Description: |
mond ascend the beam. How slow it went; would theaccursed beam never die! The diamond disappeared, thebeam now shimmered and the night enveloped it, a harshlaugh came thru the darkness, and Fawnt, with a cry, fellin a faint to the balcony floor.How long he was there, he knew not. The sound ofdancing and talking awakened him, and he staggered tohis feet. Cold beads of perspiration stood on his brow.Disheartened and dismayed by the loss of the gem he de-cided to leave. Reentering the house he managed to passthru the dancing hall without attracting attention. Hesaw Magif dancing a minuet with Lady Margrave, but suchsights ill agreed with him.He gained the cloak room and found his cape. Beside it,was a coat of the finest seal, and one which had been pointedout to him as belonging to Magif. The music of the minuetceased; all was quiet save the babble of conversation whichcame indistinctly to his ears. He stood undecided in thedoorway, his coat on his arm. Suddenly and without rea-son a terrible suspicion came over him. He quickly ran hishands thru the pockets of the black seal coat, and with acry of pleasure withdrew them. In one hand he held asmall package. With trembling hands he untied it. Whyso much paper? At last! The final wrapping fell to thefloor and Fawnt once more held in his hand the HopeDiamond. A look of inexpressible joy flooded his face,and his eyes drank in the beauty of the stone. While thusviewing his prize, some sixth sense made him aware of an-other presence in the room. He looked around and sawnothing. He looked up and saw there was one place in theroom where it appeared lighter than in any other. Surelyit could not be the beam. In great suspense Fawnt waited.He could not tell. Any thing to relieve the suspense of themoment, Philip turned the switch; the room was in com-plete darkness except for a mocking beam of light, whichfalling from above, overspread the hand, which held thediamond. Mad with terror, Fawnt felt the stud turn inhis tightly clenched hand. Gripping both hands togetherFawnt saw with anguish the diamond pass thru themas tho they were vapor. The diamond once more began toascend the beam and Fawnt moved not. The diamondstopped. The beam shook; and with a blanched face, Philipheard the soul-tortured cry,The formulii, the formulii for reentrance to mortality.My God. Its gone, and I, --------One more shriek echoed thru the darkness. The beamdied out and the diamond dropped into Fawnts outstretched hands.All hail, happy Seniors of nineteen and twelve!Come, give us a word ere you bid us farewell.Enjoy your reception? Your faces say so;And yet in your hearts there is something, I know.You are sorry to leave us, now wont you confessYou most wish to be back in the old B. H. S.?Page Thirty-eight |
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Source: |
http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloom/id/1108 |
Collection: |
Bloomington High School |
Further information on this record can be found at its source.