The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-02-09
A STOLEN
GEM
By ALAN HINSDALE


bought large ruby, not knowing its
value.
| When WorthingtOn reached London
he submitted his purchase to a pre-
cious stone expert, and the report was
surprising. ut is a pigeon blood red
ruby almost perfect in color and trans
parency and worth anywhere from a
hundred to hundred and fifty thou
| sand dollars"
| 1t was evident from this that the
ruby had been stolen, and Worthington
would have liked to return it to it's
owner; but, in the first place, he did
not know who was the owner, and, in
the second, he was obliged to sail with
out delay for America.
On the steamer coming over he car
ried his ruby on his person by day,
pinning it in his inner vest pocket
folding the vest carefully and putting
it under his pillow at night One after
noon, having spent the day on deck,
he went to his stateroom, and, having
put his key in the lock and taken it
out, he noticed a bit of something
white ON it. Examining it thoroughly.
he found the substance to be wax.
Worthington pondered long as to his
discovery, for he suspected at once that
some one was in possession of the Sc.
cret of his having the ruby. He had
told no one of his purchase. and no
one had seen it except the London
gem expert. How. then, could any one
know that it was in his possession?
He did not care to part with the
jewel by having it stolen from him.
The price he had paid for it, the fact
that he had unwittingly bought a
stolen property and that he was de-
sirous of returning it to its owner con-
strained him to be on his guard with
it. 1t occurred to him to turn it over
for safe keeping to the purser of the
ship, but that officer would ask him
its value. and he did not wish to i'm
part this to any one. Fearing that if
he kept it on his person he would be
murdered for its possession, he con-
Guided to hide it.
Going to the ships carpenter, he Dor
rowed a few tools and, returning to
his staterOom, took up board in the
floor, placed the ruby, wrapped in cot
ton, in the cavity and replaced the
board. Returning the tools, he borrow
ed some varnish and revarnished the
disturbed place. While doing this work
he made sure that no one was in any |
IF the adjoining staterooms.
Having thus put the gem where he |
was sure it would be safe, he felt |
easier though he was careful not to |
90 to lonely parts of the ship and bar
headed his stateroom door at night,
Tor he thought one who was after the
'uby might think it was kept on his
person.
At the end of the voyage while the
ship was being locked Worthington
'emoved the board under which he
lad placed his gem and was thunder
struck to see the place empty.
He was more discounted at not be-
ng able to return it to its owner than
1t the loss Of the price he had paid for
t. But what engaged his whole at
ention was how could the thief have
,nown where he had hidden it.
He thought Of calling for a search
# all on board, but abandoned the
dea as futile. There seemed nothing
O do but pocket the loss and think no
more about it.
The morning after Worthington's ar
ival at his home in New York he was
old that visitor wished to see him.
The person proved to be of dark color
nd a cast of features common in In
la. He was we'll dressed and appear
d to be an upper caste. Advancing
0 Worthington, he handed him check :
or $4,000.
"Mr. Worthington," he said, "a ruby =
vas recently stolen from the rajah of
,ingpure, in India, by one of his serv-
nts and sold to you for the amount of
his check. The thief was arrested.
and told what he had done
18th the gem, which is one Of the
Arrest in the world His highness the !
ajah directed me to follow you and
acover the gem. l did as he COM
landed and have it in my possession"
"But why" asked Worthington, "did
on not tell me that the ruby had been T
tolen and ask me to return it?"
"Firstly, l could only ask you to re-
I'm it'll could not compel you. Sec
ndly, l did not know whether you
ould surrender it or what terms you 7
'ould make
"But you would have had the law"
lid Worthington.
Eyes, but you western people have
saying, Possession is nine points in T
lie law We Indians have something
uch better than the law. We, are
lepts in secret methods"
81 shall certainly not dispute that"
id Worthington "Now that the mat
r is finished l wish you would tell :
G why you think it necessary to re-
IN me the price paid for the gem" h
Ellis highness has many English and G
merican friends and does not wish to /.
an injustice
Lastly, will you tell me how you =
covered the ruby?"
II came over in the same ship with
u. l took an impression with wax =
your lock, from which | made a