Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08

themselves alOHe.
Ras Lal owed his imprisonment to an unsuc-
cessful attempt he had made upon two strings
of pearls the property of the lady in question,
and when he learned on his return to freedom
that Smith sahib had married the respondent
girl and had gone to America he very naturally
attributed the hatred and bitterness of Smith
sahib to purely personal causes, and swore VEN
geance.
Now, in India the business of every man is
the business of his servants. The preliminary
inquiries. over which an English or American
jewel thief would spend a small fortune, can
be made at the cost of few annas. When Ras
Lal came to America he found that he had
overlooked this very important fact.
Smith Sahib and Memsahib were out OF town.
They were, in fact, on the high seas en- route
for New York when Ras Lal was arrested on
the conventional charge of being a suspected
person." Ras had Swallowed the Smiths butler,
and having induced him to drink had offered
him immense sums to reveal the place, recep-
tacle, drawer SAFE box casket where Mrs.
Commissioner Smiths" jewels we're kept. His
excuse for asking, namely, that he had had q
wager with his brother that the jewels were
kept under the memsahibs bed, showed la
inevitable lack of inventive power. The butler,
an honest man. though a drinker Of beer, in
formed the police. Ras Lal and his friend and
assistant, Ram, were arrested, brought before a
magistrate, and would have been discharged but
70
the case and was able to supply from his own
files very important particulars of the dark
mans past. Therefore Ras Lal was sent down
to hard labor for six months, but, what was
more maddening, the story Of his ignominious
failure was, he guessed broadcast throughout
India.
This was the thought which distracted him
in his lonely cell. What would India think of
him? He would be the Scorn Of the bazaarS,
"the mocking point of third-rate mediocrities, %
to use his own expression. And automatically
he switched his hate from Smith Sahib to one
J. g. Reeder. And his hate was very real; more
real because of the insignihcance and unimpor-
lance of this Reeder Sahib whom he hkened
to an ancient COW, a sneaking weasel and other
things less translatable. And in the six months
Of his durance he planned desperate and earnest
acts Of reprisal.
Released from prison, he decided that the
moment was not ripe for a return TO India He
wished to make a close study of ]. G. Reeder
and his habits, and being a man with plenty
Of money, he could afford the time, and, as 1t
happened, could mix business with pleasure.
Tommy Fenalow found means of getting in
touch with the gentleman from the Orient while
he was in prison. and the handsome limousine
that me: Ras Lal at the gates when he came
out of Jail was both hired and occupied by
Tommy, keen business man, who had been
offered by his German printer a new line of
100 rupee notes that might easily develop into O
most profitable sideline.
you come along and lodge at my expense
boy" said the sympathetic Tommy who was
very short, very stout, and had eyes that bulged
like a pug dogs. you've been badly treated
by old Reeder, and I'm going to tell you a way
Of getting back on him with no risk and a 80
per cent profit. Listen! A friend of mine
1t was never Tommy who had snide for sale;
invariably the hawker Of forged notes was a
mysterious friend"
60 Ras was lodged in an apartment which
formed part Of block owned by Mr. Fena-
low, who was very rich man indeed. Some
weeks after this Tommy crossed Fifth avenue
to intercept his old enemy.
"Good-morning, Mr.. Reeder."
j. G. Reeder stopped and turned back.
"Good-morning, Mr.. Fenalow," he said with
benevolent soacitude. IT am glad to see that
you are out again. ,add do trust that you will
now find a more-ef-ss0itimate outlet for your
undoubted talents"
Tommy went angrily red.
II haven't been in STIR and you know It,
Reeder 1t wasn't for want Of trying on your
part. But you've got to be something more than
clever to catch me-you've got to be lucky!
Not that there's anything to catch me over
I've never done a crooked thing in my life, as
you well know"
He had an appointment with Ras Lal and
the interview was entirely satisfactory. Ras
Lal made his way that night to an uncomfort-
ably situated rendezvous and there met his new
friend.
This is the last place in the world old man
Reeder would dream of searching" said Tommy
enthusiastically, "and If he did he would find
nothing Before ne could get into the building
the stuff would be pat out OF sight"