Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-11-05

looking after the fire within, and sus-
pected nothing, but that beautiful fiend
outwitted me- She did thing which
did not see, and whose meaning did not
come to mo until afterward. She threw
something among the embers OF the
wood and the ashes left by the sticks
that were burning there before entered
tho room. Then she came back to where
she had been standing and sat down in
the chair. three PAGES away and facing
me.
/ have spoken Of "a singular odor no
ticed upon opening the door and which
at first was rather pleasant, but it be-
came more marked as the heat Of the
room increased and was oppressive al
most to the point Of nausea. How
longed for breath Of the cool, pure,
braoing air from the outside, but there
was not a crevice through which it could
reach me.
What are all those things:" asked
flirting my head toward the long table
OH which lay the articles have referred
to.
II do not choose TO answer that ques
ton.
was listening intently, for | knew
that the East Indian was still in the hall
outside and heard every word that
passed. / spoke in clear. deliberate
tone, for | was talking TO him as much
as to her.
1T makes no difference. / can look
ut them some other time. This room
seems to be sort Of workshop for you
or your husband. or both. "
She made no answer TO this, but fold
Ing those beautiful arms, with the tiny
points of one shoe showing, calmly con-
fronted me.
II have admitted that neither You
aor your husband was in New York on
the night that Mana Sahib's ruby disap.
peared, so that, no matter what takes
place, the crime can be brought directly
home to neither unless the thief you
employed should turn states evidence
If you understand that:"
She nodded her head
Before giving any explanation please
! wait until | ask for il. -
1t shall be as you say Do you know
anything about the robbery Of the ruby"
For the first time since We had ad
dressed each other her lips parted with
that dangerously fascinating smile.
.sNns. I kpo,v all ahout IL -
will you tell me:"
1T is your business to learn such
things Why do you come to me!"
Because il is beyond my skill. ]
can't comprehend how that stone was
taken from the room in the Windsor
hotel A."
"Of course you can't, " she said. with
still more marked smile, because
you Americans are stupid. You must
come to India to learn wisdom.
will you become my instructor?
NO; I must have pupil with
mind that will understand the simple
truths that are plain to child. "
when the pupil is stupid, then the
teacher should be patient and try to
make things clear 10 him.
But when he is too stupid TO under
stand it is waste Of time. "
You have not tried me. "
Because you cannot comprehend. !
know it by your looks.
II am said TO bear a close resemblance
to your husband. "
"Bismallah, what ISLANDERS are heaped
upon his headr she exclaimed, with
such q tragic air that | laughed.
1T may be slander, " | said, upon
him or against me, but it ought to make
you willing TO try my ability to grasp
those simple truths. thought that per
haps the owner of the ruby rose IL his
sleep and removed it TO some place
which he forgot "
mo; il was simpler than that.
why not tell me at once?" asked.
more inpatient than | ought to have
been.
The one thing which troubled MT
more than all others was the odor that
had noticed and which steadily grew
more pronounced. IL was nauseating.
though could see no evidence that II
troubled her III the least
To raise the window would have 20
cross the floor, and unless did IL by
backing would give the man in the hall
lust the chance for which he was wait
ing. There was no saying what she
would do in the meantime. Altogether
tho risk was more than | ought TO n.
sumo | grimly resolved to sit II out
until she would be compelled TO seek
relief. Why should frail, delicate wo-
man be able to take more poison into
her lungs than strong man like my
self? 1t ought TO be the other way.
She made no answer to my last ques'
ton, and added
with you, and if you choose you can ex-
plain that which is inexplainable to the
rest Of US. Now, will give you my
pledge that if you will tell the whole
truth neither you nor your husband
shall be molested or prosecuted IN any
way"
And Of what value is such a guar
antee to US if you had the power to give
it? What protection do we wish! What
have we done that We should fear your
laws?"
Sure enough, since neither had stolen
the ruby, what crime could be imputed
to them? The man had sold all immense
ly valuable gem to John r. Brown, the
jeweler of Maiden lane, for much less
than its worth. 1t would not have been
. crime had he parted with it for 90
cents instead Of $50, 900.
He claimed TO have found it in the
Himalayan jungles, whittier it had been
carried by tho perfidious Mana Sahib. |
believed this; but, if it was not true,
with what offense should charge Dari.
Us Howard?
All the same there was no doubt that
this man and woman were two Of the
most consummate and subtle offenders
against right that had ever come from
the country Of subtlety, cunning, learn
ing and wondrous skill
"You speak truly, said |, so far rs