejoy's suspected him. ”

“ I had the setting enlarged. I wore the ring. I never spoke. The child came. My husband died. I waited a little while; then I went to the same jeweler, and old man with whom my own father used to deal. He took this poor green stone out of the setting, and I wore the setting without it. People wondered, but I did not care. The setting at least was good, even wonderful. People thought I had lost the stone. Then Jim became engaged to Ruth. I wanted to prove the girl. I wanted my son to have a better than his poor father had. Loyalty is worth more than any gem on earth. ”

“ They all saw the poor woman who had finished her life on earth, who had been deceived, and whose love had not stood the test of deception, that last fiery test for love of first water. They saw her putting another woman to that same test, and proving the possibility of a love past all logic and reason, the most precious gem of the earth. ”

“ Suddenly Ann's face appeared in the doorway. Her anxiety had not allowed her to remain absent. She listened, pale and breathless.
“Why do you think that?” Ruth asked in an even voice.
“I know considerable about gems. I have the opinions of Lord & Lovejoy and a recognized expert. That stone is not an emerald. Lord & Lovejoy sold an emerald. They did not sell that stone. Moreover, that firm never allowed a ring to leave their house as badly set as that was yesterday.”
Ruth turned slightly and saw her mother. “Will Lord & Lovejoy or anybody else make this public?” she asked. ”

“ Jim started. “Read it,” he said, grimly. His father had died when he was a mere boy. His memory of him was loyal, but not wholly tending to admiration. “It is high time this ghastly green mystery is cleared up if it can be,” said Jim Gordon. “It now concerns the living, and the living are more to be considered than the dead. And, after all, the dead are protected by the consideration of all honorable souls.”
Ann read. There were only a few lines. There was no preface. It began abruptly:
“I think it was an emerald at first. ”

“ He said that they declared it was the finest emerald that had ever come into their possession.”
Stephen Ward looked grim. “I will make it my business to see these gentlemen to-morrow,” said he. “I will take the ring in and ask a few questions.”
“Stephen, Ruth will suspect.”
“She will have to know finally, I fear, in simple justice to her and her future life. But she will not suspect to-morrow. The stone is a little loose in the setting. Queer work that is for a firm like Lord & Lovejoy.” ”