The Dickinson press., 1909-12-18
aside the stone slab which served az

From within he drew something that
glistened like gold in the candlelight,
such q marvelously woven fabric that
I stared open mouthed as he approach
ed me.
"What is it," l demanded.
The Japanese laid the garment
across my knees with reverent care.
1T is the great coat Of him who
built this shrine-the golden coat Of
the greatest emperor. Few may wear
It, but whoever does will come to great
riches and glory"
"And why do you not put it on,
Wakuru?" L said, extending the coat
toward him. Then to you may come
great riches and the fulillment Of your
desire to study at the American COL
leges in the west"
For answer he lifted the cloak and
threw it about my shoulders.
1T may be worn only once in a cen
fury. sacrifice my opportunity that
my honored friend, the great Lewis,
may enjoy benefits" said Wakuru
meekly.
He stood facing me with his eyes
wide open. as If watching for some
metamorphosis to take place beneath
the emperor's golden coat.
Presently l became aware that the
coat was pressing my shoulders heav-
lily and that before me l saw nothing
save Wakuru's beady eyes. They
changed to two black crows flying
above a desolate mining country in
Nevada.
They paused above the mine in which
I had sunk a little fortune In years
past-the Cinnamon Bear mine-and l
dimly realized that the mine was no
longer deserted. A small town had
grown up about it, and as l gazed a
car heaped with rich ore al run out
Of the shaft and sent whirling down
an incline to the smelter.
My brother-in-law and partner in my
mining enterprise stood in the fore
ground. and somewhere on a sign
board l read. "Lewistown, Nevada"
The vision came 80 quickly and as
20 rapidly vanished that 1t seemed but
a second later that l was once more
gazing at Wakuru's beady black eyes.
1.-THE Honorable Lewis has seen
visions Of success" he said quietly. as
one who states a fact.
"Wakuru, you rascal, you've hypno-
tized mel" l calculated angrily. but
I'm blessed If I've thought Of the Gin
namon Bear for three years, although
Ned did say he was going to have an
other try out there"
Without q word the japanese re-
moved the cloak from my shoulders
and replaced it within the stone coffin.
Five minutes later we were walking
toward my hotel.
went directly to my sitting room.
| and while Wakuru laid out my clothes
for dinner l opened an accumulation
Of letters on my desk. Among them
was a brief %cablegram from Ned Nor
daunt, my brother-in-law:
Lewiston, New. May 10.
| Cinnamon Bear made good at last.
Richest streak of gold in state. Come
home. NED.
For II man who desired not great
riches, but merely a competence. as l
had so neatly outlined to Wakuru, !
displayed unusual excitement at the
news coming SO suddenly upon the
strange vision l had had while wear
ing the emperor's golden coat.
blush to recollect that l fell upon
my complacent manservant and slap
ped his august back and thrust into
his reluctant hand a fifty dollar note
American money, Of course.
When Wakuru withdrew and left me
arrayed for dinner l was simmering
with delight. l dined merrily, and
sought divers information regarding
outgoing steamers in the neal future.
Morning came and no Wakuru.
| waited until noon and then sought the
hotel manager.
! He shrugged his portiy shoulders.
my boy told me this morning that
| Wakuru had embarked for the United
States on the steamer that touched at
Kobe at 8 o'clock. There's Wakuru's
brother-he's the telegraph operator
In the ofice-Matsukemo"
A man-small. sleek and yellow-the
prototype Of my vanished valet, ap-
| preached with a bland smile and lifted
black brows.
"Wakuru," he murmured raninis-
Gently. 'Ah, him have most GENEROUS
august patron. My brother. him have
geeft from rich American and go i'm
mediate to that America where all
learning and much money is. So late
now, too bad, Wakuru gone" He mov-
ed away toward the telegraph Office,
and I went to my room and looked at
the cable message.
1t had been received an hour before
my departure for the temple the pre-
vious day, and there was not the
slightest doubt that Matsukemo had
received the message and impaired to
the faithless Wakuru the news" that
his employer had fallen into great
riches.
As for the emperor's golden coat, l
fear its only usefulness had been to
cover Wakuru's deceit and avarice and
also his very clever powers Of hvnno.