The Elbert County tribune., 1912-03-08


and the Pool OF Flame had vanished.
For several years 1t stayed
quiet, so far as is known. Then the
curse OF the thing began to work. and
1t came to the surface in a drunken
brawl In the slums OF Port Said The
police breaking into some dive to
stop row. found nobody in the place
but dead Greek; they say twas a
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 Genoese bagnio. by French
girl. who got away with It somehow.
l. The O'Mahoney came across
the thing in Algeria, when he was
serving with the Foreign Legion. He
was In Sidi Bel Abbas one night. of
duty. and wandering about, when he
neard 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, he
found Dutchman. man OF his own
| -Nss>NNt' hbheiHB Will Hhli uOZen
natives He was about done for, the
Dutchman, when the O'Mahoney came
up, and so were three of the Arabs.
The OMahoney took care of the rest
OF them. and left seven 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 whis-
per.
That's how IT came to me-" said
ORourke.
And where is It now?'
Back in Algeria, II I'm not mistak-
en-. Ye remember Chambret
he was with us In the desert and
wanted ye to marry him afterwards?
He has 1.-THE dear man; love him
IKE brother. He sickened of
Europe when he found his case with
you was hopeless, and went to Al
giers, joining the Foreign Legion"
But how"
We'll. we were fond OF each other
Chambret and l. helped him out
OF some tight corners and he helped
me along when mo money ran short
-as 1t always did. and will. I'm
thinking. After a while ! got to won
dering how much 7 owed the man
and figured 1t up; the sum total
frightened the life out OF me. and I
made him take the ruby by way OF se-
curity-and never was able to redeem
1t, for twas only little after that
that ! came into me enormous patri-
mony and squandered 1t 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 wher some native
prince would offer to redeem the Luck
of the State as an act of piety and pa
triotism. He prophesied a reward of
at least fifty thousand pounds. And
now It's come-twice overi"
And now what can you do?"
"Do?" cried O'Rourke. Faith,
what would | be doing? Dye realize
what this means to me. dear heart?
1t means you-independence a little
fortune. the right to claim my wifei"
He drew her to him. DO? Sure. and
by the first train and boat I'll go to
Algeria. find Chambret. get him to
give me the stone. take II to Rangoon,
claim the reward. repay Chambret
| and"
And what my paladin?'
Dare ye ask me that. madame? !?
Say. will ye wait for me?"
She laughed softly Have not
waited. Ulysses?"
Tell me-" he demanded have ye
talked with anyone about this letter?'
Only to Clara Plinlimmon!r
Good Lord!" groaned the Irishmsn.
only to her! Could ye not have
printed broadsides, the better to make
the matter public?"
did | do wrong?"
Twas indiscreet--and that's put
ting 1t mildly. me dear. Dye know
the woman's walking newspaper?
How much did ye tell her? Did We
show her the letter."
No She answered his last ques-
ton first. And told her very little
only about this reward for a ruby
| didn't know you owned. We were
wondering where to find you"
And she told no one--or who do
you think?"
The woman looked little fright
ened "She told-she must have told
that man-Monsieur des Trebes."
That blackguardi"
He was with us on the yacht. one
of Clara's guests"
"She has pretty taste for com
pany-my word How dye know she
told him? He asked you about 1T"
The letter? Yes. He wanted to
know the name of the solicitors and
their address. | wouldn't tell him. |
--disliked him"
Had ye told Lady Plinlimmon?"