The Washington herald., 1915-11-07
Copyright, lsl5.D
Copyright. lslsJ
yAT HERE case did not touch his
wv peculiar interests. appeals to

shrank within his Wrapping curio snop
as closely as any tortoise within its
shell.
Sometimes, however, when 1nspec-
tor Grimsby, of Scotland Yard, was
at a loss, he would induce me to IN
tercede with the eccentric old dealer,
and sometimes Morris Klaw would
throw out hint.
Such a. case came under my per-
sonal notice on one occasion, and my
friend Coram was instrumental in en-
listing the services of Morris Klaw.
1t was, | think, one of the most
mysterious affairs with which / ever
came in contact, and the better to I'M
derstand it you must permit me to ex-
plain how Roger Paxton, the sculp-
tor, came to have such valuable
thing in his studio as that which las
we all assumed) had inspired the
strange business.
1t was Sir Melville Fennel, then,
who commissioned Paxton to ex-
ecute a chryselephantine statue.
The commission came as something
of surprise. The art of chryselephan-
tine sculpture, save for one attempt
at revival in Belgium, has been dead
for untold generations.
1t is the ancient Greek method of
finishing statue with gold and
ivory.
Based upon designs furnished by
the eccentric but wealthy baronet, the
statue represented a slim and grace
full girl reclining as in exhaustion
upon an ebony throne.
The ivory face, with its YEARLY
closed eyes, was veritable triumph,
and was surmounted by a headdress
of gold intertwined among a mass OF
disheveled hair. One ivory arm hung
down so that the fingers almost touch
ed the pedestal; the left hand was
pressed to the breast as though against
a throbbing heart
Gold bracelets and anklets, fur
nished by Sir Melville, were intro
duced into the composition; and, de-
spite the artists protest, heavy CIR
die encrusted with gems that had
been found in the tomb of some ia
vorite of a long-dead pharaoh en-
circled the waist.
When complete the thing was, from
a merely intrinsic point of view, worth
several thousand pounds.
As the baronet had agreed to the
exhibition of the statue prior to its
removal to Fennel Hall, Paxton's star
was seemingly in the ascendent. Then
the singular thing occurred that
threatened to bring about his ruin.
The sculptor gave one of the pleas
ant little dinners for which he had
gained a reputation. We were quite
a bachelor party, and ! shall always
remember the circle of admiring faces
surrounding the figure of the reclin-
ing dancer-warmed in the soft light
to an almost uncanny semblance OF
fair flesh and blood.
you see," explained Paxton, "this
complete work, although it has lat
ter1y fallen into disrepute, affords
magnificent scope for decorative pur-
poses: such a richness of color can
be obtained. The ornaments are gen
uine antiques and of great value-a
fad of my patrons"
Coram, curator of the Menzies MI
scum, who up to the present had stood
in silent contemplation of the hg-
ure, now spoke for the first time.
1.-THE cost of materials is too great
for this style of work ever to be-
come popular" he averred. That CIR
die, by the way, represents small
fortune and, together with anklets,
armlets, and headdress, might we'll
tempt any burglar. What precautions
do you take, Paxton"
"Sleep out here every night" was
the reply; land there is always some
one here in the daytime.
Incidentally, a curious thing oc-
al.
girdle, which, l may explain, was
once the property of Nicris, a favor
lite of Rameses III, and my model was
alone here for few minutes.
"As / was returning from the
house, ! heard her cry out, and when
! came to look for her she was
crouching in corner trembling.
What do you suppose had frightened
herr"
Give it up" said Hartman.
"She swore that Nicris-for the
statue is supposed to represent her
had moved
q fancy" continued Paxton, that
she must have heard some of the
tales that have been circulated. The
girdIe has a rather peculiar history.
at was discovered in the tomb OF
the dancer by whom it had once been
worn, and it is said that an inScrip-
ton was unearthed at the same time
containing an account of Nicris' death
under particularly horrible circum-
stances.
"Seton-you fellows know Seton
who was present at the opening OF
the sarcophagus, tells me that the
Arabs. on catching sight Of the CIR
die, all Frustrated themselves and
then took to their heels. Sir Melville
Fennel's agent sent it on to England,
however, and Sir Melville conceived
the idea of this statue"
We were a very merry party, and
the night was far advanced ere the
gathering broke up. Coram and | were
the last to depart: and having listen
ed to the voices of Hartman and the
others dying away, we also prepared
to take our leave.
"Just come with me as far as the
studio" said Paxton, "and having
seen that all's we'll, I'll let you out
by the garden door"
Accordingly we donned OUR coats
and hats, and followed our host to
the end of the garden, where his
studio was situated. The door I'M
locked, we all three stepped inside the
place and gazed upon the figure of
Nicris-the pallid face and arms
seeming almost unearthly in the cold
moonlight, wherein each jewel of the
cirdle and headdress glittcred strange