Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-27

/ Stones was a dusty, sun smitteu alley
in the business quarter OF Benares.
The striped awnings, unstirred by any
breeze, dropped Imply above the tiny
| shops burrowed out OF the stone walls.
| Stephen Lawler swung briSkly down
| the narrow thoroughfore. his blue eyes
keenly awatch for a familiar face. At
last he came TO the shop Of Hanzai-
Benal and. thrusting aside the hang
/ ings. stopped and entered
The proprietor. aged. white bearded
and patriarchal of vissge. sat like
| hewn stone image Of "Contented Old
/ Age" Before him was a large, heavy
/ block Of Agra granite, worn smooth
J by much trafficking and rubbing Of
! leather jewel bags in brown. slim
! hands.
MY lord Is late" remarked Hanzai-
/ Benal. with a trace OF reproach in his
| kindly tones, as he siCnaled for the
| American to be seated on the rich rug
/ before the stone table. Il might he
! browsing in the heat OF the noontide,
/ but the Eye of Benares-it never
/ sleeps. and it watches for the coming
/ of its maSter"'
! LAWYERS eyes followed the backward
/ jerk Of the Hiudu's thumb, and he
/ stified sharp exclamation OF wonder
at the sight Peering down at him
from the gloom OF the darkened in
/ terror was a Iurid red and angry eye
/ that seemed TO belong to nothing hu-
man. Fiercely GloweTing out of space,
at first il impressed him as eNerting
| some strange influence over him. Then
/ he laughed shortly and remembered
! that he was in India and must keep
his wits about him.
80 that Is the famous Eye OF Ben
naresE" be asked with assumed non
/ chalance.
/ The teweIer nodded solemnly. at
never sleeps, ana II seeks unerrinEly
the souls Of the wicked No wrong
/ doer can hide from its searching light.
/ What is now passing through the brain
/ OF my lord Is revealed 10 the eye"
Il have heard all that before. Han
F zaiBeual," remarked LAWYER siCnif-
/ cautly My time Is limited. as |
must catch the train for Calcutta.
/ where Il steamer awaits me"
Il was only reminding my lord OF
/ the mysterious power of the ruby"
said the Hindu humbly as he opened
/ Il large ebony box and placed it on
the stone table He pulled out tray
after tray and placed them before
his customer, revealing n ClittrrinC
array Of precious stones-dIamonds,
rubies. emeralds. pearls, lapis lazuli
and apphires-bankrupt spOils from
the treasure chests Of many hard
pressed prince.
What are thcseE" demanded Law
Ter without interest as the stones I'M
der the jewelers. skillful manipulation
dazZled his eyes almost to blindness.
Perhaps my lord prefers one of
these to the Eye Of EenareS," suggest
ed Hanzai-Benal craftiIy
The deal is Off. HanZai-Bcnal" said
Lawler CURLY. I've dickered with
you over this COMPOUNDED ruby for the
past TWO weeks. and now when
come 70 You with the purchase money
you sidestep the bargain. Not an
other rupee will l a61 to the offer |
made you. and You viii either deliver
the goods now or consider the incl
dent closed. Which shall 1t Beg
My lord has purchased the ruby"
Stlli Tux II tttbA tl'i~'4AN ~ '-.Al'i'tN
his bands sharply and then held his
palms upward The Eye OF Benarcs
dropped softly down into HanzaI-
BenaTs slim brown fingers and was
deftly flashed in LAWYERS face and
then placed on the stone table. shall
the bargain be coucluded?" asked the
jCweler suavely.
LawIer dropped to his seat on the
rug and took the beautiful stone be-
tween finger and thumb. The sunlight
Increased It's brilliancc a thousandfold.
From every finely cut facet it radiated
light and color-the color Of blood.
He bent over the stone. examining 1t
closely ana even bringing out a mag
uifying glass TO assist his keen eyes.
There was not one flaw on this mag
nificent jewel. which was "a large as
walnut and slightly fiattcned IN
shape.
Hanzai-Benal watched his customer
anxiouslv. He knew that stephen
LAWYER was agent for a large Ameri-
can firm Of importing jewelers., and
the sale Of the Eye Of BeDares was
not their first business transaction,
though It was destined 10 be their last.
CIONly lI- = lfdu BIbuEuI lDTlu
bis leather wallet. together with =
heavy bag Of gold These he set down
on the table among the jewel trnvs
and close beside the ruby he bad pur-
chased Your letter writer IS here
the notary" he asked. The transac.
ton must he IN writing"
For an instant the Hindu hesitated,
and then no capped his hands From
the shadows there were evolved the
dim outlines OF a tUrDaned form. ana
then there slipped down on the carpet
the thinnest specimen Of a Brahmin
priest that Lawler had ever seen, and
be bad seen good many.
The priest or secretary or notary
he acted in whatever capacity he was
reGuired-drew forth n roll % yellow
paper and an inEhorn from the tin