The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-16
THE NAZIM'S JEI.

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S~iIe was 1 drawn back. know little
! =. inns personally. For two weeks or
iaore was either delirious or unoon-
soious. Then, one bright May morning,
came back from the land of shadows
1t seemed to me, as lay there, that
my mind was unnaturally acute. I fan
cied chat my enfeebled physical oondi-
tion accumulated the action of my brain.
1t seemed as if the rest had given it,
the rest, at least, from lucid action
had reinvigorated it. remember that
threw great deal of thought into the
construction Of the first connected SEN
tence addressed to my man. This is
what / said:
ANY letters, George?''
He started up hastily.
Letters. sirp Yes, sir, letters and
telegram.
"Read the telegram, said, after
another spell of thought
Ho tore open the yellow envelope
Just heard Of your illness. Start
for home today. Mary"
Mary is my promised wife. recalled
that she was ut Colorado Springs with
her invalid mother when fell i'll. I
looked ut George. He must have read
my question. He seemed to make mo-
mentary calculation.
If all gees we'll, sir, she should be
here today
Mary was coming. The thought act
ed on me like tonic. wanted to
throw aside the blankets and leap to tho
floor. Godsl And I couldn't even raise
my arm.
LET i'll the sunlight. Hide these bot
tles'
He smiled and smoothed the blankets
above me.
Everything shall be as presentable
as possible, sir, he said.
AS presentable as possible? That note
| of exception must mean me. Never
mind, Mary was coming, Mary loved
me too we'll to take offense at my
changed appearance.
George" l said, ''the world is still
outside there, suppose. Read the news
paper"
He read to me for half an hour or
more, read the news just as it came to
hnnd-telegraph, local, political. For
u time his voice has simply lulling
effect. Then 1 began to take notice Of
tho substance Of what he read. When I
had heard all wanted, / babe him
stop and let the substance of his read
ing filter through my brain. AS stroye
to recall it all there was an item that
seemed to hold my fancy in peculiar
way. twas telegram which told that
nizam Of far Hindustan had been rob-
bed Of an almost priceless diamond
which it was understood he meant to
present to Queen Victoria at the time
of the coming jubilee. This story. say,
seemed to fasoinate me-the diamond
of tho nizam, filched from its oriental
owner, cleaning mayhap from the
dusky corner Of some squalid hut when
it should be eclipsing the jewels Of a
queen. And Mary was coming. What a
gift for Mary that diamond would be-
Mary, my queenl There was a strange
humming i'll my head, but out of it all
came one clear thought would get
that diamond and give it to Mary.
When l had determined on this, SEEM
ed to grow cool and calculating. I real
lied how helpless was physically, but
my will power, thank God, was still
left me. would concentrate my mind
OH the thief. 1 would will him to come
to me.
had read somewhere that the soul
i'll body purified by the fire of disease
rises above the restrictions of common
clay. Was not my soul so purified? I
fixed my thought upon the nizam's dia-
mond.
Red clouds rolling rapidly; out of
them touch of blue sky, whirl of vel
low dust, sun that beat down fiercely
from midheavcn; the walls Of a city, a
city with queer minarets and towers,
and strange palaces; city with huge
gateway through which passed in and
ont motley Array Of Strange CARRIED
! people; bullocks and carts, and then a
numbering elephant, and red coated SOL
diers, and white turbaned men with
brown faces. And the air was hot and
dry, and strange odor came to my nos
trils
Then i'll corner by the huge portals
l noted a crouching figure-a turbaned
native with strange rings in his ears
and an eye that cleaned with start
ling whiteness. And OH him nv
thought conferred. Then he arose from
his bent position and skunk forth. AS
he passed amid tho snarling dogs that
fought and yelped beyond the city
walls l noticed that i'll tho folds of his
garments he held a long, keen knife.
Ever and anon he looked over his shout
der as he slouched along. And the sun
glared, and the desert spread before
him, and the dust arose in yellow puffs.
Then came two native soldiers riding
on weary horses, and they cried out at