Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-11

last he set down the jar caught her by
the shoulder and spun her around.
Give me-" Davao said in amusement.
mo" she returned. 1T is mine. l
found it in the pool"
Davao struck her across the mouth.
She fell Davao kicked her in the ribs.
the shoulder. the head. Only then did
the cienched nand fall open. He picked
UT the stone and held il TO the light,
started TO throw it away and was halted
by the steady green shine where the
scum had been broken. He thrust fist.
gripping the pebble, into his sarong and
strobe from the hut.
Davao scratched at the tent fly of
Said, the renegade Arab trader. and
begged thickly for arrack. Said held out
an inquisitive palm and, receiving moth
ing, cursed him. Davao looked from the
pebble in his hand to Said's face,
started to hand over the white ovoid
with its green inner fire, checked him.
self and turned TO so.
Wait, brother of fends." Said in
vtted smoothly "let me see
Davao obeyed Said bawled to slave:
Bring arrsck. Perhaps We can trade"
NO" said Dayao thickly and reached
for his kreese.
Strike" the Arab bade the slave who
stood behind his guest. The blade went
He half rose coughed and fell forward.
Well driven!" Said approved and
plunged his hand into the bosom Of the
Esrong. sodden with arrack and blood.
Kee Wong. the trader. slid the wicket
of his door and peered into the face OF
Said, the renegade Arab Then he swung
wide the portal and admitted his visitor.
They sat with cups Of steaming straw
hued tea before them while greetings
were exchanged. Then the speech Of
Said circled wariiy about his errand
like a wolf about a camp FIRE At length,
with an effort, he tossed the greenish
pebble upon the inlaid table.
Pound" he explained lightly. though
his eyes were uneasy. near the head
waters of the Rejang. I bring it TO you.
for YOU are skilled In sucn matters and
car Judge Of its worth
Kee Wong turned II over.
Crystal" he pronounced. but Of an
Unusual color. Do you wish 10 ssll?"
Il keep IT," Said retorted with sui
len infection, his hand on the knife
hit in his broad sash Give it here"
Clumsily, the Chinese complied. The
stone dropped from his hand. rolled,
eIuded the clutching fingers Of Said and
fell 70 the floor The Arab retrieved it
quickly and thrust il out of sight.
breathing hard He had not seen Kee
wong's hand hover for an instant above
the tea cup.
He drank tea. Said initiated him and
rose, one hand still thrust within his
ksftan
I shall keep it for time ne said
Carelessly. as talisman. If It's luck
falls me"
He giared suspiciously al Kee Wong
brooding over the cups and teapot on
their lacQuered tray clutched at his
stomach with his free hand, bent over
conyuisiYely. strove 70 straighten and
draw his knife, fell. stirred once or
twice and died Presently Zee Wong
rose from the table with its burden Of
bright china and drew the stone from
she rigid fingers that still clutchcd IT.
Then. returning 70 the table, he ground
she cup from which Said had drunk 10
powder beneath his foot
And Kee Wong. who first polished the
stone, was EtTangleo by Chang~h and
Ihanr-n, who bridied II Vitn fine gold
chain and wore IL about his neck, pros
peYed and took young wife who desired
ahe gem and poisoned him for IT,, and
her lover. Kai, driven infatuate by the
bitter green beauty u the great dis
E1aond. drowned his beloved and took 1t
from her. and the Mandarin Hei-yu,
OBTAINED IL and for It's sake endured the
eiiken cord, and a Prince ri the Sung
Dynasty, into whose hands il fell, van
kGhec and was seen no more. Then. Tor
y time the green diamond giittsred IN
Ene ceremonial cap of the Son Of
Heaven, incarnate upon the imperial
9nFone IN Nanking last VI his line VINO
g. before the inrushing horsen1en OF
gen2hls Khan
Oenghis wore il and MS son and the
grandson KUblai VINO followed him.
Thereafter. the stone went westward,
corr from the dead by the hands Of the
living. and eventually, through the ne
heading u z boyar. into the nands oI
Peter 81 Russia called the Crest,
The ooyar. who cherished the gem
more than life, and thereby lost both,
calico il the Eye u Lucifer so hence
forth ;t was known
EeFgt Daniel Delaney. Of the state
erropperS New Yorks rural mounted
notice leaned back IN his chair AND
looked al his watch with an impatient
frown. Outside, the late December after
noon was drowning slowly in rain, The
Windows of the room In West Duquesne's
sole hotel which he and his patrol
mate, Trooper Stephen Cameron. shared
wefs fretted enc flsWed by the down
pour,
Above the long roll ~ The rain and
ere wrs inf1iI breathing of the winds
- caught the sound Of hoofs. stamp