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252 "And I thought I did not," said the Black Man. "I wonder very much that anyone should have been able to take it from you without my knowledge. When will the time be up?"

"When the thirteen years are up," said Shiana, with another laugh.

"You are very witty," said the Black Man, clenching up his claws. "But hold on a while. Some of the wit will be knocked out of you by-and-by, I promise you."

Shiana's hand was firm upon the jewel he had in his bosom. The two paused, looking at each other. Shiana sitting in his work-seat, with the shoe in his left hand resting on his knee, and his right hand in his bosom; the Black Man standing opposite him, with wonder and anger and hate and malice and every sort of ill-will concentrated in his mouth and eyes, and in the murderous-looking brow that was above them.

"If I had to stay here until morning," said he, "I will not part from you now!"

"Ach, there is no need for anger," said Shiana. "Take it easy. You know right well that when the time comes I have no chance of escaping from you. You made your bargain firm enough, 'under the virtue of the Holy Things.' I consented to it without making any reservation. I have the fruit of that now. The money was good then, I thought. It is little good now. Thirteen years was a fine long space of time then, when they were before me. What good are they now? But, good or bad, they will have to be finished honestly and justly. You had no right to come until they were finished. They are not finished yet; and I must do my best to finish