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

| receiver of the stolen goods, hs was not
| prepared to say. That must rest with the
| hlgher authorities to decide. He suggested
] that it might be better to refer it to the
| judicial commissionerI
VALENTINE In the meantime had to be
guarded at tie hospitsl, for Mi Mira dis
| scheme on foot to kidnap him, and. Incl
osntaily, carve him up to find the sacred
There were matly reasons why they
| should recover 1t as soon as possible Their
Buddha had lost all prestige since his NAL
treatment, and no pilgrims came now TO
| lay rhets generous offerings at his great
| square feet. The Bhgoda had ceased to do
| a paying business. for Uzzana's ruby had
neeh drawing caFd3 fit had been good
investment that for twelve centuries had
| gone on making money for the priests.
| Saientyne applied for, and obtained, sick
IeaVe' handicapped with an order that he
must not take tie ruby out of the jurisdic-
tlon OF the Burmese courts.
1t Was splendid bit of judicial ruling
that, and the deputy commissioner smil I'd
srrmly when it passed through his hands.
Inc surgeon swore like a trooper when
ne heard about it, for he had ordered Val
entyne off to Darjeelng for change. You
can stop here, he said, because if you
don die of fever. they'll murder you, sure
By Jore! Your body will be worth some
| thing for dfssecting purposes though If
they don't get the first slash at you
But VALENTINE steadily improved. The
wound was healing up nicely, the ruby
seemingly giving him trouble whatever
AS soon as he was able to sit up and
move about he discovered new source of
annoyance. Devout Burmans were con-
stantly coming and prostrating themselves
at his feet, touching their foreheads to the
ground and muttering their prayers.
What does 1t mean?' he asked Moung
Ouray.
Sar they are worshiping the 'Beda,'
which you, by the grace of God and that
wicked Hpo Thit, have GOT
This Is tntolerable,' thought VALENTINE.
Il am ruby mine, and a Burmese god,
and receiver Of stolen goods, all In one"
AS ne got better the beauty of his new
| life was further enhanced by the deluge Of
official correspondence that commenced to
pour In upon him.
By order of the chief commissioner he
was asked to explain how he meant to
rake good to the pagoda the value of the
ruby he was still retaining on his person
1t was cheerfully pointed out that if half
his salary was escheated for this purpose
1t would take at least forty years to make
up the value Of the jewel
delay of this sort would hardly be fair
to the Phoongyes; besides, in that uncer-
tain climate his salary might cease at any
moment. At any rate under the fifty-five
years service rule, he could not retain his
position in the service for that length of
time. and his pension would be barely
enough to live upon.
The civil surgeon was raked over the
Goals for not acting upon the deputy COM
missioner's suggestion and probing the
matter to the bottom as it were-for not
making another effort to recover the Jewel.
1t was In vain that he wrote in answer
that the superintendents life would have
been endangered by another operation.
HIS answer only brought another Literary
W1gglng, in which he was CURLY reminded
that the British government expected its
| officials to do their duty. irrespective of
personal feeling considerations of per-
sonal safety
Hang them for a lot of bloodthirsty
swine, exclaimed Corbyn. for that was the
surgeons name: they mean to have that
ruby out of VALENTINE, even if it costs him
his life"
Then the Phoongyes got up a monstrous
petition. signed by all the Buddhists, liv-
ing and dead. in the whole Burman en-
pre- 1t was cleverly worded, having been
ora"n up by Young Burman barrister,
England.
The petition was to be forwarded to the
viceroy through the chief commissioner
and prayed that the superintendent of po-
lice Valentine. should be delivered over to
them that they might regain the most
sacred relic in an the Buddhist empire
They We're willing to pay an indemnity to
his family. but the ruby they must have.
For a time it looked rather blue for VAL
entyne, for the viceroy was a man who
had great ideas about the rights of the
natives; in fact, he went in for it very
much as baboo plays lawn tennis with
out much science in the gs me, but with
his whole soul and ponderous body dead
on the ball.
The papers at home. took it up: and
nice gentleman one evening at Exeter Hall
pointed out to the B. P. that evidently it
was another case of oppression of the poor
native. One of their temples had been
desecrated; one of their most sacred idola
violated; jewel. to which they attributed
miraculous powers, stolen and the level
| was now in the possession of one of the
government superintendent of police
There was cock-and-bull story. he said
about it having been shot into his body
fhaty
| a whole nation of Buddhists by the ears
| for the sake of one man. In common hon
esty they must give the jewel up; and if
this man couldn't part with it, Wny he
would have to go with it, that was ali
The viceroy seemed inclined to look at il
| in this light too, and 1t really seemed
awkward for VALENTINE.
In the meantime civil suit to recover
the value of the ruby had been instituted
In the courts in general, and VALENTINE in
particular.
Luckily for VALENTINE. the SECRETARY of
state was hard-headed man, not much
given to nonsense, and he said in euuiva-
| lent official language that he'd be ID
II he'd see an innocent Englishman de-
bauble."
But all the same the superintendent
would have to be retired on half paw for
his usefulness was gone The two couId
not be combined; the dual position of
bur burmese s God and superintendent of po-
nee; Tor the natives still persisted in rever-
I
word was given, to cut him up
Just when he thought his troubles were
at an end, and he might go home, thew an
Piled for an injunction to prevent him
from moving the ruby out of Burmah.
They showed to the court on medical an
thority that there was every possibility
that the stone might work itself out some
day, and so be recovered; but If VaIen
tyne were allowed to leave the Kingdom
the chances of the rightful owners ever
becoming possessed of it were very slim
indeed. ~
They undertook to pay VALENTINE a salary
or ten thousand 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, appointed by them.
should have free access to VALENTINES per.
son. with view to keeping track of the
Ierambulatons Of the ruby; and that when
! 1t made it's appearance near the skin any-
where, so that it might be extracted with
out danger to him, that he would reIin
qulsh all claim upon it and allow the sur
geon to hasten its appearance.
Valentyne's counsel, seeing which way
the wind was blowing, agreed to accent
this ruling of the court, only stipulatine
that Corbyn be appointed surgeon, for the
| neither stone had suffered most In the
grind, and Corbyn was out of the service.