Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-10-18
The JADE FROG
BY ISABEL FROST.

Diggs had not noticed it at first, al
though he stood nearer to it than any
one else in the room. He was so In
terested in renewing his acquaintance
with Leonie Verney that all inanimate |!
objects escaped his kin.
He had only seen her once before |
at Haskell's studio, around Christmas |
time. But she was a girl then. Slen-
der, corsetless with graceful, curry !:
ing body. Haskell had told him brief l
ly of Miss Verney's career, and it had
interested him Immensely.
Her father was q Chinese mission
airy at Hangkow. He was killed dur
ing the Boxer uprising. Leonie was
disguised as a Chinese child by her
Christian nurse and hidden away in
an old temple in the interior until the
trouble was over. 1t was not until
two years ago that she came to Amer
lea.
Diggs was telling her of the Ro-
man seats which he had just sent out
to his garden at Greenwich, when sud-
denly he caught her looking past him
intently at something on the mantel-
piece. CHANGING around, he saw the
little jade. frog. 1t was about two
and half inches long, and quite as
wide, puffy, arrogant frog, utterly
unnatural and grotesque.
"What is it?. he asked, seeing that
the girl really looked pale.
II don't know exactly" she an
swered in a low voice. 1T is all too
strange and horrible. / wonder whom
that frog belongs to-"
sI'll ask HASKELL" he said.
Haskell shook his head doubtfully
when Diggs found him.
e'You've got me, old man. sublet
these rooms when / got back from
France, and that thing was here. It's
Chinese, isn't it? There are some Won
derful embroideries in that pearl in
laid cabinet in the corner. They prob
ably all belong to Doctor Yoy, the for
mer tenant"
He carried the information he had
CLEANED. back to Leonie,. She said lit
tie, but asked him to call taxi for
her, as she was leaving early.
II can't explain tonight" she said,
as they parted. "Come tomorrow at
eleven and I'll tell you all know
The morning mail brought a brief
letter from Haskell.
"Wire from Doctor Yoy announces
arrival in Frisco Monday. He re-
| %c, To f1,o for Ia frnrp
in safety deposit vault without tell,
ing anyone. Thought I'd let you
know
Diggs called him up on the tele-
phone, asking him to wait until copy
of the inscription could be secured !;
then he got in touch over the wire with
a certain civil engineer friend and col
lege classmate who had spent some
time in China. Wallace was perfectly
willing to help him out, and though 1T
made him little late for his appoint
ment with Leonie, he took the time to
carry the frog down to Wallace's Of
fee. After about an hours study the
latter gave him the translation. It
ran: s..SssS-
"Who so seeketh vengeance on his
enemies shall ask the crystal ball for
aid. Spirit Of the sacred HUI Eva, gra-
1 ciously list to the curses upon the for
eign devils
He carried the news to Leonie at
once. She leaned forward eagerly, her
hands tightly clasped.
ooh, was sure of 1t, last night :
she said. mfr. Diggs, you must help
me. / know this doctor. He was O
!, false friend of my fathers. It was he
who bore witness against him, and be
/ trayed him into the hands of the Box
ers. He hns had me watched evel
since / left China, but never dreamed
that the jade frog was in his pos
session"
He took the frog out of his pocke'
and set it on the table in front o.
them. Leonie leaned forward ani
looked at the little crystal ball
AS she reached for 1t, her hand was I'm
steady, and it fell from her clasp tt
the floor with crash. She gave /;
sharp cry of alarm, and knelt dow
among the fragments. Diggs was be
fore her. The fall had loosened /,
secret spring In the pedestal. Insid
it's hollow there lay folded sheet o
rice paper with hand-paintedS dia
gram on it, and snall vertical lines o
Chinese characters.
II think the sacred HUI Eva has Civ
en- up his secret" said Diggs. LET
call a taxi and run down to Wallace
/ sNo, no, can read it myself" eS
! claimed Leonie, bending excitedly owe
the paper. After a moment she LITE
her face. "Oh, this is too good to b
true" she cried. 1T tells how tn
treasures of the murdered Christian
for hundreds of years past have bee
buried in the .tombs under the temple
limo wonder Doctor Yoy wanted til
buried treasure to further the plan
Of the revolutionists,"