The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1912-06-28
CHAPTER Xxx.

Toward the close of the following
day the Poonah dropped anchor in the
river roadstead of Rangoon; and with
in the ensuing hour her passengers
had deserted her, De Hyeres and Miss
Pynsent in their van, O'Rourke among
the last to leave. And nothing him
dered him, not the least hitch delayed
his Decentralization. 1t was curious,
1t was incredible, 1t was disturbing
He took away with him no ease of
mind whatever.
There were tikkagharries waiting,
and without breath's delay the ad-
venturer and his servant climbed into
the nearest and desired to be con-
veyed to the offices of Messrs. Sec
retan and Sypher. The vehicle whirled
them swiftly away and into the main
travelled way Of Rangoon, Mogul
street.
In front Of structure Of stone and
iron so palpably an Office building
that 1t might have been transplanted
to the Strand without exciting COM
ment-save for the spotless cleanli-
ness Of it-their tikkagharry drew up.
The gharriwallah indicated the Of
fees of Messrs. Secretan and Sypher,
one flight up-and named his fare.
O'Rourke paid him and alighted, with
Danny at his heels and his heart try
ing to choke him. The hour of full
filment was at hand-Aand all was
WE'LL He who had faced death in a
hundred shapes of terror, unfiinching,
found himself in a futter of nerves
that would have disgraced a school
girl
He lodged into the building, took
the steps three at stride and
suddenly found himself in the pres
ence Of, more than that, closeted with
the man to meet whom he had crossed
half the world at peril of his life:
Mr.. Lansdowne Sypher.
Colonel O'Rourke?" Sypher's man
ner was very cordial I'm glad to see
you. You are within your time. yet 1
had begun to despair of you. Be
seated" He indicated a chair beside
his desk. "And permit me; you of
ton"
He laughed and went to the win
dows, adjusting the wooden shades in
such manner that the light was
tempered and no portion of the room
could be visible to anyone spying
from window in one of the adjacent
buildings. The he turned and smiled
cheerfully at the stupefied adventurer.
81 have 1t here" said O'Rourke; safe
be the mercy of several highly poten-
tial saintsl" He laughed uneasily,
fumbling In his breast pocket. There
1t is said he, tossing the stone in its
channels covering upon the solicitors
desk.
Sypher himself betrayed some evil
dences Of nervousness as he sat for
ward and lifted the case by It's leath-
ern thongs. He let it dangle before
him for an instant. watching It with a
curious, speculative smile
We'll" he said. really I"
And after a pause; II congratulate
you, Colonel O'Rourke. And / admire
you Immensely. You see,
| Wnen LnlS COulul65lOu was OueroQ us,
considered seriously the project of
going in search of you in person and
bringing the stone back to Rangoon
myself. But then-although I'm not
really a timorous mani knew the
circumstances so WE'LL feared
should never reach Rangoon alive.
Yes" He thrust hand into his waist.
coat pocket and produced a penknife,
with which he began to slit the
stitches that enclosed the ruby
You've been wondering, no doubt,
why so enormous reward was Of
fered.
81 have that" assented O'Rourke.
1T was partly because of the dan
ger" said sypher. intent upon his oc
cupation. "You know, these Burmese
are curiously pious folk; when one
of them grows rich he employs the
major part of his fortune In building
temple-or in some such work. This
particular gentleman-a very wealthy
merchant-chose to give half OF whai
ha had to the restoration Of the Poo