Evening star., 1909-03-14


eight o'clock"
THE two set out therefore, without waiting
for dinner, and after Astro had sent up a
card marked opal" nurse brought word that
her patient could be seen. He had been robbed
and sandbagged, as Astro had surmised He
had lain unconscious for several hours; but was
now recuperating, and would need only another
day in which to be quite well.
He was frankly curious as to his guests, and
could hardly greet them before he had sent
ava V the nurse and demanded their errand. In
a few words Astro told him exactly what had
happened to the famous opal, without confess
ing how it had been traced. In as mysterious a
manner, he let Merrington know that as seer
he was aware of the esoteric and magic proper
ties of the stone and its tradition.
Merrington listened with immense interest.
delighted to learn that the opalhad been found
and that he could probably claim it without a
reward He then took up the story of his quest
where his sister had left it.
Il founded my whole hope of finding the
thing on what | had heard of Ptolemy, the ne
gro. knew he was brave and clever and faith
full | always put this murder with the story of
the Sancy diamond, which l suppose you know.
Baron Sancy, you remember, when told that
the messenger who was carrying the celebrated
gem had been killed, said. Never mind, the
Sancy diamond is not lostp He sent men to
disinter the body of the messenger, and found
the stone in the stomach of the corpse of his
faithful retainer. That's something the way |
reasoned it out. 1t was wild goose chase; but
| succeeded marvelous1y. l discovered the
place where the attack on my grandfather had
been made found the very adobe ruin where
he had made the last stand Some of the old
people there remembered the story-how my
grandfather had been shot first, and how Ptol-
emy, defending the wooden door, had had his
hand chopped off with an a x before the brigands
could enter. But no one had heard of any
precious stone or other valuable thing that
would account for the legend, though every body
in Chihuahua knew the story of the Cigarettes
of Chiapas.'
Well, it took a month to locate the grave
but, after disinterring several coffins, found
one larger than usual, almost decayed to paper
And when l opened it,-which was easy, it was
rotten,-there, in the skull, between the
upper and lower jawbone, was fire opal as big
as the end of my thumb! 1t was the Luck Of
the Merringtons,' | was sure, if for no other
reason because, from that time till it was
snatched out of my hand on Second-ave.
things went gorgeously with me- One of my
mosos put me onto an abandoned claim, an old
gold mine that had been lost for years. In a
month | sold out my interests for thirty thou
sand dollars. Everyone in the place became
my friend. | found an old schoolmate who in
sisted on my going into partnership with him,
and-on the train coming north, l met the
incest girl in the worldi
He sank back in his cot with smile. Now
nv luck's come back he added, I'm going
to present the opal to my sister Helen and see
what it II do for her."
But one thing | don't understand" said
Astro. Did you get nothing but this opal from
the grave?"
Merrington did not notice the incongruity of
the remark, apparently. "Oh, | forgot!" he
exclaimed. That was a funny thing too! You
know Ptolemy's hand had been buried with him.
Something had mummiied it, somehow, while
the rest of the body was pretty far gone
nothing, really, but bones and few tendons.
Well. thought I'd take the dried hand as relic
of poor old Ptoemy. 1t was CHASTITY; but |
didn't know but that would bring luck, too.
But no doubt that was what queered me, after
all. | wonder what became of it :"
You'll find that at the detective bureau,
too" said Astro. IF | were you, I'd give it
decent and honorable burial"
Il will!' said Merrington. And by to-mor
row afternoon m going to appear and surprise
my sister. l hope she hasn't worried about me y
PUT always thought opals were unlucky.
- said Ealeska, as she left the hospital with
the Master of Mysteries.
My dear" he replied; nothing is unlucky.
but thinking makes it so: and nothing is lucky,
but"
The next Seer OF Secrets story, "7he Tao Miss
Mdnuiues," uM appear March 2S.
SAYINGS FROM THE sANsKRIT