The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-27


had been desecrated, one of their most
sacred idols violated, and jewel, to
which they attributed miraculous pow
ers, stolen, and the jewel was now in
the possession of one of the government
uperintendents Of police.
There was cock and bull story, he
said, about it having been shot into his
body, but even if it were SO they could
not set whole nation of Buddhists by
the ears for the sake of one man. In
common honesty they must give the
jewel up, and if this man couldn't part
with it, why, he would have to 60 with
it, that was all.
The viceroy. seemed inclined to look
at it in this light, too, and it really
seemed awkward for VALENTINE.
In the meantime a civil suit to re-
cover the value Of the ruby had been in
stituted in the courts in Rangoon
against the government in general aud
VALENTINE in particular.
Luckily for VALENTINE the secretary
Of state was hard headed man. not
much given to nonsense, and he said in
equivalent official language that he'd
be ID if bed see an innocent Eng
lishman do lately cut up to recover
any fetch bauble.
But all the same the superintendent
would have to be retired on half pay,
for his usefulness was gone. The two
could not be combined. the dual posi-
ton of Burmese god and superintendent
of police, for the natives still persisted
In reverenoing him, though ready as
soon as the word was given to cut him
up.
Just when he thought his troubles
were at an end and he might 60 home
they applied for an injunction to pre-
vent him from moving the ruby out Of
Burma. They showed to the court on
medical authority that there was every
possibility that the ruby might work
itself out some day, and so be recovered;
but if Valentyne were allowed to leave
the kingdom the chances of the right
full owners ever becoming possessed of
it were very slim indeed.
They undertook to pay VALENTINE a
salary of 10, 900 rupees year so long as
he remained in Rangoon, and all they
asked in return was the privilege of
coming to worship the Beda at certain
periods, and that medical officer, ap-
pointed by them, should have free ac-
cess to Valentyne's person with a view
to keeping track Of the perambulations
of the ruby, and that when it made its
appearance near the skin anywhere, so
that it might be extracted without
danger to him, that he would relinquish
all claim upon it and allow the surgeon
to hasten its appearance.
Valentyne's counsel, seeing which
way the wind was blowing, agreed to
accept this ruling Of the court, only
STIMULATING that Corbyn be appointed
surgeon, for the neither stone had suffer
ed most in the grind, and Corbyn was
out Of the service.
One little formality the court de-
manded, and that was that the arch
bishop and three or four of the chief
Phoongye should go on bond for VAL
entyne's personal safety.
So the superintendent was lodged in
q beautifully furnished bungalow and
was treated very much like distin-
guished state prisoner.
Life went very pleasantly with him,
and it did not seem such bad affair
after all.
Mi MIRA was living in Rangoon, too,
as it happened, and Hpo Thit, in con-
sideration of his turning queens evil
dence against himself re the ruby, was
let off with two years in Jail and was
then busily engaged in pushing con-
vervancy cart about town with clank-
ing chain running from his waist to
either ankle by way of ornament.
The Europeans in Rangoon, with
oriental playfulness, bestowed upon
VALENTINE two or three names express
i've Of his occupation. He was known
down at the "Gym" as the Burmese
god," "Beda. - and the .'Jewel Mer-
chant"
The fellows were never tired Of offer
ing him as security, swearing roundly
that he was worth two lakhs of rupees
dead or alive.
One or two playful attempts on his
life relieved the monotony Of his exist
ence, but as these laudable efforts were
usually frowned down both by the
Phoongyes and the officials, and as one
Of his assailants caught cold steel in
his right lung, they ceased altogether
after time, and he was leading COM
paratively happy life.
He almost began to wish that the
ruby would stay where it was. Were
fixed for life. !" he said to Corbyn, "if
this Beda thing doesn Z turn up must
be more careful Of myself. must stop
riding, for the shaking up may dislodge
the Internal thing and start it working
OUT"
He had even got used to seeing the
natives plump down in front Of him
and fall to praying.
Strangers always took him for the
chief commissioner when they saw this
sort Of thing going on. and many were
the mistakes made in consequence.
Once he received an offer from Bar
mum at a salary which made his paltry
| 10, 900 rupees looks like pin money only.