THE RAIAH'S RUBY

Te Aroha News, Volume XI, Issue 1719, 6 March 1895, Page 4

THE RAIAH'S RUBY

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(Continued.) "Keep cool; it is still thire, though hut for me it would have been gone be- . ond all possibility of recovery by you ■r any one else.” •You take away my breath. 1 don’t know what to think.” "In the same car with you from Warcampton rode a dark skinned person dressed in the height of fashion. He sat on the opposite side and a few seats from von.” "1 recall him, though L gavediimno particular attention.” "Nevertheless he bestowed particular attention on you, for he„ too, knew that you carried the rajah’s ruby, and he-was ready to take desperate chances to get it. Had you gone out this evening carrying it with you, you would have been assaulted somewhere in the city apcU'obbed. But you left it in the safe at the hotel and spent the evening enjoying the “Old Homestead,’’ While you were there this same. East Indian or sepoy or Thug presented himself at the Astor House with an order for the package purporting to be sighed by you. Your signature was executed with, such skill that the clerk had. scarcely a doubt that it was genuine.”

i ' ‘Then why did he not deliver the package? Do you tell me he did not?”

“He was about to do so when fortunately i arrived and managed to prevent it."

“This sounds incredible, but 1 do not doubt you. How extraordinarily things have come about!” . .

“The clerk went so far as to open the parcel—that is. partially, so as to show a diamond instead of a ruby.” “Had he fully opened it he would have found two large diamonds and the rajah's ruby. My dear sir, I appreciate the inestimable service you have done to me and to others dear to me. Ido not know that 1 shall ever be able to repay you.” "I can tell you how,” said Simpson, with a smile.

"Let me know, and I will be only too glad to do so.” “Tell me the true story of the rajah’s mbv.” , ..

Arthur Fairchild was silent for a minute or two. He was debating some question with himself.

“If yon knew less,” he finally said,.“l would tell you no more, but you have proved that you, know so much that I cannot refuse you, for doubtless the whole truth would be unearthed by you. Besides,” ho added heartily, “the service you have rendered me entitles you to what you ask. Listen, therefore, and you shall hear the story. of the rajah’s ruby.”

CHAPTER XXII. | THE STOUT OF THE UAJAII’S IHJ3Y* As has already been stated, the wonderful gem known as the rajah’s nxby i first came into prominence more than j £OO years ago. Like all minerals, its age | is beyond computation, but it is enough ; for present purposes to say that when it I was earned to England by the doughty j soldier whose title to its ownership it is not best to inquire into too particularly he took with it a series of superstitions that would have been incredible in these later days. But the period named was that in which the. belief in witchcraft was general, and the clergy as well as the laity cherished fancies and beliefs at which our children would laugh. With the ruby was inclosed a writing on parchment, first engrossed in Sanscrit and afterward translated into English. tp tfee,effect that the owner of the rajah’s ruby could retain possession of it only by obeying certain requirements. First of all, he must always keep it in his possession—that is, he must never deposit it in the custody of another nor anywhere except beneath his - own roof. He could take it with him if he chose while journeying, but he must retain his guardianship over it. Thus the best

course at Ins command was to place it in j a strong safe in his own dwelling. That j was precisely what was done hy Miss j Livermore, its last owner. j The invention of the false gem was an \ idea of old Captain Ashleigh, who served ; Great Britain during our Revolution, j The real jewel was kept in a secret i drawer in the safe, while the counterfeit was left where a burglar, after once obtaining entrance, was sure to find it. The early British owners of the ruby were in constant dread of a visit of emissaries from India. Overtures were made several times from different rajahs of that country for its purchase, but they were rejected, since another legend connected with the gem was that whosoever parted with it for money would speedily meet with violent death. Two attempts were made to steal it, but the vigilance of its possessors pro- j vented success.and . shortly after the & close of our war for independence the

ruby was brought to this country by the j grandfather of. Miss Livermore. When & / • it was left to her. sue inherited with it f'l the strange myths and fancies as well as the false gem. whose purpose she fully understood. While she shared to some extent this singular belief attaching to tins jewel, she was a lady of education and deep religious convictions. '.She wished to cast off the chain. though not wholly able to do so There can be no doubt mat: her mental weminent over its possession induced a state of uarvo isness which eventually reduced her tothecon-

dition of an invalid •- Tims matters stood when Dr. iVMcp holt, her family physician. iearneu whole trntu He was a man oi' mind and had no patience with bigotry and superstition. This led him to use liis utmost-influence to persuade her to disregard all the absurd injunctions she had received will) tie- heirloom. Tf has been a curse to every one that had anything to d«» with it." he sum. I Seii it for the comfortable fortune it wm < i,rinc and get rid of the pest." Si, -tint, doctor, yon fchi>)V the penalty.

