Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-02

lureo them Win their booty, among which
was young person dressed like a boy. but
girl underneath. She said she was
princess. and told a queer tale, in conse-
quence of which they kept on until they
came to the tall, conical rock, and were
about to investigate it when it opened and
out popped Meryon, as we have seen.
among the prisoners was fat old person
whom the princess denounced as her
lathers chief eunuch, a fugitive from JUS
tice, and the shooter Of her lover. This
creature, upon Interrogation, denied not
only what was charged against him, but,
most shrilly Of all, something which was
not namely, that he had taken the hol-
low ruby. Further inquiry developed that
he had got together his band of cutthroats
ostensibly to waylay Meryon and capture
the princess. who was to be held for ran
som; but he himself had secret knowledge
of the ruby. and designed to get that for
himself. Accordingly he had shot Meryon.
gagged him lest he recover and swallow
the stone, and deposited the body in the
rock meaning to sneak back unobserved
and hunt for the jewel at his leisure. Fate
had then stepped in and laid him by the
heels as narrated.
What was the hollow ruby? the English
men wanted to know. Terah told them:
though it was news to her that Meryon had
1t in his keeping. Where. then, was the
hollow ruby now? Hatipha was not only
searched outwardly. but fed for a day or
two on a diet of castor oil and soapsuds, to
no purpose. Meryon's clothes-he being
still unconscious in the delirium of fever
and searched the cell in the rock. The ruby
was not to be found. At this juncture
Meryon came to himself, learned from his
friend Chase what had been going on, and
spake. 1t should be promised that the
English had brought their prisoners to a
city of the hostile country; and that Terah
had become an object of general admira-
ton.
THAT old swine Hatipha has it. depend
on it," said Meryon.
I'VE can cut him open. There's nothing
else left to do to him." said the always
l6w-voiced and undemonstrative Chase in
a dreamy, professional tone. But 1 fancy
you swallowed it yourself"
with that gag in my jaws? But see
your game. You want to tncise my epigas-
trium and get the glory Of an operation.
All right. only. mind you. If ever 1 get
well again, I'll give you such licking
as"
Don't excite yourself; won't risk it.
then, for my operations always succeed!
This wound of yours is enough for the
present"
why not try the experiment of removing
the bullets?" growled Meryon. testify.
Dear boy, 1t just went In at one door
and out at the other Here's the aperture
of exit at the back"
81 can feel it all the same. Why doesn't
my princess come and nurse me?"
Your princess?' Chase depressed a
smile. She's busy"
What the devil do you meanT'
Look here, my boy" said Chase, gently,
anyway? You were always a fool about
girlS-it's your temperament, you know;
but you can hardly be quite such an i'm
beetle as to mean anything serious with
her?'
DIR. Chase, I consider your remarks
damned insulting! I want no more of EN-!
shall marry the princess and take her to
New York, and whoever doesn't pay her
proper respect as my wife, will regret 1t,
do you understands
The surgeon was imperturbable You
should have had her boxed up in the harem
and expressed through to your New York
residence, and married her as she stepped
out; and afterward keep her in the meat
safe, or some equally cool and secure re-
treat. For. to be frank with you, she has
been carrying on here In q manner that
with a taste for variety long repressed and
finally INDUCED, but which, were she my
fiancee, would make a murderer and sui
eide Of me in five minutes Why, you
she would have been married by this time
to the entire detachment, from the drum
mer-boy to the captain. You can punch
my head. you know, but I'm giving you
cold facts. OF course. 1 don't blame her
who would? it's the way she's made. and
would be just right In q Nautch-girl-but
as Mrs. Fred Meryon Of Murray Hill and
Beacon street. Ell? Come. man, swallow
Are you giving me this straight" in
quired Meryon, after q short and pregnant
silence.
diluted, too!'
There was another silence. long and
meditative. ''Poor little thing" at last
muttered the artist IT'S my fault. To
marry her would make it worse. We don't
understand these eastern women-their
warm blood or their cold blood, either
But now she has found out what freedom
is, it would be cruel to take her back to be
shut up again. Still, what else 80
"We'll take her back and sec If some
thing nice can't be done for her." said
Chase; meanwhile III see she gets into
no mischief here; and do you keep quiet
and get that shoulder healed"
A week later they set out and proceeded
by easy stages, carrying Mcryon on q
palanquin. Terah and Hatipha were of the
party. much against the will OF both. But
whereas Hatipha's only objection was that
he would be fiayed and inlpaled at the end
of the trip. the poor little princess had to
tear out of her heart some thirty or forty
vigorous young flrtations. 1t may be
stated here that during the first nights
encampment this young lady Disappeared
and with her n handsome young camel
driver and a camel; and there is reason to
think that she has been living happily ever
since.
Upon arriving at the princes palace they
found changes.
It appeared in the first nlace that tho