The wageworker., 1910-04-29
The Ring Of the
Maharajah
To One Man 1t Seemed to Cause
Many Deaths.
By CkARISSA MACKIE
By CkARISSA MACKIE
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

+ Copyright. 1910, by American Press !.
= Association. +
+ 4 !
EYES," said Bentley, putting at his
cigar and looking thoughtfully at a
white line that marked the bronze Of
his finger, that is where 1 used to
wear the ring of the maharajah Of
no matter WHAT
"And thereby hangs a tale, as can
guess" returned Laidlaw, with
laugh. "Out with it, manw
THE maharajah was a friend of
mine. I hunted tigers with him, and
once l saved his life from the beast
whose skin is under our feet" The
three men looked down at the splendid
tiger skin at their feet, at the tawney
beauty of the silken hair and then at
the cruel head with it's snarling lips
and deadly fangs.
81 saved his life, and he was very
grateful to me for it. He gave me
rich presents, and then one day in
spite of my protests he insisted upon
my accepting the ring. 1t is wide
band of gold with a carved amethyst
sunk deep in the setting. 'Sahib
Bentley said the maharajah, this will
bring good fortune, the blessing of
heaven and protection from your enc
mics. Come tomorrow and l will tell
you the story Of the ring and how you
may use it to advantage Bentley
paused and looked gravely into the
fire.
And the next day." prompted Laid
law. "you went and"-
'The next day 1 went to the palace
and found that the maharajah had
died suddenly in the night
'And SO you never knew the history
of the ring?'' remarked Eastman.
mot until it made new history after
it came into my possession. At first
I did not wear it through some dislike
for barbarous jewelry, and then one
day after had been thinking of the
old maharajah and deciding what a
white old heather he had been I slip
ped it on my finger, and so I grew
into the habit of wearing it.
"One night was dining with lot
of fellows at the Calcutta club when
suddenly one Of them, little English
Ildu ny udLu0 VI GllSWOIlu, Caught uy
hand and examined the ring thought
fully. l was explaining the matter Of
the ring to him when. with a startled
cry, he fell over on the floor.
"He was dead when we picked him
up," he said presently. "Heart dis
ease, the doctors said.''
"And what was your opinion?"
II had none. To me it was merely a
coincidence that he should have eX-
pired while examining my ring. I
never connected the ring with the case
in any way. A year afterward while
was sitting in the veranda Of my bun
galow a servant announced that lady
wished to see me. She was admitted
to the veranda, and l found her to be
the wife of an English army officer
whom I knew merely by reputation.
He was hard case, and rumor had it
that he was disgraced and papers
from the home Office were en- route to
Calcutta regarding his suspension.
Mrs. Fitz-Norton was a very beau
tiful woman. quiet and refined, but her
face expressed the greatest distress.
She apologized for intruding upon me
the ring of the maharajah. l told her
that 1 did and that 1 had it on. She
asked to examine it closely, and l
drew it off and handed it to her. With
a little cry she pressed it to her lips
and'- Bentley stopped short and
stared defiantly at his companions.
"And what happened?" they asked in
"Why, she sank to the floor uncon-
scious and died that night" said Bent
ley, passing his hand wearily across
his brow.
"The devil!" uttered Laidlaw, look
ing pityingly at his friend.
Poisoned" muttered Eastman, lean
ing forward in his chair, with brood
ing eyes fixed on the fire.
"Oh, it was examined for poison,
and none was found,' said Bentley.
''It made matters very unpleasant for
me, but the fact that it was given tc
me by the maharajah was generally
known, and so it was forgotten after
awhile
"And did you continue to wear it?'
Eyes. After it was examined and
found harmless l did wear it for
year or two until'- He paused again
in a manner that had been peculiarly
exasperating to his hearers
until when?' exclaimed La1dlaW
impatiently.
until the great tragedy" returned
Bentley. He was looking very white
and worn now, and the two men no..
ticed for the first time the gauntness
of his face and the dark hollows under
his eyes. '.I was engaged to marry
Miss Vivian, beautiful young Eng
lish girl, the daughter of the officer in
command of the Calcutta barracks.
wished to bestow ring upon her, and
she would have no other than this one
l told her the curse that seemed to be