The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1908-11-05
JUGGANATH'S RING
ropyrsht. by shortstory Pub. Coz
By w. A. FRASER

NNO vi IIItt NtIN ANAb
at police headquarters, and a search.
ing examination made Of all hands
about the place AS the mystery deep
ened | saw that II was rejecting any
thing but credit upon myself. The loss
Of the ring dwindled TO small impor-
tance. compared to the other features
OF the case. for It had come to this
either Valoyd was guilty or had
deeply wronged an innocent man on
account of an hallucination which
might hint at an unbalanced reason.
But from all the investigation not a
single clue was discovered. The mys.
terry of the ring grew deeper and more
inexplicable as time passed on.
About this time, in an extremity OF
feeling, | wrote to my friend Dr. Han.
son, at Vizianagram, asking him il he
could gain any information concerning
the ring of Jugganath Raj, and relat.
ing the circumstances of it's disap-
pearance. | knew the doctor had
certain hold over the Dewan-it was
some crooked business that had hap
pened long ago. in which the crafty
old fellow had been involved.
One morning three months later
letter was laid beside my bun and cof.
fee, with the four anna six pie stamp
in the corner. tore it open and
read:
Dear Philip: I have seen "Old jug"
about that Internal ring he gave you. and
think ! can put you in the line OF
strengthening the whole thing cut. IL took
considerable pressure to bring him 10
time. At first he sputtsred evasivey. and
said he had given you nice ring. very
nice ring. because you were such a good
Sahib, bahut achcha lat Sahib"
l knew this was a Hindu truth, and
gave him until p. m. to remember ex-
actly what kind Of ring he had given
yoI. The old sheitan His memory was
better at four o'clock. and with many
salaams he told me all about it.
OF course l can't remember all he said.
but the whole thing seems 10 be that he
had 1t in for you. and gave you a ring
that he got from the temple at Poree
and which, under certain conditions has
the power Of kicking UP no end OF bob
berry ttrouble) Some Of their cursed
Brahminical deviltry.
odd jug" wanted to stop at that. but
TOLD him that as ne had gotten YOU into
1t. Finally he gave me curiously
carved small green stone, which / for
ward TO you per registered parcel jug"
says that IL you take this in your hand
and go to the place where you lost the
ring. and allow yourself as II were. 10
come under its influence. the thing will be
cleared up or you will see again what oc-
CURED at that time.
Now. old man, after the mystery is
solved / think the best thing you can do
Is TO chuck the ring into the sea or give It
to the British museum.
This was all the letter contained re
lating to the ring.
The next day | received the regis.
tered parcel. 1t contained a small
green stone, about the size Of, and
shaped like, the index finger of
child's hand. At a glance | saw II
was a beautiful piece of jade. On II
was engraved the Persian word
"bakht," meaning good luck. and |
surmised at once that there must be
some great evil in the ring. and that
Jugganath had sent this as tails.
man.
lost no time in repairing to DR.
Balasco's Office, and explained TO him
the situation. saying that with his as.
sistance | hoped to clear up the mys-
terry. The genial doctor was as much
interested as l. and was eager to have
the experiment take place at once. |
took my position in the chair, just as
| had sat that fatal afternoon, holding
the jade talisman grasped tightly in
my hand, and concentrating my mind
on the ring and what had occurred
that day.
| felt my senses being lulled TO
sleep: the din of the street died out
from my ears; all my outer life was
shut of. | could see about the room
quite distinctly, but this did not dis.
tract me, for / seemed to have a
double vision. was aware that DR.
Balasco was standing there, but only
as statue or a figure in a mirage.
Presently living figures began TO peo-
pie the room; old > gganath peered at
me from over my shoulder. holding
up the lost ring. | saw myself ap-
proach him as a bird approaches the
serpent which has fascinated it. The
ring seemed 10 have hypnotized me-
Then the figure Of Valoyd appeared.
with reproachful expression on his
face, but he made no movement to-
ward the jewel. Nearer my own form
approached-it took the ring from
Jugganaths hand, proceeded like one
in trance toward a grinning skull
which was lying on high shelf, and
prying open the hideous jaws.
dropped it within, and coming back sat
down in the operating chair Awak
ing with a start. | found the doctor
looking AT me curiously What is
it?" he asked You seem TO have
been under some strange influence"
| looked around, and there on the
high shelf was the grinning deaths
head | had seen in my vision The
doctor saw me looking at H. That's
a skull use for showing the arrange
ment of the teeth" he said, with q
smile.