The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-15

lenoe we now stood about the grue-
some object which had furnished him
with the text Of his very terse address.
Novelty has charm for everyone,
and in these grayly commonplace
times to find oneself immersed in a
maelstrom OF eastern deviltry, with a
group of scientific murderers In pur-
suit OF bloody Moslem relic, and
Unexpectedly to be made a trustee of
that dangerous curiosity, has GER
tain charm for the adventurous.
knew that Edward Decping had looted
one of ths sacred shpPs:s 9! Aoasw-
med from is ancient resting place and
| knew that mysterious fanatic
known as Hassan of Aleppo had up
risen in judgment upon him. knew
that the rash act of the celebrated
Orientalist had caused London TO he
invaded by members of an organi,a-
tion, the hashishin, dating back to pre-
Crusading times l knew that many
OF those who had touched the slipper
had suffered the ancient Mo,lem pen
atty. had had their offending hand
severed.
Now in silence we stood round that
table at New Scotland yard and
watched, as though we expected it to
move, the ghastly clue" which lay
there. II was a shriveled human hand,
and about the thumb and forefinger
there still dryly hung fragment Of
lint which had bandaged a Jagged
wound. On one OF the shrunken fin
gers was a ring set with large opal.
Inspector Bristol broke the oppress-
i've silence. ~
You see. sir" he said, addressing
the commissioner, this marks . new
complication in the case. Up to this
week although. unfortunately, we had
made next to no progress, the thing
was straightforward enough. A band
OF Eastern murderers, working along
lines quite novel to Europe, were con-
eealed somewhere in London. We
knew that much. They murdered Pro-
iessor Deeping. but failed to recover
the slipper They mutilated mystic
riously everyone who touched il. Tho
best man in the department. working
night and day, failed to effect single
arrest. In spite Of the mysterious ac-
tivity of Hassan of Neppo the slip
per was safely lodged in the British
Antiquarian museum"
The commissioner NODDED thought
fully. 4
THERE'S no doubt" continued Bris-
tol, that the hashishin were watching
the museum. Mr., Cavanagh here"-he
nodded in my dircction-"saw Hassan
himself lurking in the neighborhood.
We took every prccaution observed
the greatest secrecy; but, in spite Of
It all, a constable who touched the ac-
cursed slipper lost his right hand.
Then the slipper was taken"
The Yard" resumed Bristol slow
ly, had information that Earl Dex-
ter, the clcvercst 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-thatl'
He pointed to the severed hand. No
one spoke for. f~amcnt.
The new problem" said the COM
missioner, is this who took the slip.
per; Dexter or Hassan of Aleppo1'
That's it, sir agreed Bristol. "Dex-
ter had two passages booked in the
Oceanic ;sbut he didn't sail with her,
and-thats his handr'
You say he has not been traced2"
asked the commissioner.
No doctor known to the Medical
association" replied Bristol, is attend
ing him He's not in any Of the hos
pitals. He has completely vanished.
The conclusion Is obviousw
The evident deduction" I said, 7s
that Dexter stole the slipper from the
Museum--God knows with what pur-
pose-and that Hassan or Aleppo re-
covered it from him"
You think we shall next hear Of
Earl Dexter from the river police1"
suggested Bristol.
Personally" replied the commission
er, Il agree with Mr.. Cavanaah. I
"""N DeNVt u ueaO ana X ~ very
probable that HaMan and company are
already homeward bound with the slip
per OF the Prophet"
With all my heart I hoped that he
might be right. but an intuition was
with me crying that he was wrong.
that many bloody deeds would be COM
'nitted ere the sacred slipper should
return to the East.
The manner in which we next heard
OF the whereabouts of the Prophet,
slipper was utterly unforeseen, wildly
dramatic.
One evening as sat at work in nv
chambers, with the throb of busy Fleet
street and its thousand familiar sound,
floating in TO me through the open win.
dows, my telephone rang. II wa, Bri,.
tol who had runs me up, and upon very
strange business.
"A development at lastr' he said.
but At present don't know what 10
make OF IT. Can you come down now !"
Where are you speaking from1"
From the Waterloo Road delight.
ful ne'ghborhood. ! shall he Glad il
you can meet me at the entrance to