Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-15

~ HE spirit of exploration for easy
money has ruined more promising
careers than drink, gambling or the
smiles of women. Generally speak
ing the beaten tracks of life are the
safest and few men have adventured into the
uncharted spaces in search of easy fortune
who have not regarded the rediscovery of the
old hard road whence they Strayed as the
greatest of their achievements.
Mo Liski held an assured position in his world
and one acquired by the strenuous and even
violent exercise of his many qualities. He might
have gone on until the end of the chapter, only
he fell for an outside proposition, and, more
over, handicapped himself with private feud
which had its beginning in an affair wholly
remote from his normal operations.
There was Moorish CRATER named FL Rah-
but, who had made several visits to America,
travelling by the banana boats which make the
round trip from New York to Funchal Bay,
Las Palmas, Tangier and Oporto. He was a
very ordinary, yellow-faced Moor, pock-marked
and understood and he spoke English, having
in his youth fallen into the hands of a well
meaning American missionary. This man Rah-
but was useful to Mo because quite a lot of
German drugs are shipped via Trieste to the
Levant, and many a crate of oranges has been
shipped that had, squeezed in their golden inte-
riors little metal cylinders containing SNUG
gled heroin, cocaine, hydrochlorate and diverse
other noxious indictments.
ID AHBUT brought such things from time to
time, was paid fairly and was satisfied.
One day in a water front pool room he told Mo
of q great steal. 1t had been carried out by a
group of Anghera thieves working in Fez and
the loot was no less than the Emeralds of
SULLIVAN, the most treasured possession Of Mo-
rocco. Not even Abdul Aziz in his most impe-
cunious days had dared to remove them from
the Mosque of Omar The Anghera men, being
what they were, broke into the holy house,
killed two guardians of the treasure, and had
got away with the nine green stones of the great
king Thereafter arose an outcry which was
heard from the baZaars of Calcutta to the mean
streets of Marsi-Karsi But the men of An
ghera were superior to the voice of public opin-
ion. and they did no more than seek buyer.
Ell Rahbut, being a notorious bad character,
came into the matter, and this was the tale he
told to Mo Liski at the pool room one foggy
October night:
There is a million pasetas' profit in this for
you and me, Mr.. Good Man." said Rabbit Gall
Westerners who paid on the nail were Mr..
Good Man" to FL Rahbut). There is also death
for me if this thing becomes known"
Mo listened, smoothing his chin with hand
that sparkled and flashed dazzingly. He was
keen on ornamentation. 1t was a little outside
value of the stolen property and his blood was
on fire at the prospect of earning a couple of
millions so easily. That every police headquar-
tiers in the world was the lookout for the
nine stones did not greatly disturb him. He
knew the subterranean way down which pol
ished stone might slide, and If the worst came
to the worst there a reward of $25 900 for
the recovery of the jewels.
IN think it over. Where is the stuff?"
Here" said Rahbut, to the others surprise
SIN ten-twenty minutes I could lay them on
your hands, Mr.. Good Man"
Here seemed a straightforward piece of nego-
tiation. 1t was doubly unfortunate that at
that very period he should find himself mixed
up in an affair which promised no profit what
ever-the feud of Marylou Plessy, which was
to become his because of his high regard for
the lady
When a woman is bad, she is usually very
bad indeed, and Marylou Plessy was an ex-
tremely malignant woman. She was rather tall
and handsome, with black. sleek hair, boyishly.
shingled, and heavy black fringe that covered
a forehead of some distinction.
Mr.. Reeder saw her once He giving evil
dence against Bartholomew Xavier Plessy, an
ingenious Frenchman, who had discovered a
new way of making old money. His forgeries
were well nigh undetectable but Mr.. Reeder
was no ordinary man. He not only detected
them but he traced the printer and that was
why Bartholomew Xavier Plessy faced I'M
imprisoned judge, who told him in hushed
voice how very wrong it was to debase the cur
rency; how it struck at the very roots of our
commercial and industrial life. This the debo-
nair man before the judge did not resent. He
knew all about it. 1t was the judges curt post
script which made him vince. He sentenced
the man to penal seTvitude for 20 years.