The Black Box | Page 6

and the top flew open, Ella knew what
was coming.
"Our diamonds!" she exclaimed. "The Ashleigh diamonds!"
The necklace lay exposed to view, the wonderful stones flashing in the

subdued light. Ella gazed at it, speechless.
"In New York," Lord Ashleigh continued, "it is the custom to wear
jewellery in public more, even, than in this country. The family pearls,
which I myself should have thought more suitable, went, as you know,
to your elder sister upon her marriage. I am not rich enough to invest
large sums of money in the purchase of precious stones, yet, on the
other hand, your mother and I feel that if you are to wear jewels at all,
we should like you to wear something of historic value, jewels which
are associated with the history of your own house. Allow me!"
He leaned forward. With long, capable fingers he fastened the necklace
around his daughter's neck. It fell upon her bosom, sparkling, a little
circular stream of fire against the background of her smooth, white skin.
Ella could scarcely speak. Her fingers caressed the jewels.
"It is our farewell present to you," Lord Ashleigh declared. "I need not
beg you to take care of them. I do not wish to dwell upon their value.
Money means, naturally, little to you, and when I tell you that a firm in
London offered me sixty thousand pounds for them for an American
client, I only mention it so that you may understand that they are likely
to be appreciated in the country to which you are going."
She clasped his hands.
"Father," she cried, "you are too good to me! It is all too wonderful. I
shall be afraid to wear them."
Lord Ashleigh smiled reassuringly.
"My dear," he said, "you will be quite safe. I should advise you to keep
them, as a rule, in the strong box which you will doubtless find in the
hotel to which you are going. But for all ordinary occasions you need
feel, I am convinced, no apprehension. You can understand now, I dare
say, another reason why I am sending Macdougal with you as well as
Lenora."
Ella, impelled by some curious impulse which she could not quite

understand, glanced quickly around to where the man-servant was
standing. For once she had caught him unawares. For once she saw
something besides the perfect automaton. His eyes, instead of being
fixed at the back of his master's chair, were simply riveted upon the
stones. His mouth was a little indrawn. To her there was a curious
change in his expression. His cheekbones seemed to have become
higher. The pupils of his eyes had narrowed. Even while she looked at
him, he moistened a little his dry lips with the tip of his tongue. Then,
as though conscious of her observation, all these things vanished. He
advanced to the table, respectfully refilled his master's glass from the
decanter of port, and retreated again. Ella withdrew her eyes. A queer
little feeling of uneasiness disturbed her for the moment. It passed,
however, as in glancing away her attention was once more attracted by
the sparkle of the jewels upon her bosom. Lord Ashleigh raised his
glass.
"Our love to you, dear," he said. "Take care of the jewels, but take
more care of yourself. Your mother and I will come to New York as
soon as we can. In the meantime, don't forget us amidst the hosts of
your new friends and the joy of your new life."
She gave them each a hand. She stooped first to one side and then to
the other, kissing them both tenderly.
"I shall never forget!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking a little. "There
could never be any one else in the world like you two--and please may
I go to the looking-glass?"
3.
The streets of New York were covered with a thin, powdery snow as
the very luxurious car of Mrs. Delarey drew up outside the front of the
Leeland Hotel, a little after midnight. Ella leaned over and kissed her
hostess.
"Thank you, dear, ever so much for your delightful dinner," she
exclaimed, "and for bringing me home. As for the music, well, I can't
talk about it. I am just going upstairs into my room to sit and think."

"Don't sit up too late and spoil your pretty colour, dear," Mrs. Delarey
advised. "Good-bye! Don't forget I am coming in to lunch with you
to-morrow."
The car rolled off. Ella, a large umbrella held over her head by the
door-keeper, stepped up the little strip of drugget which led into the
softly-warmed hall of the Leeland. Behind her came her maid, Lenora,
and Macdougal, who had been riding on the box with the chauffeur. He
paused for a moment to wipe the