Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-06-16
CHAPTER i.
The Message in the Box.

train arriving late, 1 haQ named the
hour of my meeting with Cummings
as three o'clock, and, in consequence
of our reaching the city exactly on
time, was compelled to loiter idly
about the hotel for an hour. However,
in passing through the corridor my
/, attention was attracted by an unique
curiosity shop occupying small side
room, and, merely to pass the time
pleasantly,,I entered and began exam
lining the strange collection Of wares
on display.
There were several articles l lin
gered over, tempted to purchase, but
drifted on, rather undecided, until my
eyes perceived very quaint lacquered
jewel box, Of q class Of workmanship
quite unusual. The proprietor, per-
ceiving my interest, Joined me.
"The jewel box attracts you," he
said pleasantly, opening the case and
bringing 1t forth. "You have love for
such .things?"
"a deep interest at least admit
ted, taking the article from his. hand,
"a collector in an amateur way. What
is the wOrkmanship-surely not jap
aneseT
NO." smilingly. Although posi-
lively / cannot answer as to its or
igin. The inscription, which can only
be read with micrOscope'-he traced
with his finger-''is ancient Arabic,
but no wild Arab ever did the lacquer"
"Yet so strange curio must have
history, an imaginary one, at least.
What is the story?"
Positively none," he admitted re-
gretfully "The fact Is, this article was
found by chambermaid in one Of the
hotel rooms and turned in to the man.
ager.r' He made every effort to trace
the guests, only to learn that they, two
men, by the way, had registered false
Iy. He even advertised, but with no
response, and finally, after thirty days,
was persuaded to accept my offer for
the article"
"YOu have put price on this?"
"Yes, ridiculously low, no doubt, yet
bringing me good profit"
He named price, and. still with the
box in my hands, yielded to the temp
tatiOn, and bought it. The article was
sufficiently small to find Judgment in
an overcOat pocket and, as Cummings
appeared little later, was soon for
gotten in the earnestness of our con-,
versatiOn. We later had dinner to-
gether, and attended the theater In
company my mind so occupied with
other matters that l scarcely once
thought of the strange purchase | had
made, which remained securely hid
den. 1t was only after returning to
my own room, then nearing midnight,
that it was again recalled to memory.
Only an idle curiosity and feeling
of sleeplessnesS induced me to draw
the article forth. and remove its wrap
pings, but the sight served immedi-
ately to increase my interest. 1t was
certainly a wonderful find artistically
There was mystery that must have
exercised a strange spell over my
imagination, for dreamed of the long
dead workman who fashioned it, for
getful of the passing night hours. A
clock somewhere in the ncighborhood
struck, and counted twelve, arousing
myself. Perhaps I was already half
sleeping, for as l turned to rise my
sleeve struck the box at the edge of
the table, and before / could prevent
the fall, it lay upon the floor at my
feet.
AS stopped hastily to recover the
overturned box, / was astounded TO
discover the bottom slipped partially
aside, as though some secret spring had
been touched. revealing so narrow a
receptacle that the ordinary eye would
never suspect the possibility Of its ex-
istence. Not only was there a false
bottom, but the opening revealed a
closely folded paper. j grasped this
quickly. a thrill running through me.
What ancient and long-buried message
was about to-be unfolded?
But MOI This was plainly modern
a clean, white sheet, no folded parch-
ment 9f old, but some mystery OF yes
terday. There was writing there, in
Spanish, so family traced l could
barely declpner the WORDS, YET cleaEly
revealed as of this day and generation.
know Spanish fairly well, having had
year in Mexico City. yet it required
some time before I could puzzle out
the message on this sheet. The paper
had been torn. seemingly sundered
from a much longer letter, and pre-
served merely because Of the specific
address and instructions II contained
Beyond doubt all else had been de-
stroyed. What remained may have
been sufficient guidance to the party
who had the benefit Of what went be-
fore in the original epistle, but was
obscure to anyone else. Yet ii was
modern. something relating to this
very time menace: something to be
grasped md understood. This convic-