The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-03-15
THE GEM OF THE NINE.

yious lands, or. for that matter, in any
habitat. He may be a hypocrite, or a
fanatic, deceiver or dupe-a man of gem
uine worth-though, perhaps, for rea-
sons he would scout-or loafer win.
ming, on acquaintance, deserved con-
tempt. I shall put my old friend,
Moung Ko, without a seconds hesita-
ton, in an upper grade of "holy men,"
He walked consciously on high levels
Of his profession. Not a phoonghie in all
Burmah was better versed in the lore,
not merely of the pagoda, but OF nature
and of life. His fame for charity was
1ust, and at least have never been able,
since the occurrence Of the events pro-
nose to relate, to hold that the wild hill
men of Anapoora were wholly mistaken
TN calling Moung Ko seer as well as a
priest. shall have to show that he, too,
had failed where, verify, popes have
failed And it may be that the weird
gift, never a Joy to its possessor, was
linked in hidden depths with the ro-
nance of a strange career and the pain
of long fight for repentance.
To be coherent, and even to compass
conciseness, it is generally well to begin
at the beginning. Moreover, my first
meeting with Moung Ko is an integral
part of my tale. A hint was offered even
then which was slow to seize, but which
later was bathed in revealing light. The
existence of the cipher must be OWNED
before an Interpretation can be supplied.
I had penetrated new district and
encountered an accident. A luckless
slip on the shelving ledge Of a remote
gorge had nearly sent me to my doom.
escaped through the circumstance that
the thick scrub of the wilderness strag-
gled down the cliff side to wherever
there was layer Of earth to support
vegetation. For long hours remained
in precarious situation, lodged, with
sprained ankle, amongst brambles; above
me, frowning rocks; beneath me, the
abyss. The outlook was black. If l
stirred, the odds were that should go
over the brink and be dashed to pieces;
if / stayed where / was, must starve.
Again-and | had plenty of space to
think the thing through-if l shouted
myself hoarse nobody was likely to come;
and if the improbable became fact, and
there was response, had no insurance
that aid and not cruel thrust would be
the result. 1t was all uncertain whether
friends or enemies were in the neighbor-
hood.
In the retrospect j. seems to me that
my energies suddenly tagged and that
passed into stupor of despair. Surely
there was excuse. But as the weary day
wore on my faculties regained their edge.
determined to have n cast for dear life.
With much of the gamblers recklessness
and fever cried aloud at intervals full
score of times. The silence remained I'M
broken. But queer portent perplexed
my mind. From where was lying the
ly in view, and twice across the line of
vision fitted grotesque. understood
figure in costume certainly not known
TO me as favored by any Burman, Shan
or Karen, male or female. The draper
les were flowing and dark, scarcely dis
tinguishable from the color of the rocks.
Ishivered involuntarily. Did the creature
belong to the realm of honest, practical
existence? Or was | delirious? pinched
myself, as those do who cannot be sure
if they are awake or dreaming. The
dwarfish apparition did not vanish. 1t
went on to the head of the defile and was
finally lost in the shadows of the teak
trees. Another idea, belonging to a state
of weakness, came to me. Was til warn
ing that / must expect the worst?
SOFTLY, friend; have courage. Move
not. | will help you
Sweeter words never heard spoken
in any vernacular than those | thus
translate. | knew their meaning, for |
had picked up not u little of the native
tongue. They were whispered literally
into my ear. The new conner had APP
preached SO silently that there was dan
ger even in his announcement of kindly
purpose.
The sharp surprise made me start. ]
tried to look the speaker in the face, and,
in the effort, swayed towards the preci-
pice. A swarthy, sinewy hand gripped
me and held me back.
''Did not say softly friend?" expos
tulated the stranger, with gentle reproach
in his accents.
Thanks" answered; "but my ankle
is twisted. How will you get me out of
thisi"
Moung Ko was not a man of unneces-
sary words. For reply he drew aside,
with his arm, bush Immediately to my
right. A natural recess was disclosed,
and, as there was light beyond, / sur
missed the existence N tunnel or pas
sage. 1t was doubtless in this way that
he had reached my ledge. And now he
proved the wonderful muscular strength
that resides in the Burman frame.
Stretching himself on the uneven ground
he grasped with one arm buttress Of
rock. and, with the other, he lent me a
support which was entirely adequate for
my deliverance. The pain of the injured
Limb made me vince at every movement;
but l set my teeth together, and, trust
ing TO the directions acted rather than
uttered. I was released from my position
Of peril.
Then saw that ! owed my safety to q
phoonghie or priest. have already in
dicated my impression of Moung Kos