Evening star., 1917-09-30
BY
SAX
ROHMER


office, and from a pigeon-hols in his
desk took out a letter typewriter upon
a sheet of quarto paper.
Bristol spread 1t out upon the blot
ting pad and we bent over 1t curiously.
I read as follows:
Sir-I believe I can supply informa-
tion concerning the whereabouts OF the
missing slipper Of Mohammed. AS any
inquiry of this nature must be extreme
ly perilous to tthe inquirer and as the
relic is a priceless one. my fee would be
10000. The fanatics who seek to-
restore the slipper to the east must
not know Of my negotiations; therefore,
/ omit my address. but will communf.
cate further If you care to insert in
structions in the agony column OF
Times Faithfully, EARL DEXTER,
Bristol laughed grimly.
We ascended the stairs, passed along
unusually crowded. and entered the
lofty apartment known as the Burton
room. The sunblinds were drawn. ana
a sort of dim religious light prevailed
therein. A group Of visitors stood
of the apartment.
You see," said Mostyn. pointing.
that empty case has a greater attrac-
tton than all the other full ones'
But l scarcely needed his words, Tor
l was intently watching the movements
of one of the group about tthe empty
case. / have said that the room was
but dimly illuminated, and this fact, TO-
gether, no doubt, with some effect OF 70.
fiected light, or aided by my imagina-
tion, perhaps, produced the phenome-
non which was occasioning me so much
amazement.
but l stood just within the doorway.
watching tntently, breathlessly. an old
man wearing an out-of-date inverness
coat and a soft felt hat. He had cray
beard and mustache. and long. untidy
hair, walked with q stoop. and In snort
was no unusual type Of visitor to that
institution.
But it seemed to me. and the closer
watched him the more convinced L De-
came that this was no optical illusion.
that faint luminosity. q sort of elm
light, played eerily about his head!
As Bristol and Mostyn approached the
case the old man began to walk toward
me and in the direction of the door. The
idea flashed through my mind that y
might be Hassan OF Aleppo himsei.
Hassan who had predicted that the
stolen slipper should that day Do re-
turned to the museum.
Then he came abreast OF me. passed
me-and / felt that my surmiss mao
been wrong ! saw Bristol. from ia
Something attracted his trained eye.
suppose. which was not perceptioie 70
me- But he suddenly came striding
along. Obviously he was pursuing inc
old man, who was Just about to leave
the apartment. Seeing that the latter
had reached the doorway. Bristol began
to run.
The old man turned: and amid .
chorus Of exclamations from the as
tonished spectators Bristol spran6
upon him.
How it all came about cannot say.
cannot hope to describe; put tners
OF a we'll directed blow ana
Bristol was rolling on his back. the
old man. hatless. was racing up the
Assyrian room: and an .sotins every one =, nncs an ns
Bristol. with blood streaming from
his face, staggered to his feet. clutch
ing at me for support.
After him! That's Earl pexterr
Mostyn waited for no more. but
went running quickly through the
that at at the head Of the stairs he
found the capped inverness which had
served to conceal Dexter's mutilated
arm. and later. behind piece Of
false beard and mustache were dis
covered. But of the Sombrero Man
there was no trace. His brief start
had enabled him to make good his es-
cape.
AS Mostyn went or and = group of
visitors nocked in our direction. Bris-
to1, who had been badly shaken By
the blow. turned to them.
You will all please leave the Bur-
ton room Immediately" he said.
AS the last reluctantly left the
room Bristol pointed. with . rather
shaky finger At the soft felt hat
which lay at his feet. It had formed
part Of Dexters disguise. Close be-
side 1t lay another object which HAD
evidently fallen from the hat-a dull
red thing lying on the polishsd
parquet flooring.
For Gods sake DON'T 70 near ssf.
whispered Bristol The room must
be closed for the present. And now
I'm of after that man. Step dear oE iG~
His words were Unnecessary I
summed it as leprous thing.
1t was the slipper of the prophet!