THE RAIAH'S RUBY

Te Aroha News, Volume XI, Issue 1717, 23 February 1895, Page 4

THE RAIAH'S RUBY

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‘ l l guess it -will be more pleasant there.” Mr. Arthur Fairchild sprang from his chair and. slid back the doors, leading the way for his betrothed, who followed. Fortunately Simpson was given, a moaent’s warning. He was about to plunge , to the dining room, in the desperato hope of making his way outdoors through the kitchen, but the heavy looped cur■ains caught his eye, and in a twinkling

;:o had ensconced himself behind one of '-'"them, the veiling, his figure as he stood bolt upright and motionless. ‘'l hope she won’t take it into her head to rearrange these.” he reflected, with a tuuaaer. *‘ir sue aoe3, I’m gone.” It was taking big chances, but the detective did it from what may be called a sense of duty or principle. He was confident that the'young couple would let out some facts which he wanted to learn, in order to clear up what was yet dark concerning the rajah’s ruby. But in forming this hope he forgot for the time that they were betrothed ■ lovers and could not be expected to talk ' . of anything but themselves when they were alone and the opportunity so inviting.

“When do you go to Hew York?” she asked a moment after they were seated on the sofa, as near each other as they could get. “This afternoon. I want to have the confounded business wound, up and off my mind.” .. ... . ’ “I will be so glad when you do. It , will be such a relief to us all. When dp you return?” “Tomorrow—that is, if you want me to do so.”

“What a question! There, you hurt py hand—you, ought to be ashamed of ronrself. Auntie will hear such a loud liss as that. Do stop, Arthur, or I will lie real angry.” , “Well, you haven’t told me whether . Jon want me to stay away one day or ©no week.” '• “Nor am I going to tell yon. If you don’t know, you shall not find out from me.” . . . V .. .

“Yery well,” said he, feigning anger. I’lLstay a month, and then when I come back maybe you’ll be glad to see me.” “How mean you can bo when you try. I shall be worried all the time when you are gone. Ho, you shan’t kiss me again.” There was a gentle struggle, many protests, punctuated by the sound of os-, culation, and it was not necessary for Simpson to peep around the edge of the curtain to understand what had taken place. “I shall go direct to the Astor House,” said Fairchild, speaking more seriously than he had yet done. “It will he too late to attend to the matter tonight, hut I will do it at the earliest possible hour tomorrow morning, and then you may be assured I shall lose no time in. getting back to Warhaxnpton as quickly as steam will bring me. I must go.” * “So soon?*’ ; “The train leaves in 15 minutes.” An affectionate parting followed, and then the young.lady—being left alone—went Above to join her relative. Martha, who was on the alert, gave Simpson the cue, and ho managed to slip out undiscovered, though the escape was a narrow one. ;fA.;.’ : \ CHAPTER XVIL HE MADE'A STARTLING DISCOVER^. It so happened that the afternoon train for New York was a Half hour late in drawing up at the Warhampton star tion.' More than a dozen passengers were waiting, including Folsom . Simpson and young Arthur Fairchild. Since the latter held no suspicion of the former , Simpson was able to study him at his leisure. It was an easy matter to place himself directly behind the loveiy whose manner showed that'he felt no: Snore interest in the detective than in" any other occupant of the car. Simpson had done a good deal of tramping during the day and was glad of a chance for such a rest as this promised. ■v 7

“It will take us a number of hours to reach New York, and I can enjoy'a nap;” Firmly persuaded in his own mind that no risk was involved in doing so, the officer gave himself up to slumber, which continued for an hour. When he

awakened, he lit one of his excellent Weeds and began smoking it with the

manner of a connoisseur who knows a good thing when he sees it, and especially , when he gets hold of it. “Iknow;it is extravagant for me to indulge in these things,” he mused.' “Max can get along .very weU;with th& common kind, and he lectures me once in awhile on my foolishness in spending so much money in smoke; but, confound' it, what’s the odds? r He-smokes "the cigars he likes'best, and that is all I; do. If I have to draw, upon tlie':Vuelta Abajo, and mine cost more than his, it’s unfortunate for me. All that a man' can get out of this life-is his board, clothing, lodging and a little enjoyment; Some find it in one'tiling and some in. another. I find it "in' a good imported cigar. I don’t drink, gamble or throw away my earnings in other; directions, and if I know iny own . heart, which 1 think I do, I shall continue to indulge in perfectos as long as the mill turns out enough grist to permit me,”: .. .... Mr. Arthur Fail-child, who was reading a newspaper, now interested the detective by his conduct. When he caught the aroma of Simpson’s cigar,,he seemed to become nervous and impatient. He I fidgeted about, passed his hands through his coat and vest pockets, like one who is. searching- for something which he fails to find. He had probably done the same thing while Simpson was asleep. The officer interpreted the meaning at once. . ;,j[

“I beg your pardon,” said he, leaning forward. ‘‘l axa sure I know what the tronblo is. I have keen caugh t that way myself.. .‘Will yau allow me?”

