Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-10-07

strolled toward the ruins of the tenn
! pie and entered.
The flags We're laid not close togeth-
er, but at intervals of about a couple
of inches apart, the interstices between
being filed up flush with dust.
In sweeping aside the rubbish had
taken notice of long, rusty iron spike,
like ten-penny nail. l picked it up,
and, STOPPING down, ran it along the
chinks betwXt the tagging of the floor.
Out spurted quantity of dirt, scat
terng itself right and left, and-could
l believe my eyes?-among the grains
of dust there rolled forth a number of
pearls!
About twenty, | think there were.
None of them was very large or Of
great value, but there could be no shad-
ow of a doubt that they were genuine
gems, and If the floor of the temple
was going to disgorge jewels in this
fashion there might be many magniii-
cent prizes among them.
l put the pearls | had gathered up
carefully in my coat pocket, stepped
back again into the bagh and beckoned
to Nicer Alec.
81 have good news to tell YOU" said
l, subduing my voice, though excite
ment was now working deep in mc: II
have discovered where the real treasure
of the Ram-Bagh lies"
1T is beneath the floor of the temple
Look what l have Just found among
IN n Il,
forth Il handful of pearls, 1 exposed
them to his view.
We found that the tiles, which We're
about two feet square, needed little eff
fort to raise them; if they had ever
been cemented the stuff had crumbled
away long ago.
Almost the very first blow of the shov-
els into the yielding ground gave back
a sharp metallic clink.
They began ginGerly scraping away
the soil, and presently uncovered what
proved to be most beautiful model
of pagoda in pure gold, as | after
ward found, of Chinese workmanship.
We were three days in lifting all the
tiles and searching the soil underneath.
One evening while we were still work
ing in the garden, my friend, the COM
missioner drove over after dinner to
visit me at my bungalow. He present
ly said: Have you got any treasure
yet from that dirty old spot:"
/ answered.: YES, we have found sew
eral curious things; l will show you
some of them"
And then | produced one of the little
golden images and about Il dozen coins.
| set these upon the table before him.
81 think, on reflection" said he, strok-
ing his mustache, that | may perhaps
have exceeded the power vested in me
by giving you permission to search for
treasure and keep all you found in the
Ram-Bagh. AS crown agent, you will
easily understand that it is n point of
honor with me to look after crown
property"
"Now, see mere" I exclaimed. Il
will tell You what l have done. You
gave me permission to search the Ram
Bagh for treasure and to keep what
found. On the strength of this, | set
to work, hired labor, and had the pes
tilential old place cleared out. That in
itself was a distinct service.
Now, l will not turn another sod
myself, for | am quite satisfied with
what | have already got. The place
simply teens with buried treasure. The
natives will go to work at sunrise to-
morrow morning, as usual, but | shall
| nAf In 4
and tell them they may dig for another
master. Do you understand me?'
He sprang toward me and graspcd
my hand. You have given me Il for.
tune" cried he.
And the government" said 7. drily
as always pleased to have waste
lands cleared away and rendered fit
for cultivation" he answered, with Il
slow smile.
contryed to get something resem-
bling n fair price for my valuable prop
erty from the haggling Brahmins
When all was sold, and l came to cal.
culate the amount yielded, found that
Nicer Alec and myself had nearly S22j,
600 to divide.
The last time | saw Nicer Alec was in
London. The handsome fellow was pa
rading Pail Mall in the costume of n
west end dandy, and fine command
ing figure he looked for all the incon
gruity of his garb.
/ gaZcd at his frock coat and his cur
ly-brmmed Bond street hat, his UNI
brella, gloves and elegant boots, and
could scarcely realize that this remark
ably well-drcssed Hindu was indeed
the same syce who had so faithfully
served me through the mutiny.
YES" he answered, "all due to the
Ram Bagh. But, excuse me- my name
Is now Hopkins. Strand Magazine.