The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-11-05
FIRST I%NSTALLMENT
CHAPTER ..
The Cryptic Coin.

CLOSED ltT utSk, AltpItt 10 TUE NHIu-
robe aud took her coat and hat.
Taking her little collection OF copy
paper from the desk. with the priyi-
lege OF long tenure IN office she walked
to the desk Of the city editor. who, al.
though himself a married a had all
this time without success tried TO
look at the work before him and o
at the trim figure of Kitty Gray max.
ing ready for her luncheon journey.
When will you deigu to return?"
asked he with a certain lapse in jour
u~alistic dignity.
When ! ave a better story than
this gun-iu the vernacular.'
Kitty's favorite luuchiIg place was
in one Of the great department stores.
wherc women were made welcome and
comfortable, and she bent thither her
steps, but M, .y in her journey she
paused. as oit'n she did, to gaze into
the window OF the little antique shop
which occupied space In one Of the
unimportant side streets.
Kitty Gray's eyes were arrested by
something thai she ulw-an object
which she d u n { recall c.er b1forc
to have noted In the window. 1t lay
close to the glass, just tiited back so
that It might be the better seen. Il
apparently Wa an ole coin or part
OF one, %curiously done in some dark
metal, pr baby silver badly oxidized
As Kitty bent down to examine il
more closely che saw that the coin
bore an inscription, or what appeared
to be such-an inscription broken
across by the fracture which had d.
yided the n itself
Her curiosity excited. Kitty Gray
stepped into the little shop, whose
proprietor she knew very well.
Good morning. MIR. Mainz, she said
with the customary newspaper in
version of the order of the day, "how's
business? Any new fans, idols,
coins"
Coins? vot? Sure, | got something
new dot is oft | ,hoost tink OF him.
He ISIS only a part Of hlmselluf Should
| show him to your"
"Oh, maybe ! saw II I'm the window"
said Kitty, Smiling. You mean the
broken coin?"
Sure. Wait Till | got him"
She took up the coin now from the
case, and some strange sort Of thrill
came over her as she did SO. she
could not tell why. What was its mes.
sage, hating, broken. incomplete?
Did it hold a story? What was the
story?
ITS odd, isn't it?" said she, and
laid It down again carelessly-with a
carelessness well feigned, for Kitty
Gray had bought antiques before now,
and knew well enough when to sup
press interest.
"Odt? / should say It vas odt," re.
Joined the old dealer. Kitty had picked
up an inlaid mother OF pearl fan and
was studiously examining that now.
How much?' asked she, holding mp
the fan.
For the broken coin?"
mo, the fan"
81 want twelf tollar for him"
For the coin?"
mo. for the fan. For the coin-vat
you glf me?"
why, what earthly use would ]
have for a broken piece OF metal like
that. MIR. Mainz?"
"Gif me for the fan eleven dollar.
und ! make you a present Of the
broken coin anyway"
Kitty Gray's heart gave a sudden it,
lie jump. She would have given twice
eleven dollars for the coin itself. but
she made = good %pretense.
eleven dollars is a good deal OF
money" said she. Il would have to
go without lunch for quite q while"
you are a goot sport, Miss Cray"
said the old dealer. Il dank you very
mooch. should wrap them up?"
The fan-yes. Let me see the coin
again" She pushed across the counter
almost the last Of the tightly folded
bills In her purse.
Read the inscription for me, and
knock on Two tOllars from the fan
said Mainz. "Vot Is Il? II is o Cher.
man. il 10 not Franzoesisch, it is not
English. / am all those. But ! could
rot read him
Kitty held before htr the CURIOUS
object. a slight frown puckering her
brows.
wen. you see" said she, "it Is
broken right across on the right hand
slde-almost q third Of the writing Is
gone. Il says something about look
ing for something under the floor. I'M
der the pavement Of some place OF
torture or torment"
IND vot next"
"Thesaur-that words broken
across. but n must mean '%thesaurus
that means a collection 'c0lles-
ton Of value. don't you know?
1.-THE next line Is one word; it's all
there-'Regis, she went ON, That's
plain. Rex'-regls'-it means kings
or OF the Ling. The kings treasures
what?