Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-26

81
Wien the strong arm of the law reached
out for Moung Ouray and gathered In hpo
Tint instead il was this way
The gray Burmese night was thick when
Hpo Thit glided like snake up the steps
of the police bungalow, and told Nalen-
tyre, the superintendent, that Moung GU
ray had opiGn-many balls of it-hldden
away in his house
When he spoke of Moung Ouray, Falan-
tyne started little. for Ouray was Mi
Mra's brother, and MI MIRA She Was-pu'
this is i story of Hpo Thit.
How do you know of the opium? ask
Gu NdlcnIyne. Did you put the beastly
stuff there yourself, and then come to
cackl- of the eggs of your own laying?
NO sir, Abdul, who a dog of Mus
sulman, saw Moung Ouray take il off the
fireboat' which goes up the river"
Did Abdul, who is a Mussuiman, see
where Ouray had the opium
mo. sir; but will not a Burman put his
Jewels ir the strong box that he keeps
his bedy'
There was soft rustic just beyond the
plated bamboo wall, close behind Eaien-
tyn.'s head. Ii was the soft rustic of silk
as Mi MIRA wrapped the Ienron-coIored scarf
about her throat and slipped like sentle
shadow down the back steps of the bunga-
low.
VALENTINE gave a toss in his chair and
coughed long and Justify. That was diplo-
matic, for jungle men, like Hpo Tint, have
sharp ears.
In and out among the nlangoe trees the
girls slight figure fitted, as she sped swift
ly through the grove toward Moung Gu
rays little bamboo house.
The Thakine, who makes Mi Mira laugh
asked Hpo Thit if he had laid the eggs in
brothers box. Perhaps he did; shall
see-ha, ha, ha.' and her teeth, which were
pink from the juice Of the sUpari, cleaned
like coral beads.
NaIentyne pondered for few moments
over what Hpo Tint lad told him. His
Guty was straight enough. ''but-but-'it's
put-up job he muttered to himself Its
the same old bazaar trick of running
man..
And also vas not Moung Ouray Mi Mira $
brother?
Il suppose I've got to help this black
guard in his villainy, though he thought;
and calling his orderly, told him to bring
thc Ssrseant and a couple of police from
the jail.
To@a Their they marched down the metaled
fcad. between the peepul trees; just wnere
q sW sel-scented champac grows opposite
ihe Bedd Pdgoda they stopped. Moung
OGrays bungalow lay just beyond
Not got opium. sdr," said Ouray- in his
Knock kLeed English. when the police fled
ITO ms little room and VALENTINE told
MIN what was wanted
w Hen Ire box unlocked nm ton Inv
his handsome silk gown; .hsn ono aftrr
another tie jaunty little jackets and divers
t1ner Things were laid on the floor.
box W. ~ oo,t"n was big round lacquer
DoN' nheh the sergeant lifted the lid thers
N'r' iouT balls there-four oval white
Ld'S, as unlike opium as they could well
pc ior they were eggs "
N'W MounE ouray knew that he had not
iul lhe eggs there: he did not make
PANTRY of his clothes tox. Also nd net
fipp Thit left them. The balls he had sin.
pa INTO the lacquer box while Moung
QUAY was down at the pfay were rounS
ara black. not at all like eggs
ne two Punjabi policemen were grin
ninE IRON ear TO car. VALENTINE gave a
;SssI ,,,i, mus laugh, and asked Hpo Thit
II mat was the opium he had seen Nounp
ouray carrying off the steamer
mere Is lot got afim.'' said the sergeant.
am asked if he C uld search further
800. Naieftsne could answer fiendish
uifoar mote upon his ears. Ii was as
,L"Jsh the play and the whole clash of
pdzaar noises had been suddenly emptied
nv" the compound of the Phoongye Ky
rs across the read
al, 1T was proper oriental babel: the cry Of
ihiff cutting through the general noise
IKE sharpe dyed knife
ihe bazaar budmashes (blackguards) are
lining some one. said the sergeant
Wen have to go and look into that
irSt said the superintendent: wen come
pack here ard finish the search after You
must come. too. Ouray. so that this devil
tdiitpt say That you had chance to hide
anything -'Ae
:. That also was diplomatic: but it was tho
mite slip of losing track of Hpo Thit that
gave the Nahts tspiritsl chance to work
M r. mischief
Somebody is numbering Phooneye"
UrlesO. ne said to the sergeant as they
reached the road my
flushing into the pagoda he found tho
hponSyes in the temple clustered abouI
the big Buddha, the 'Beda Buddha as II
was known.
me priests Were Frustrated at the feet
n the great image. raving and lamentiny
ana shrieking in despair.
nat 5 the matter?' asked Valentine
y thief has stolen TIE Beda the eve of
the god the rubyI''
And they pointed to a great hole in the
forehead of the Buddha, where the. sacred
'I.eda ruby" had been for twelve centuries
How calm and dignified the alabaster god
seemed, sitting tn, re with his hand RESTING.
IN MS lap! Through twelve centuries Of
strife and passion and blood and carnage
mad II looked with calm serenity upon the
struggles Of the little men who had COM,
and gone.
Twelve hundred years before had King
tzZana given II TO the Talopins of Panja-
lzzana, the son Of Mienzaim and Poaza,
the Chinese princess.
The seven great Kyoungs of Talopins
which Czzara founded gained him great
merit. so that when he died the "Beda
Buddha worked miracles.
And now for 200 years had the sacred
eye. the Beda ruby done even So
The mad frenzy OF tn. priests seemed
Ike the petulant temper of children; their
thin brown bodies, draped with the sacred