Fully two years had gone by since I bade farewell to Lord Ragnall and
Miss Holmes, and when the curtain draws up again behold me seated on the
stoep of my little house at Durban, plunged in reflection and very sad
indeed. Why I was sad I will explain presently.

In that interval of time I had heard once or twice about Lord Ragnall.
Thus I received from Scroope a letter telling of his lordship's marriage
with Miss Holmes, which, it appeared, had been a very fine affair
indeed, quite one of the events of the London season. Two Royalties
attended the ceremony, a duke was the best man, and the presents
according to all accounts were superb and of great value, including a
priceless pearl necklace given by the bridegroom to the bride. A cutting
from a society paper which Scroope enclosed dwelt at length upon the
splendid appearance of the bridegroom and the sweet loveliness of the
bride. Also it described her dress in language which was Greek to me.
One sentence, however, interested me intensely.

It ran: "The bride occasioned some comment by wearing only one ornament,
although the Ragnall family diamonds, which have not seen the light for
many years, are known to be some of the finest in the country. It was
a necklace of what appeared to be large but rather roughly polished
rubies, to which hung a small effigy of an Egyptian god also fashioned
from a ruby. It must be added that although of an unusual nature on
such an occasion this jewel suited her dark beauty well. Lady Ragnall's
selection of it, however, from the many she possesses was the cause of
much speculation. When asked by a friend why she had chosen it, she is
reported to have said that it was to bring her good fortune."

Now why did she wear the barbaric marriage gift of Harût and Marût in