River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-03-05
THE TOOTH OF silva.
nv GEORGE G. FARoUHAR.

make tracks homeward."
We've been unlucky that's ALL re
turned DIR. Worrall There are yaks
about, for we came across their 'spoor
to-day up the lake. Halloo, Louis.
what's that Ihing?"
Louis had pulled out his chronome-
ter as he was speaking. and the doc
'or's eye CHANGED TO catch the gcwgaw
that dangled from the chain.
"This?" replied Louis. nonchalantly
"0h. it's a little present had from
Pollard before he leftCaIcutta. Neither
valuable nor very ornamental, but I
keep il in memory of him."
The object which DIR. Worrall now
scrufinized with some degree of curl
osity was a conical-shaped pi"ce of
green jade, about an inch in length;
from the base of il projected short
strip of furnished metal, and through
his metal hole had been bored. DIR.
Worrall looked long and carefully at
the article.
Where did Pollard get it2~ he asked,
a grave look on his face.
well, he came across il in this very
neighbOrhOOd, believe. Perhaps,
ought to say-putting the fact into
plain English-he stole it,"
How did he become possessed of
it2''
"Oh. by some means or other he Sc
cretly obtained access to a Brahmin
temple, in which an deliberately Jew
eled image of silva was enshrined. The
jade teeth of the idol were fixed into
tbesr eoclatu NTH rroI1au ucrouo anJ
Pollard. DESTROYS of having a mement0
OF his hazardous enterprise. broke one
of the teeth off. and carried il away
with him. IL was the act of an icOno-
clast, a vandal. but"
''YOu don't mean 10 tell me- cried
DIR. WorraIl, excitedly. that this is the
rotoriOus Bharatra toOth?"
''Now YOU mention il, l recollect
that was the name of the temple-the
s3haratra temple. But why hotori-
oussf
ut appears that the BhOOtaneese
nave a special regard for these teeth.
certain scores or inscriptions upon
them being attributed to Brahma's
own hand. IL was the double triangle
cut into the face of this piece of jade
that caused me TO question you respect
ing il. 4 description of the missing
9th was circulated throughout the
district. the rajah of Waysnu offering
n substantial reward for its recovery.
IL YOU value your comfort and safety.
Louis, 1 would advise YOU to get rid of
the stone at the earliest opportunity.
Many n fanatic would not count the
cost IL he could only obtain possession
of the tooth, and many who ar" not
fanatics would have little scruple
about killing you for the sake of the
reward"
81 had no idea l was carrying such
dangerous article about with me. re
joined Louis. with laugh. Here it
goes back into my pocket
''Harki" int.rposcd the doctor. sud
denly sitting up stiffiy. "What was
that?"
lie rose to his feet, strobe past the
tent pole. and lifted the dap ~ the
ten. For minute he looked keenly
out into tle night, listening.
81 must have been mistaken he said.
returning. u thought heard stealthy
footsteps IN the grass. But there's no
body about"
THE wind among the leaves, that
WIS all" opineJ Louis, with a yawn.
Il say. WOrraIl. think I'll turn in.
InI dead beat"
The doctor followed mas companions
Example. and within half IN hO1r he
twain were deep in slumber. How lGle
Louis had slept he knew not ycfore
he awoke with a SILVER. he cold night
air beating full upon his face. And
no wonder-for there, not yard from
his head. the tent cloth was dangling
,oosP While ne was dreamily debat-
ing the means by which the canvas
could be refastened With the leas:
amount OF eNertion TO himself. ne saw
hand thrust into the opening. Louis
gazed fxedly The cloth was cautious
" raised, and now the moons rays
giistened upon forearm which, pro-
truded into the tent, swept gently
from side to side, in an ever widening
semi-circle.
Louis rolled over noiselcssly and
tlutched the cropping limb with both
his hands. The tug of war was violent.
hut brief. Louis fingers slipped
down his adversary's arm as il il were
the body of an eel. The vigor he had
used. thus unexpectedly released, shot
him backward upon DIR. WOTrall. who,
alarmed at his friends hallOos. had
risen into a sitting posture. Before
they could sort themselves out" the
wouId-be pilferer-for there could be
10 doubt the intruder was upon plum
der bent-had utterly vanished into
space. Nor. although they at once
reused the inmates of the camp--thdr
IIindoo bearers, POrters and attend
ants-could the slightest trace of the
marauder be discovered
These Indian tent thieves are slip
perry customers" remarked DIR. Wor-
rail-. Literally. mean. They smear
their bodies with oil and grease. and
then go about their ncfarious business
raked- We must keep better watch
in the future. But don't think they'll
trouble us again-at least not to-
night"
Next morning. while the hunters
were imbibing their early breakfast.
their guide, a Bhootanese shikari.
Chuta Sen. came running brcathlessly
into camp. He had already been to
the top of an adjoining hill. from
whence he had seen a herd of yaks
grazing in the valley beyond.
Swallowing a hasty msal, the Eng
hshmen shOuldered their weapons AID
set Oft to the spot. There, far b,r-
low they could discern a dozen or 50
of the wild oxen. mere brown dots Oh
the plain, browsing placidly upon che
sparse heritage. It became necessary
20 exercise the utmost caution in APP
preaching the herd, and course was
accordingly shaped round hummock
of the hill to leeward, this detour bring
ing the hunters within gunshot.
Singing cut their animals, DIR. Wor-
rail- and Louis fired together. The
alarmed ysks broke up in disorder.
most of them stamPeding up the val
ley. while three only-and one of these
evidently wounded badly-burst away
in the opposite direction. DIR. worrall
followed by the two HindOo servants.
rushed pell-mell over the bCwliers in
the hope of heading the larger hersl
Mt the neck OF the hollow. and so o.
getting another shot at them. LOUIS.
on the other hand. elected 10 pursue
the bull he had wounded, which, from