And he extended one of his perfectos. Fairchild’s face beamed. He looked hesitatingly at the roll of brown silken tobacco and then accepted it with a laugh and smile.

“You do not know how much you have blessed me, or rather, being a smoker yourself, you do know the favor you have done me.”

‘ T beg you not to mention it.” “I am generally provided, but I did not discover until after the train started that I hadn’t a cigar about me. As any one will* do, I hunted through my pockets 20 times, hoping that J had overlooked one of them. I ran out at the first stop and bought several/, but they were so atrocious that I flung them out of the window. I sat down to make a martyr of myself; until .we. reached New York, when you upset mo by lighting one of these—ah, me, this is a cigar!” and the young'man spent several minutes in extracting the pleasure from the nicotine, while Simpson looked smilingly at him. We aVe always attracted to those for whom we have done a kindness. The detective was inclined to push his acquaintance with Fairchild after the amusing opening, but decided that it was •more prudent to-refrain - .' He did not wish to attract too much, attention to himself. ‘ It was evident that Miss Gilder’s lover held no suspicion regarding him, and he did not wish him to do so, since it was, liable to interfere with the surveillance. he intended to keep over him.

But the detective was studying his man closely. Aitnougn he Decame onca more interested in his newspaper, he occasionally made an involuntary movement with his right hand. This consisted of placing the fingers under the left lapel of his coat and pressing them against his vest, as if feeling for some object. ;; Simpson smiled, for he knew what this meant.

“That isn’t the usual place for the inBide vest pocket, hut ho has one there, and it is nestling within the receptacle. What can Mr. Arthur Fairchild intend to do with the rajah’s ruby?” . The action of the young man was involuntary, but so clearly indicative of the important truth that almost any suspicious person would have guessed that he was' guarding some great treasure There was no possibility that it could he lost while the custodian sat in the car, yet if any of our readers have been similarly placed they will understand the irresistible inclination which leads them’ to assure themselves every few. minutes tl||t the valuable is in place.

In accordance with his rule, Detective Simpson devoted some time to A study of his fellow passengers, and he had not been thus engaged more than 10 minutes when he made a startling discovery. On the other side of the car, and some three seats in advance, sat an exceedingly well dressed gentleman,;apparently between 'JO and 40 years of age. He wore a glossy silk hat of the latest fashion, a dark diagonal' suit, spotless linen, a-col-lar with the comers turned in the well known triangular shape, a silk cravat with a diamond horseshoe, while the edge of a silk handkerchief protruded from the side pocket of tils coat; wtion J he turned in his seat, a fine gold watch chain was visible in front.

This individual was smoking a choice Havana, which most of the time he held daintily between his fingers. He seemed absorbed in his paper, but probably no one besides the detective discovered that this was only pretense on his part. He sat for an hour without ouce shifting the position of the journal, an impossibility if. he was reading the contents unless he adopted the improbable course of perusing the same thing repeatedly, i Certainly he was not doing that. On first entering the car, as he did at War-; ~bampton„he. glanced behind him several 1 times and then crossed his legs and as-, earned a pdsture which showed his profile to tlie persons sitting behind, and practically to those on the other side. The man was undeniably handsome, With his Roman nose,' his glossy mustache curling gracefully at the ends, though the chin may have been a trifle too prominent. Had he chosen to dis-, •play his teeth they would have shown white and regular. Altogether ho formed a striking personality. The startling discovery that Detective Simpson, made was that this individual was one; of the two East-Indians who had come all the way from Calcutta with the resolve’ to secure ’possession of the rajah’s ruby.; . v •

CHAPTER XVm. “OUTWITTED AS SURE AS PATE.”

The complexion of the well dressed man was like a mulatto’s, and his hair was as black and coarse as an American Indian’s. A glance at him showed that while he may not have been exceptionally strong he was as lithe and active as a panther. “Ho is one of the two that were skulking through the grounds of the Livermore homestead the other night,” muttered Simpson. “I have never met the cbuple by daylight, hut that fellow’s profile shows him to be the one that climbed the tree and peered through the window at the interior. It was his companion who attacked and would have given me my quietus but for those cicars.”. [Continued m Supplement.