Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14
By
E. PHILLIPS
OPPENHEIM
Copyrisht. 1929, By North Amer:
lean Newspaper Alliance ana
Metropolitan Newspaper serV-
Ice.

l2IeT HlOJOI
LAS to those bad habits OF mlEe, 1
begged as we took our seats, don't be-
lieve all you read in the papers. Are
we up against Joseph, do you think, In
this little enterprise of ours? Shall we
get the Buddha, or do you imagine he
has been before us?"
Isaac chuckled.
II do not worry. The Statuette. even
though it is the worlds wonder. has not
the value Joseph wants. think we
buy that Statuette. all right. How much
money have you?"
More than usually carry about WIN
me-" 1 admitted. Il have draft Tor
five hundred thousand pounds"
II buy for less han that" he de-
clared contemptuously. II told our
friend already over the telephone that
knew of another one-eyed Buddha."
We arrived at the Milan punctually
at ii o'clock, but re were not allowed
to ascend at once to Mr.. Tul-kaHS
apartment. The concierge invited us
to take seats in the little lounge while
he sent a special messenger upstairs,
Some impulSe-I am not naturally a
curious person-prompted me to leave
my comfortable chair and look through
the glass partition into the grill. With
in a few yards of me at a table alone
sat Mr.. x.
He might almost have been expecting
me, so unruffled was his compoSure. SO
easy that faint, sardonic smile. called
into being all my powers of perception.
His black gray hair looked natural enough.
l traced the wrinkles on his high fore
head. took note of the small ears,
thinly cut nose, lips straight and haro,
vet wonderfully mobile. l traced That
upward line of his mouth and apprecl-
ated to the full the square, firm chin.
From sculptor's point Of view, tabulat-
ing his features one by one, the man
should have been good looking. Study
ing him as studies him then. i'll what
I believe was almost a moment OF
revelation, it seemed TO me that there
was a curious lack of vital qualities,
even in his best features. 1t was like
the Sculpt0r'S plaster cast OF face,
rather than the face itself. but more
than ever, as / stood there looking, the
obst nate conviction gathered strength
i'll my mind that l was indeed looking
into the face of my enemy.
l Strolled over to where 1SaacS was
sitting. My fingers, as l tried to light
a cigarette, were shaking. My voice
was scarcely steady.
Tell me- Mr.. IsaacS," asked, have
you ever seen JoSeph?"
Why that question at this moment,
Maj. Owston?"
Because the man whom I believe
to be Joseph Is seated in the grill
just inside there, two tables from the
glass partition"
1saacS rose from his chair and walked
toward the place 1 had vacated. When
he came back. his eyes seemed to have
sunk little farther into his head. He
had lost something of his fine poise 1
had no time then, however, to ask
him single question. A tall and
solemn Chinaman, having the air of an
ambassador, was approaching us. He
bowed to each in turn.
Mr.. Tul-Kak very glad to see you"
he announced. Please to come this
way"
We mounted in the lift to the fourth
floor, traversed the long corridor and
paused before the door of the end suite
of rooms. Outside another Chinaman
was standing, most ferocious looking
fellow. The door was opened in re-
Spouse to our ring by an EngliShman
who looked very like a police sergeant
in mifti.
This way. gentlemen" he invited,
throwing open the door of the sitting
room.
Mr.. Tul-Kak, who had been standing
with his back to the window, bowed
formally and advanced. He was a small,
sallow-faced man. carefully dressed in
European clothes. He waved us TO
chairs.
II am Tul-Kak," he said. as soon as
we had disposed Of ourselves, and our
guide had taken up position facing
the door. II have with me the treas
ure. With which of you do talk?"
Il am the dealer" 1saacs replied.
Let me see your treasure"
Tul-Kak moved to the Sideboard, upon
which was standing what had thought
to be an ebony tea caddy, but which
now saw was very wonderful ORR
entail caSket. There were three locks
TO 1t. each one of which Tul-Kak opened
with separate key. Inside was
lining of deep violet plush. and in the
middle of it, reclining there with its
one eye fixed upon the ceiling, was
the statuette. Tul-Kak went down on
his knees for moment and bowed his
head. Then he rose up took the
statuette reverently from its place, laid
1T In the palms of his hands, and
brought it over to ISaacs.
Two thousand years." he confided,
In voice which trembled Slightly,
have passed, and no mans hands, save
the priests OF the inner order, have
touched it. Millions Of worshipers have
bent the knee at q distance and passed
If curses could kill, 1 am a dead man
and as it is. the knives of
thousands are Sharpened for my life.
But i, Tul-Kak, am a plain merchant
although my forefatherS were priests |
Take the one-eyed Buddha into your
hands, Isaacs and buy or return" i
lSaacs looked down at 1t through his
eyeglass. turning it this
way and that. 1 fancied that he was
Nnrfat Fo,.
and failing to find 1t. He passed 1t to
me, and strangely enough. felt a spark
Of almost the same reverence as had
inspired Tul-Kak. Yet as / looked at it, |
1 felt queer sense ~of trouble The
SightleSS eye met mine for a minute. |
1t seemed to me there was almost a |
threat in its cold stare and in the curve
OF the mouth. I handed it back.
1T is wonderful" murmured.
You buy?" Tul-Kak asked ISaacS.
afford"
II do not know that word" was the |
frigid rejoinder. 1T is strange to me. |
You buy-you pay me 100000"
1SaacS made a motion to take I'D
his hat. Tul-Kak turned to the man |
who had received us downstairs.
You will telephone" he directed, ito |
Tnen 1, in my stupidity, made one
OF the worst Of breaks. 1 was afraid
that saw the statuette slipping away. /
and interrupted, without waiting to |
hear the number.
Mr.. Isaacs forgets," said eagerly,
that our friend does not bargain.
Neither, in this instance, does Mr..
Martin HewS. Here is a draft upon
the Bank Of England for f50O, 600"
laid 1t upon the table. ISaacs rocked
back and forth, seemingly on the point
of bursting into tears.
' The statue is Sold" TuI-Kak an
nOunced calmly as he nicked I'm thu