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

deputy commissioner for committal hear.
ing, as it were, charged with stealing the
sacred ruby, and with attending murder
OF the superintendent
But the priests were clamorous for tho
ruby eye of their Buddha; for the matter of
VALENTINE dying not they did not bother
eneir heads-even they would let Hpo Thit
go 1ree so be it they could come by the
sacred gem again. The Burmese arch
belshop, the Matchmaking, had come down
stone. ~ 'A'e
They begged the deputy commissioner to
give Hpo Thit promise of pardon If he
would only disclose where he had hidden
the "Beda."
II can't do that he said "for the
wounded sahib may die; the doctor has
nshed for the bullet and can't get 1t. and
II looks bad for the superintendent life
II ne dies, Hpo Thit will have to swing"
But If the Beda might be recovered they
would pay to Valentyne's family his full
value i'll good English sovereigns.
Inc deputy commissioner was as anxious
n 70 recover the level as they Were; so he
promised Hpo Thit that If he would tell
Wnere II was. 1t would help him much when
the time OF his sentence came.
i Will tell" said Hpo Thit, because
VIII De easy for the Thakine to get it.
the time Of the sentence"
Inc priests claned their thin shaver
puzzard-iike heads eagerly forward; even
the deputy commissioner was intensely ex-
cited. for II he should recover this sacred
Beda 1t would be well; if not, fiji the papers
all through India would have their ling
al IT, and his life would be made miser-
able answering inquiries from the govern
ment.
The court was as silent as the craven
image of Buddha itself. as they waited
Tor Hpo Thit TO speak.
Putting the palms of his hands together
In front Of his face in the form of suppl
cation, Hpo Thit said: 1.-THE red stone
winch l took from the kyoung. even from
Of prI1 ha ;c
Ihakine's body. 1 fired 1t from my gun
the last time. because 1 had not bullets
and because IL 1t could work a miracle it
away"
rms statement took away the breath of
the court. The silence was unbroken for
all, tuli min minute T. then the Chief Phoongye
| 1t. We must swear him."
yes said the deputy commissioner
he must make oath to that, for things
were better done judicially."
He ordered the clerk to swear him on
the palm-leaf Burmese Bible.
No, Thakine," said the priest, inter-
rupting, he Is not disciple Of Buddha
He is jungle man, and We lust swear
him on branch of the leppan"
But after the oath it was the same-the
red stone was in the police Thakine's body.
i think 1t Is the TRUTH said the deputy
1T is true said the priests; "apd the
police Thakine must give up the Beda.''
We'll, We'll see what can he done in the
matter. answered the deputy commission
er; and Hpo Thit was remanded to await
Developments.
BY Jove!'' said the surgeon, when he
heard about it, that accounts for the in
fernal thing taking that corkscrew course /"
you'll have to get 1t out of him some
way, said the deputy commissioner "for
us worth about two lakhs of rupees; and
besides. 1t won't be healthy for Valen-
tyne to live in Burmah with the eve RI a
Buddhist god in him."
Look here, Grey" said the surgeon. "I
am fingered II probe for the cursed thing
i again. nearly let Valentyns's life ont ~
/ him the other day for fear of poisonous
consequences, for thought 1t was a slug.
But II It's good, clear-cut ruby It viii
probably never hurt him, and I'm not going
70 take any chances"
The deputy commissioner was in desnai,
The Phoongyss. headed by their arch
bishop, haunted his Office and his bungalow
| hight and day, clamoring for the ruby, fer
their sacred "Beda," for the eye Of their
| Buddhist god.
But the surgeon was obdurate
| VALENTINE is friend of mine" he said.
and I'm not going to murdsr him to
| please any yellow robed Phoongye. I
wouldn't do IT even II he were an enemy.
| I'd leave the service first"
or course the deputy commissioner hsd
| to report 1t to the commissioner and he to
the CHIEF commissioner.
The report read: s'That the sacred
| .Beda, the famous ruby, had been stolen
| from thu forehead OF the image Of Buddha
Thit IIpc Thit had been captured and
the ruby traced to the possession Of the
| superintendent Of police. Mr.. VALENTINE.
/ That II appeared from Hpo Thits syidence
that he had fired it from q musket into
the superintendent body: but as to
whether Hpo Thit's evidence could be ac-
copied, and the superintendent held to be In