The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-10-28

ering earth oil chirags, as they called
the curse of their offended godhead
upon the sacreligious thief who had
stolen the ruby-taken the sacred Beda.
VALENTINE was horror struck at the
audacity of the thief, for the Beda
Buddha was the most sacred image in
all Burma. Pilgrims came from all
over the Burmese empire to strike with
the stag's horn the crescent shaped gong
hanging there at its side and then
plead, with forehead prone on the ce-
mented floor in front Of the god, for the
intercession of the Beda with Buddha
Gaudama
The Phoongyes watched il night and
day, and how any one had managed to
steal the ruby VALENTINE could not I'M
derstand.
In the meantime Hpo Thit had glided
silently back through the crotons and
into the bungalow once more.
The very air was full Of demoniac
noises as Hpo Thit slipped into the
bungalow, for the crows, aroused by the
Phoongyes' uproar, were screaming and
shrieking in big tamarind that tow
cred high above the champac.
Within all was quiet, and Hpo Thit
lost no time in making his way to the
box they had 50 lately searched for the
opium.
The little chirage was still burning,
so he could see just where to put the
little round packet he took from the
roll in his putsoe, just at his waist
there
He put it down in corner of "A teak
wood box; then, actuated by sudden
resolve, he picked it mp, unrolled the
little piece of yellow cloth in which it
was wrapped and took long loving
| look at it, AS he rolled it in his hand
near the Pickering cotton dip the little
room seemed bathed in flood of warm
blood red light Great ruby tinted rays
shot hither and thither until the daz.
cling brightness lighted up the uncer-
tain gloom, and it was as though red
wine had been thrown high in the
bright MONDAY sunshine.
| 1t was the stolen ruby over which
night was being made hideous with the
din over across the road in the Phoon-
eye Kyoung.
There was so much of terror, so much
Of menace, in the hoarse roar of the
Phoongyes and the crowd of Buddhists
who had been attracted by their cries
that his heart failed him-he dropped
it again in the box and passed silently
swiftly out into the Burmese night,
AS he disappeared small figure
glided OUT from behind penang mat
which served as purdah TO IA doorway
and kneeling over the box searched for
that which Hpo Thit had put there.
Ii was Mi MIRA. "Ho, no, Hpo Thit,
because Moung Ouray told Mi Mira that
you are always smoking at the opium,
and because of that Mi MIRA would have
nothing TO do with you, you would
have VALENTINE Thankyne make a thief
of Moung Ouray.
Then she disappeared behind the pur-
dab again, and the oil dip fiickered
lower and lower, and only the outside
elamor orept into the house, 1t was so
still.
Soon there was the steady tramp,
tramp of men that are accustomed to
marching, and once more the superin-
tendent and the sergeant and the police
came up the steps, and also We're Moung
Ouray and Hpo Thit and the Phoon-
eyes and others there.
1--WE shall find the opium" HpC
Thit was saying, "or else Moung Ouray
has given it to some one, to some OF
the opium eaters TO steal the ruby for
him-the great ruby which was in the
forehead of the god Beda If the opium
is gone, we shall find the ruby. If the
ruby is not here, we shall find the
opium. do not know all things like
the thakine, but that is the way q
our people.
II think that this is no end Of q
FOOLS game, said VALENTINE to the