"THE BARON HAS FOUND A PEARL!"
"It ees von chance out of a dthousand!" he says, amazed. "I nefer found von before—but it ees so leedle!"
"Never mind!" I say with enthusiasm. "We've been pearl-fishing and we've found a pearl!"
Mrs. Steele is examining it minutely; the Baron leans over to me and says low, in German:
"It shall be set for you in diamonds, Fräulein; it will remind you of spilt cocoanut milk and pearl-fishing in Acapulco's shining bay—it will mean to me a woman, Blanca, fine and fair, I found on the ocean. As I think of all it signifies to me, I believe I must ask you to let me keep my pearl," and he gazes into my eyes with such a world of meaning in his own, I look away and trail my hand in the water. "What say you, Fräulein?" he persists. "I have travelled so far to find it, I have so nearly missed it, and here at last it lies in my possession."
"Are you so sure it is in your possession?" I say, looking across to Mrs. Steele, who is rolling the tiny treasure about in her palm.
"At least," he says, "it is within the reach of a strong arm, and if a jewel begged is not generously given, it can be snatched out of a capricious hand, if only for safer keeping——" and the Peruvian's deep eyes look into my half-averted face.
"My friend does not speak German," I say; "she will think you very rude." Then in English, "Please let me see the pearl again, Mrs. Steele."
"It is absolutely flawless," she says, holding it out to me. The Peruvian intercepts it. He draws out of an inner pocket a gold-mounted letter-case and a book of cigarette paper. Deliberately he wraps the pearl in one of the tissue leaves, and, looking steadily at me, pushes the new treasure far into a corner of the crested case. There is more significance than mirth in the laugh with which he says: