“I’ve no doubt you can beat around the bush very well with men,” said Mrs. Henry. “But it’s perfectly transparent with us--in matters of sentiment, at least.”

“Well, I am sorry,” he presently said. “I don’t want to give her an opal. I have no superstition, but I don’t want to give her an opal. If her mother did, or anybody like that, why, all right. But not from me. D’ yu’ understand, ma’am?”

Mrs. Henry did understand this subtle trait in the wild man, and she rejoiced to be able to give him immediate reassurance concerning opals.

“Don’t worry about that,” she said. “The opal is said to bring ill luck, but not when it is your own month stone. Then it is supposed to be not only deprived of evil influence, but to possess peculiarly fortunate power. Let it be an opal ring.”

Then he asked her boldly various questions, and she shoved him her rings, and gave him advice about the setting. There was no special custom, she told him, ruling such rings as this he desired to bestow. The gem might be the lady’s favorite or the lover’s favorite; and to choose the lady’s month stone was very well indeed.

Very well indeed, the Virginian thought. But not quite well enough for him. His mind now busied itself with this lore concerning jewels, and soon his sentiment had suggested something which he forthwith carried out.

When the ring was achieved, it was an opal, but set with four small embracing diamonds. Thus was her month stone joined with his, that their luck and their love might be inseparably clasped.

He found the size of her finger one day when winter had departed, and the early grass was green. He made a ring of twisted grass for her, while she held her hand for him to bind it. He made another for himself. Then, after each had worn their grass ring for a while, he begged her to exchange. He did not send his token away from him, but most carefully measured it. Thus the ring fitted her well, and the lustrous flame within the opal thrilled his heart each time he saw it. For now June was near its end; and that other plain gold ring, which, for safe keeping, he cherished suspended round his neck day and night, seemed to burn with an inward glow that was deeper than the opal’s.

So in due course arrived the second of July. Molly’s punishment had got as far as this: she longed for her mother to be near her at this time; but it was too late.


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