The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1912-05-09

curse Of the thing began to work. and
Il came to the surface In a drunken
brawl in the slums Of Port Said. The
police, breaking into some dive to
stop a row. found nobody in the place
but a dead Greek; they say twas g
shambles. One Of the police found the
big ruby IN the dead mans fist and
before his companions guessed what
was up slipped away with the stone.
He was murdered some months
later In a Genoese bagnlo, by a French
girl, who got away with It somehow.
The O'Mahoney came across
the thing IN Algeria, when he was
serving with the Foreign Legion. He
was in Sid Bel Abbas one night, OF
duty and wandering about, when he
heard a man cry out for help In one
Of the narrow black alleys OF the
place. He thought he recognized a
comrades voice, and surely enough.
when he ran down to aid him. be
found e Dutchman, a man Of his own
regiment. Fighting with half a dozen
natives. He was about done for. the
Dutchman, when the O'Mahoney came
up, and so we're three Of the Arabs.
The O'Mahoney took care Of the rest
Of them, and left even dead men be-
hind him when he went away-the
six natives and the Dutchman, who
had died In his arms and given him
the Pool Of Flame with his last wills
per.
That's how it came to me-" said
O'Rourke.
"And where is It now?"
Back In Algeria. If I'm not mistak-
en-. Ye remember Chambret
he was with us In the desert and
wanted ye to marry him afterwards?
He mas lt-the dear man; I love him
like a brother. lie sickened Of
Europe when he found his case with
you was hopeless, and went to Al
giers, Joining the Foreign Legion"
But how"
"welL we were fond OF each other,
Chambret and /. I helped him out
of some tight corners and he helped
me along when me monev ran short
las It always did. and will, I'm
thinking. After a while | got to won.
dering how much I owed the man
and figured It up; the sum total
frightened the life out Of me. and
made him take the ruby by way Of so
curity-and never was able to redeem
t. for twas only a little after that
that / came into me enormous patri
mony and squandered It riotously get
ting married to the most beautiful.
woman living.
He warned me to hold the stone
the O'Mahoney did, saying that the
time would come when some native
prince would oher to redeem the Lucl
Of the State as an act Of piety and pa
triotism. He prophesied a reward o
at least fifty thousand pounds. AnC
now it's come-twice overt"
"And now what can you do?"
DOR" cried O'Rourke. Faith
what would ! be doing? Dye realiz,
what this means to me, dear heart
It means neutrality-suspicious.. a littl,
fortune, the right to claim my wifel'
He drew her to him. DO? Sure, an,
by the first train and boat I'll go Il
Algeria, find Chambret, get MIN Il
give me the stone. take It to Rangoon
claim the reward. repay Chambre
and"
And what, my paladinT
Dare ye ask me that, madame
Say. win ye wait for me?"
She laughed softly, Have I 90
waited, Ulysses?"
Tell me-" he demanded. have y
talked with anyone about this letter.
only to Clara Plinlimmonl"
Good Lord" groaned the Irishm5r
"Only to herl Could ye not hav
printed broadsides. the better to max
the matter public?"
did / do wrong?"
Twas indiscreet-and that's puI
ting It mildly. me dear. Dye knoV
the woman's a walking newspaper
How much did ye tell her? Did y
show her the letter."
No" She answered his last quel
ton first. "And ! told her very littl
only about this reward for a rub
] didn't know you owned. We wer
. wondering where to find you"
"And she told no one-or who d
you think?"
The woman looked a little trigh
ened she told-ahe must have tot
9 that man Monsieur des Trebes."
THAT biackguardl"
T "He was with US on the yacht. on
q Of Clara's guests"
"She has a pretty taste for con
pany-my world How dye know Sd
told him? He asked you about it?'
Q The letter. Yes. He wanted
Il know the name Of the solicitors an
a their address. wouldn't tell him.
g -disiiked him.
Had ye told Lady PhnllmmonG"
8 mo
9 PRAISES be Ter that's
q Why7'