Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-05-03
MYSTERY OF qqHf{E qHf{E GREAF RUBY
BY LUCIE ST. DEANE.
1891, byAmerican Press Associationl

crimes of history and now has been the
means of bringing about the death of
another innocent person. When will Its
career of evil end?'
Every time / entered my store in
uuired whether Wittner had been seen,
and the answer was always negative.
I glanced over each envelope that was
received, hoping to recognize his hand
writing, but was disappointed. ven
tured even to call at his house, though
with much hesitation. His wife told me
that she had not had word from him
for more than two weeks.
"He was once absent in the west,
she said, "for full month without
sending me so much as telegram, and
yet am beginning to grow anxious, "
she added, with sigh which told me
her grief was deeper than she would ad-
NIT.
eff he has been away so long before,
said I, making brave effort to play
the role of comforter, 1--WE must wait
as long before giving way to any mis-
giving. His profession is very pecul-
lar one"
"I have tried to persuade him to give
it up, and he has half promised, but
there seems to be fascination In it
which no other presents.
Undoubtedly, and then he is so
skillful that it pays better than any
thing else that he could take up"
eyes, but what is that compared to
ones peace of mind?"
eff ne succeeds in this case, he will
be paid we'll enough to enjoy good va
cation
"Do you think he has succeeded"
suddenly asked the wife, turning so
sharply on me that I flushed.
81 hope so, but must admit that he
has most difficult problem to solve"
Then, noting the expression Of alarm
on her face, hastened to add:
"Imean difficult, but not necessarily
dangerous He has not been set to trace
a murder, but simply to find out the
facts about certain robbery"
"But in such cases the criminals
would not hesitate to become murderers
to protect themselves.
could not question this truth. Had
I said what I believed it would have
been that no murderer could be more
dangerous than the two East Indians,
for I include the woman whose beauty
might prove tenfold more effective than
the cunning Of the man. but I had striv-
en-, however, to give the wife few
words of consolation, and much doubt
ing my success bade her good evening,
regretting that I called and resolved not
to disturb her again until there was
good reason to do so.
Led by feeling akin to that which
leads q drowning man to catch at a
straw, left my store the next day and
walked down to Burling Bros. A
member had sent one of the rubies to
Amsterdam and ought to have received
some word by this time. Perhaps a clew
might be lurking in such a message.
I fancied that Burling's face showed
that some news had reached him quite
lately which was not altogether pleas
ant.
"Well, my friend" said cheerily,
"haYe you heard anything from the
great ruby you sent across the ocean?"
"Havo I heard anything?" he repeat
ed. "Well, should say had"
"May inquire what it is?"
"I'll show you. 1t beats everything.
He hurriedly turned over number
of papers until he found what he wished
and handed me slip, with the remark:
"Read that.
1t was q cablegram from his oorre-
spondents in Amsterdam and In these
words:
"Ruby gone. Particulars by mail" I"
"And that has BEEN stolen, tooP' l
exclaimed.
"That too? Was there another?"
asked Burling, catching me up.
II hear something of the kind, but
this message is four days old. You will
soon know all about it, =" remarked to
keep him off my theme.
Three days later the letter arrived.
Burling showed it to me, and then for
the first time came faint glimmering
of light as to the mysterious vanish
ment of Mana Sahib's ruby.