Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-10-24

Tovler. in the suffering Hindu.
staDt he had learned, dictated the
terns of the short document. When
he had concluded and the paper hao
been duly signed and witnessed Law
Ter counted out the price OF the Eye OF
Benares and pushed a pile OF golden
rupees across the table.
at the same instant he picked up the
ruby and, carefully rolling it in silk
handkerchief, placed it in the inner
pocket OF his linen coat The Brahman
watched him ceaseiessly.
LAWYER rose to his feet with sharp
breath Of satisfaction at the conclu-
sion Of such a good piece of business.
His firm had given him commission
to purchase for one Of their customers
as large a ruby as the worlds markets
afforded, and the agent confidently, be-
lieved he had accomplished the task.
Hanzai-Benal placed the rupees IN a
large bag and tossed the bag over his
shoulder. 1t did not fall. to the floor,
but disappeared soundlessly, as though
it might have been caught by PAIR OF
dark hands and passed on to one ana
another pair Until secrecy had swal-
lowed it up. The Brahman moved to
the narrow entrance of the shop ana
blocked the opening by carelessly
lounging there.
Farewell, Hanzai-Benal,' said Law
Ter courteously. 81 shall return next
year and look at your goods. II you
have anything Of great merit-ike the
Eye Of Benares-let me know through
the medium Of the public letter writer.
Here's my card
He dropped the bit of pasteboard
down on the table and turned to so.
AS he did so there was rushing for
ward from the shadowy corners. a
heavy cloak was thrown over his head,
while agile fingers slipped here and
there among his garments in search OF
the Eye Of Benares.
Help. help" yelled LaW!er as ne
pulled out his revolver and endeaVored
to crowd the muzzle under the edge
of the mufling cloak.
They pulled out the white handker-
chief in which he had wrapped the
Eve of Benares. only to find it empty.
for Stephen Lawler by clever sleight
of hand had deluded them and con-
cealed the ruby elsewhere. While
they searched him with nimble fingers
he struggled to release himself from
their wiry grasp. 1t was case OF one
against seven, and LAWYER was fast
losing his streng..... T"tSsa2l oil at once
there came the welcome SOUND OF an
English speaking voice, and a stout
stick was laid heavily among the
souirming legs in the shop,
AS if the stick had possessed some
magic inspired by the sharp authorl-
tative voice Of it's wielder, LAWYERS
assailants vanished. bearing with them
the enveloping cloak. HanZai-Benal
still sat before his table, replacing the
Jewels ~ the box. bis placid features
somewhat disturbed.
In the doorway was a stout figure
clad in gray dannels-a good ameri-
can face. clean shaver, strong and ut
terly fearless whats all this? Hey.
there.w bawled the stranger at the
ieweer
Lawer stepped down into the street,
and his hearty hand struck the open
palm of the newcomer "A1r FerriSs,
where did you come from? I have to
thank Won for saving me from nasty
row. You came in the nick OF time
Don't thank me-thank Beatrice
here My dear, where are YOU hiding?
Alb. this is Stephen Lawler-used to
know his father. This is my daughter"
Lawler found himself greeting the
most charming girl he had ever met.
and he wondered why he had never
known that Mr.. FerriSs must have
had daughter He had missed years
of Joy in not knowing her before.
Mr.. Ferriss was iadulging in lin
guistic combat with u"nzai-Benal in
broken mixture of English. Arabic.
scraps Of Latin and very little Hindu
stant. LAWYER came 10 the rescue.
Just tell him." sputtered FERRIS,
hopping his heated brow, that have
called to get the ruby my daughter
left here to be engraved. She took
fancy TO haze it engraved. 1t isn't
first class stone; NAV as we'll admit
it. | picked it up last year at an auc-
ton room IL Paris. but Zee doesn't
know that. She thinks its a pigeon
blood Tell the Old rascal I've come
for it and want it in hurry; got to
catch q train for Calcutta"
LAWYER looked long into the shrinking
face OF Han2aiBenal, and then from
some mysterious source about his gar
ments he brought forth the Eye Of
Bcnares. This the thing:" he asked
careleSsly.
Yes. aud the rasca! hasn't touched
1t yet. Never mind. Here. Bee" lie
tossed tho counterfeit that was bril-
liant enough 10 stapd among the rarest |
gems without detection. What were
yon doing with it," he asked Of Law
Ter. and the agent told him~brieily.
The sight of two revolSErs pointed
oloca "a l,;s ,-ounro bl, bnod ipdy,nn6