The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-07

laughed, said that he felt better for his
tiffin, and went out. Pack had been tiffin-
ing by himself to the right of the arch, and
had heard everything. Hewas nearly mad
with his absurd infatuation for Miss Hol-
lis, that all Simla had been laughing about.
1t is a curious thing that when a man
hates or loves beyond reason he is ready to
go beyond reason to crafty his feelings,
which be would not do for money or power
merely. Depend upon it, Solomon would
never have built affairs to Ashtaroth and
all those ladies with queer names if there
had not been trouble of some kind in his
zenana, and nowhere else. But this is be-
side the story The facts of the case are
these: Pack called on ChurtQn next day
when Churton was out, left his card and
stole the Bisara Of Pooree from its place
under the clock on the msntelpiece! Stole
it like the thief he was by nature. Three
days later all Simla was electrified by the
news that Miss Hollis had accepted Pack
the shrivelled rat, Pack! Do you desire
clearer evidence than this? The Bisara of
Pooree had been stolen, and it worked as
it had always done when won by foul
means.
There are three or four times in mans
life when he is justified in meddling with
other peoples affairs to play Providence.
The Man Who Knew felt that he was JUS
titled; but believing and acting on belief
are quite different things. The insolent
satisfaction of Pack as he ambled by the
side of Miss Hollis. and Chdrton's striking
release from liver Is soon as the Bisara OF
Pooree had gone, decided the Man. He
explained to Churton, and Churton laugh
ed because he was not brought up TO be-
lieve that men on the government house
list steal-at least little things. But the
miraculous acceptance by Miss Hollis OF
that little tailor Pack decided him to take
steps on suspicion. lie vowed that he only
wanted to find out where his ruby studded
silver box had vanished to. You cannot
accuse a man on the government house
list of stealing. And if you rife his room
you are a thief yourself Churton, prompt
ed by the Man Who Knew, decided on bur-
glary. If he found nothing in Pack
room-but it is not nice to think of what
would have happened in that case.
Pack went to dance at Benmore-Ben-
more was Kenmore in those days, and not
an office-and danced fifteen waltzes out of
twenty-five with Miss Hollis. Churton
and the Man took all the keys that they
could lay hands on, and went to Pack S
room IN the hotel, certain that his servants
would be away Pack was a cheap soul
He had not purchased decent cash box to
keep his papers in, but one of those native
limitations that you buy for ten rupees. 1t
opened to any sort of key, and there at the
bottom, under Packs insurance policy,
lay the Bisara of Pooree!
Churton called Pack names, put the BIZ
sara Of Pooree in his pocket. and went to
dance with the Man. At least he came in
time for supper, and saw the beginning of
the end in Miss Hollis eyes. She was hys-
terical after supper, and was taken away
by her mamma.
At the dance, with the abominable Bsara
in his pocket, Churton twisted his foot on
one of the steps leading down to the old
rink, and had to be sent home in a rick
shaw, grumbling. He did not believe in
the Bisara of Pooree any more for this
manifestation, but he sought out Pack
and called him some ugly name, and thief
was the mildest of them. Pack took the
names with the nervous smile of a little
man who wants both soul and body to re-
sent an insult, and went his way. There
was no public scandal.
A week later, Pack got his definite dis
missal from Miss Hollis There had been
mistake in the placing of her affections,
she said. So he went away to Madras,
where he can do no great harm even if he
lives to be a colonel.
Churton insisted upon the Man Who
Knew taking the Bisara of Pooree as gift.
The Man took it. went down to the Cart
road at once. found an ekka pony with a
blue bead necklace, fastened the Bisara OF
Pooree inside the necklace with piece of
shoestring, and thanked heaven that he
was rid of a danger. Remember, in case
you ever find it, that you must not destroy
the Bisara of PoCree. | have not time to
explain why just now, but the power lies
in the little wooden fish. Mr.. Guber-
natis or Max Muller could tell you more
about it than /.
You will say that all this story is made
up. Very well. If ever you come across a
little silver, ruby studded box. seven
eighths of an inch long by three-quarters
wide, with dark brown wooden fish,
wrapped in gold cloth, inside it, keep it.
Keep it for three years, and then you will
discover for yourself whether my story is
true or false
Better still, steal it as Pack did, and you
viii be sorry that you had not killed your.
self in the eginning.-Rudyard kipling.