The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-01-15

y iiON UubNl tue lNi 'Hti
! some kind Of Waterman on dut.
here"
Hardly. The priests have troubl
enough in rounding mp the sinners II
: the daytime. No danger of the ras
Gals haunting the mosque at night
Most of them are drinking sweet cot
fee I'm some cafe until morning"
Very well. John Pick out your hid
ing place. Tom aud | viii 20 now
There behind that carved screen II
the corner 80 long. old chap"
When John Fleming had lodged he
hind his screen and the Footsteps OF
his friends had died away on the stOu,
floor he snw II shaft Of golden light
pierce the gloom of the mosque aud
then vanish. He knew that the door
had opened and closed behind the
! forms of his friends
Hours passed People cnme and
Went. and at the hour of SUNSET the
! place was crowded \ priest went uu
into the tower. and far below in his
! place OF concealment Fleming heard
! the whining musical chant at the
muczzin call 10 prayer.
After that all WAS quiet. lie WAS
entirely alone.
! When IL was dark. the thick vrlvcty
! blackneSs of an ASiatic night, he step
| ped softly 10 the outer door and. open
ing II gently, whStIcd softly
\ dark hgur" glidrd toward him
Lean fingers gripprd his throat and
chOkcd him into silence. lie struggled
and tried Ia cry ont tut hr was pow.
| ercSs In the grip OF giant
lie was borne back into the mosque
and far away from the entrance in II
tiny niche he was set down. aud his
captOr produced II vile smelling oil Ian
tern.
Then il was that Fleming saw his
captor was II tail. rangtical looking in.
| dividual, with Il wiSp Of dirty green
silk wound around his di~orlr;ed head
come To- the altar Missed the man
in French. You will shaw me aud
| will dig for the cncralS OF HE great
shah lie pressed the blade of II
knife suggcstivcly against F'lcming'S
throat. aud there WAS nothing 10 do
save to obey
With IN grace John Fleming consent
ed and, going to the altar. directed its
removal ms well rs the displacement
of the great block of stone upou which
il stood
Together they worked in silence Us.
Ing the rough tools the man had
brought with him When the altar
had been removed from its bed of
cement they pried up the stone slab
beneath il and found nothing but Il
solid bed of cement.
Then ii was that the fanatical priest
flew madly ut John Fleming and
would have killed him had he not been
the Swftcr of the two and managed
To Outrun his enemy in the dark cor
ners of the mosque. Happily at this
moment Billy Blake and Tom Pike
appeared. aud while John Fleming
snatched up his precious roll of rugs
they covered his escape To the street
and followed him To the hotel
"DiShed" said Billy Blake. disgust
edly humping the bundle OF rugs
Say anything You like; I'll take ii
air. groaned John, sitting on the edge
Of his lumpy bed in grim despair
Tom Pike. who said little. hut in his
slow and cautious way did much
| thinking. removed his pipe from his
lips and dragged out his suit case
I've got inside information that the
rmeralds of the great shah will be In
America when we get there" he said
mySteriously IF YOU want TO be in at
the finish come with me and catch the
! next steamer for home"
IL was significant OF the subdued
mood of the two younger enthusiastic
! treasure seekers that they merely fol-
! lowed his suggestion.
During the homeward voyage John
/ Fleming did not display the same So
| licitous care concerning the Tabriz car
pet For him it had lost its value.
When they landed in New York Tom
| Pike showed signs OF excitement
Fellows" he said cautiously. "soon
as we're through the customs get Il
taxi and beat it to Johns studio"
Two hours later three excited young
| men flung themselves from taxicab
and dashed up the stairs To Fleming's
studio Once there. they locked the door
ana opened wide the closed windows.
We'll. Tom. what Is ii z" demanded
| Fleming and Blake in the same
| breath
"UnrolI your precious rug" said the
silent one
They obcyed. spreading the silky
oblong on the dusty floor.
Find the peacock altar" went on
Tom.
Here II is" said John his finger on
the rich mass of color
Take your knife and dig there,
John, and | reckon you'll find the EN-
eraldS' That's my Interpretation Of
the manuscript"
Ten minni"S later three awed young
| men sat back ON their heels aud gazed
at II handful OF large uncut emeralds
| which they had released from the care
! fully tied knots of the peacock threads
| of the rug
1t was quite true. Beneath the skill
| fully woven pattern of the altar of the
| rose mosque the great shah had hid.
/ - l..