The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-08-28

| DeSau 10 SlaXe his eyes. Allan AN
BARI he murmured family, and the
spark went ont.
"He had taken from his breast that
jewel; the parchment around it said:
James Thursby, Singleton Cross,
London, England and I must de-
liver it to James Thursby" The old
man paused.
my wife's father was James Thurs
by!" I exclaimed, excitedly: "He
has been dead these ten years, and
Singleton Cross is our home.
"Then if thou art really his rela-
tive thou hast been blest of fortune.
Mine eyes would rejoice to behold thy
wife,"
The next day brought my wife with
me to see the venerable Hebrew.
Daughter" said he, after we had
presented indisputable proof of our
connection to James Thursby, and
given documentary evidence of my
wife's genealogy-for the old man,
friendly as he had been, was cautious
about giving up his trust, and in that
he was, of course, justifable- "and
so, my daughter, thy sire was James
Thursby. Then I have fulfilled my
trust" and he handed her the beauti-
full jewel.
Once at home we were all burning
with eagerness to examine it more
closely. I held it up to the light. AS
[ did so the handle of the similar
pressed against my hand, and click
the swords increased. They had been
set at angle of about twenty degrees,
and now they were ct right angles. I
was astonished, perplexed I tried to
get them back to their original posi-
ton, but they were firm. What did
it mean? I turned the pin around in
every conceivable way, pressed every
part for secret springs, but no solution
of the puzzle offered itself. Much dis
appointed I laid it down, and my wife
took it and began to examine it.
In picking it up the point of the
claymore pressed against the table,
and her finger rested on the hilt of
the similar. Immediately there was
click as before, but-mirabile dictu!
the jewel did not assume its original
form, but the similar opened like a
box split lengthwise. That is, there
were now two scimetars precisely
alike, each one half as thick as the
first one, joined by most perfect but
entirely invisible hinge, and inside
was q tiny piece of very, very fine
parchment.
Trembling with eagerness opened
the parchment. Ha!-something writ
ten but in Arabic. What shame!
But no; would show it to my friend
the Jew. He would interpret it for
me.
l looked longingly at the claymore
and tried to open it. I set its point
on the table and pressed its hilt. No
result! Then / remembered that when
the similar opened the point of the
sword touched the table and my wife
pressed the hilt of. the former weapon.
I believed I had found the secret.
Setting the points of the Saracen
weapon on the table I touched the
basket hilt Of the tiny claymore.
Magic! Open flew the sword. In it
was paper Or parchment like the
other, but-triumph!-in English.
And this is what it said q had to use
magnifying glass to read it):
"1n the Name of God. Amen"
Then followed the regular legal for
mula Of an English will, bequeathing
to James Thursby or his heirs the sum
Of $4,000 sterling, to be found de-
posted in the Bank of England. 1t
was signed ''Noureddin Aga" and
witnessed with long Turkish names.
Then followed the name of a prom
inent London business house as agent
Of Noureddin, and in whose name the
deposit had been made.
To say that I was utterly dumb
founded is to put it very mildly in
deed. It read so much like a fairy
tale that I almost looked to see the pin
take wings and fly off: As for my
wife, she acted as though she was be-
witched. We eat staring at each
other in silence. She was the first 70
speak.
Stephen" she said, IT think
but here there came q voice from the
door. where's Sue?" it said, and
my wifo's elder half-brother appeared
No sooner, however, had he glanced
at the table than he stopped short and
cried excitedly: "Where did you get
that?''
"We are just recovering from the
surprise it gave u.s." said I, laughing.
"Look at it."
But he had it in his hand before I
had spoken, saying as he picked tup,
''This is worth fortune to YOU"
I looked at Sue in surprise.
"What is it, Arthur" she asked