Evening star., 1917-09-23
Copyright 1917, by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)

Copyright. 1917, by the Mcclure Newspaper
syndicate.J
a ROUND a large square table IN
M a room at New Scotland Yard
A\ stood a group Of men. all OF
q - whom looked more or less COLI
tinuously at something that lay upon the
polished deal. One of the party, none
other than the commissioner himself. had
just finished speaking, and in silence we
now stood about the gruesome object
which had furnished him with the text
of his very terse address
Novelty has a charm for every one;
and in these gravely commonplace times
to fnd oneself immersed in a maelstrom
Of eastern deviltry. with a group OF scien-
tifc murderers in pursuit of a bloody
Moslem relic, and Unexpectedly to be
made a trustee of that dangerous curios-
ity, has a certain charm for the adven-
turous I knew that Edward Deeping
had looted one of the sacred slippers Of
Mahomet from its ancient resting place,
and I knew that a mysterious fanatic
known as Hassan Of Aleppo had uprisen
in Judgment upon him. I knew that the
rash act OF the celebrated orientaltst had
caused London to be invaded by MEM
bers of an organization, the hashlshln
dating back to pre-Crusading times;
knew that many of those who had
touched the slipper had suffered the an
cient Moslem penalty-had had their Of
Tending hand severad.
Now in silence stood round that
table at New Scotland Yard and watched.
as though We expected it to move, the
chastity Clue which lay there. 1t was
a shriveled human hand. and about the
hung a fragment of lint which had BAN
daged a jagged wound. On one OF the
shrunken fingers was a ring set with
large opal.
silence.
you see. sir" he said. addressing the
commissioner. "this marks new COM
plication in the case. Up to this week
although. unfortunately. we mad MADE
next to no progress, the thing was
straightforward enough. band of east
ern murderers, working along lines quite
novel to Europe, was concealed some
They murdered Prof. Deeping, but failed
to recover the slipper. They mutilated
mysteriously overy one who touched It,
The best man in the department, work
ing night and day. failed to effect single
arrest In spite Of the mysterious activ-
ity of Hassan OF Aleppo the slipper was
safely lodged In the British Antiquarian
Museum"
The commissioner nodded thought
fully.
Bristol. that the hashishin were
watching the museum. Mr.. Cavanagh
here"-he nodded in nv direction
saw Hassan himself lurking in the
neighborhood. We took every precau-
tfon. observed the greatest secrecy.
but. in spite of it all. constable who
touched the accursed slipper lost his
right hand. Then the slipper was
taken
"The Yard" resumed Bristol slowly,
"had information that Earl Dexter. the
cleverest crook in America. was in
England. He was seen in the museum.
and the night following the slipper
was stolen. Then outside the place
found-that-'
He pointed to the severed hand. No
one spoke for a moment.
'"The new problem" said the commits
eioner. sis this: Who took the slipper.
Dexter or Hassan of Aleppo?"
That's 1t. SIR" agreed Bristol. 'Dex-
ter had two passages booked in the
Oceanic. but he didn't sail with her,
and-that's his hand!'
You say he has not been traced"
asked the commissioner
mo doctor known to the medical
association" replied Bristol. 'fs at
tending him. He's not in any of the
hospitals. He has completely vanished.
The conclusion is obvious
THE evident deduction" I said, 'is
that Dexter stole the slipper from the
pose-and that Hassan of Aleppo re-
covered 1t from him.
You think we shall next hear of
Earl Dexter from the river police?"
suggested Bristol.
Personally" replied the commits
sioner. ct agree with Mr.. Cavanagh.
I think Dexter is dead and it is very