The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-05-27

had reached the stringy throat Of his
accdser he withheld them, for James
Blake had flashed out a small revolver,
which he pressed menacingly against
the breast of the clerk.
Now just cool off, Gordon" he said,
with a slight tremor in his voice. You
are in a devilish scrape, l know, but ]
will help you out if | can. In fact, /
am the only one who can help you out.
Make an enemy of me if you wish and
you will be handed over to the Chinese
government for punishment, for you
will be taken secretly into custody by
the imperial spies and will not have a
chance to claim protection under the
stars and stripes or even to appeal for
a hearing before the consular court
It is crime punishable by death re
CARELESS of nationality or position or
wealth.
The facts are these: l received in
formation last night that government /
spies were tracking a clerk in our office
who was suspected of being mixed I
up in the case of the theft of the Gold /
en- Buddha from the summer palace at
Peking."
| Jack WINGED, but his expression of
scornful unbelief did not change.
1--WE all know the history of the Gold
en- Buddha," went on Blake in a guard |
| ed tone, looking straight into the eyes
| of the younger man. I'VE know that
| 1t is q most sacred relic and contains
| within its hollow form several gems
| of priceless value which We're placed
| there for safe keeping, as the reverence
with which this image is regarded has
always been sufficient guarantee of its
safety. The priests who guarded it
We're foully murdered, and the image
disappeared.
1T has been traced to Shanghai, first
to the old city and then, last night, TO
! the doors of Blent & Co. and finally to
/ the desk of John Gordon"
! Jack commanded his voice with diff
flculty as he replied in measured tones:
81 repeat that l know nothing what
ever about the matter / never heard
of the Golden Buddha until I read of
the theft in the newspapers. / have
never been in Picking in my life. and,
of course, can prove that l was here
at my desk when the image was sto-
len"
Can you?" calculated Blake with
a short laugh of triumph. THE theft
occurred on the 1st of June. Today
is the 18th. According to the office
records, you Were granted leave of alb
sence from the Both Of May until the
I'd of June"
Jack started violently, and the color
foresook his face. ''You have formed
very pretty bit of evidence, Mr.
Blake" he said slowly, "but you can
not prove that it was I who placed the
package in my desk 1t might have
! been some one else, who, finding he
was detected, has planted the crime
upon my shoulders. 1t might have
been any one of dozen others 1t
might have been you, And, after all,
1 have no proof that this package does
; contain the Golden Buddha,'' he added
heatedly.
Jimmy Blake drew the package to-
: ward him and calmly united the red
silk cords that bound the covering OF
blue cotton cloth and presently dis
closed a lacquered box about twelve
inches square.
He pressed a spring, and the cover
few up, revealing an object that caus
ed Jack Gordon to utter a cry OF
amazement and to lean forward Will
Z unconcealed interest.
Squatting in a bed of green silk, Will
crossed hands and feet and terrible
impassive cOuntenance, was a Buddh,
wrought in pure gold set with dia
monds and rubies that famed in tn,
faces of the two men with dazzIin,
radiance
"And that is it?' murmured Jacl
breathlessly.
Nothing less" returned Blake as h
lifted the image from the box an,
pressed firmly on the top of the head
The creases in the neck thickened a
the head sank between the shoulders
and then from the base of the squa
figure poured forth a stream of enol
nous gems which ran like living fir
and flame across the blotting pad o
Jimmy Blake's desk
''My Godr' muttered Jack at las
"And they accuse me of stealing that?
'"They certainly do said Blake coo
~ as he replaced the image in the ca,
ket and retied the crimson cords abou
the outer covering.
Then Jimmy Blake said: NOV
Jack, step to the window there. Stan
behind the blind. Now, look across I'll
road. See three coolies gambling III
der that porticoY"
Gordon nodded.
'They have been there for sever.
days; they are not coolies; they are in
perial spies watching the bank. Nigl
and day we have been under espio1
age"
OK Now, Jack, my boy, you must d
: eide what you will do within a vel
to few minutes. 1 have tried to think
some way to help you out, and my pIa