■slip said, with a smile in which’ there

was no mirth. 1 ‘ Faugh 1 You do not believe any such rubbish.” “No—that is, I try not to believe it and do not. Yet when I contemplate the step I shrink with a dread that I snpjKtse is mostly due to my poor health.” “Undoubtedly, and. why, therefore, pay any heed to it?” “I wish it liad never been left to me. If I could will it to. you or any one else, I would do, do," “I don’t/want it, but, I want you to get welljAvhich. you will 'never do as long as you,remain morbid over that. I shall give yon no rest until the thing is sold and. off your miiid." A third, injunction, coming down from former generations, was that the owner of the rajah’s ruby must never give it away or wHVit to another until such an act Avas.among the last of his or her life ---that is, to say, while Miss Livermore Was at liberty to designate by will the next owner of the gem, that owner could not receive it until the former's death. Thus, as long as the injunction was heeded, Miss Livermore must remain tied to it, for such virtually washer situation. While the good lady was in this state of incertitude and distress, Dr. Maidhoff received two valuable allies in the persons of the. niece, Miss Gilder, and. her betrothed, Arthur Fairchild. They ridiculed her weakness with such success that she was forced to the deciding point.

“I will sell it and take the chances. Heaven will not permit any harm to come to me for such an innocent deed.” It was at this juncture, while Miss Gilder was absent among her friends and Fairchild was in another section on business, that the alarming letter arrived from India, written by a person unknown to them, but., who Miss Livermore instinctively felt was a friend. She sent for Dr. Maidhoff and gave him the letter. He read it through and was so angered that he tore the missive in two and flung one portion in the grate. Then, feeling that he had been too hasty, ho picked up the larger part, replaced it in the envelope and shoved it into his pocket.

His first impression was that this was an attempt to terrify his patient into parting with the ruby, and he was indignant to observe that its reception had thrown her into a deplorable state. But, reasoning more clearly, he decided before the close of the day that it would be criminal on his part to disregard the warning. He did not expect the coming of the East Indians, if they came at all, for some days or weeks, and, despite the fact that they did reach Ellenville by a strange coincidence almost at the same hour as the letter, he was unaware of it. He had allowed Detectives Manson and Simpson to believe that he knew this, and therefore was guilty of a carelessness which laid him open to suspicion, but he was called out in the country that evening and had no knowledgeof what occurred'until the following morning, when Martha, the servant, came in great haste for him. Ho found Miss Livermore in a sad condition and in danger of death. ... The burglar had appeared at her bedside just as was stated and compelled her to give the combination which opened the safe. The criminal departed with the false instead of the true gem. The effect of this midnight visit upon the doctor was more unaccountable than upon the woman. It convinced him’ of the utter uhserupulousness of the men that had come across the sea to secure the rajah’s ruby. He was .sure. that, although they had been deceived by the colored glass, they would soon return to recover it and probably revenge themselves upon the woman "that hadde ceived them. Cases are not lacking where the bravest men have broken down! become “rattled,” as the expression goes, and figuratively gone to pieces under a long continued nervous and mental strain. Major Chorpenning, who' made the wonderful ride alone from Salt Lake City to Sacramento with the United States mail, more than 30 years ago, has related to us a similar experience. He passed the dead bodies of the five men of the previous train, all ,of whom had been massacred by Indians, and coolly gathering the

mutilated remains gave them the best' burial possible. He did this without a tremor of the nerves, though he knew he had reached the most dangerous portion of the route and saw at that time the smoke from the signal fires of the red men who were waiting a short distance ahead to ambush and kill him. The brave fellow rode straight on with his two mules, on the alert for danger. He passed safely through, but late that night, when alone in the desolate solitude, broke down and wept like a child. His nerve left him, and for two hours he was in a state of absolute collapse. Then his courage revived, and he. pushed on. When Dr. Maidhoff learned the truth about the Sepoys, he was affected in much the same way..though he repressed all evidence of it. He became panic stricken and did that which none would have been quicker, than himself to condemn at another time. The coma into

which Miss Livermore sank suggested the pretense of giving out that she had really died. 1 “Those dusky fiends wall learn of it,” was his thought, “and they will be so terrified that they will hasten out of the country and never annoy us again, even though there be 100 . rajahs’s rubies to steal. Miss Livermore’s condition is so much like-death that no eye besides the professional one can know that it is a case of suspended animation. When we reach Warhampton, she will revive—that is. probably she will, for she is in a sad state and is by no means certain of re-

I covery. We will keep her in seclusion j and then let her be seen at the end of a k'couple of weeks or so. N o one will euesjfction my course, as they might do if I i-'persisted in-declaring her dead ai'cer she had come to herself again." It will .be admii; ed that there was considerable ingenuity in tiie scheme, and but for the mista. e the physician made in calling in the aid of the detectives the 1 truth would probably have remained a | secret within a very narrow circle. Eat we repeat, except that he lest his h-nd

! completely'for the time, ari'd for the opportune coma of the lady, Dr. Maidhoff would never have conceived the plan, which lie condemned as soon as he had crone just too far to recede, without placing himself in a most peculiar position. He summoned Arthur Fairchild and Evelyn Gilder to his assistance. They were dumfounded at his blunder, but , since he himself admitted it they agreed, out of consideration for him, to keep the matter a profound secret until the jewel was disposed of, Then it could be stated that Miss Livermore, on being taken to Warhampton, showed signs of returning vitality and eventually regained her health. The story would be a sensational one, but the physician’s well established reputation would avert all suspicion from him. <. .... The doctor had sent to Chief Varick while flustered over the burglary and uncertain what he ought to do. He regretted his course, but it was too late to recall it. It was believed that it would be easy to mislead the detectives, and many ingenious attempts were made to do so; but, as has been shown, the friends in this instance reckoned without their host. But Miss Livermore gave way under the combined persuasion of- the doctor, and her niece, and the latter’s betrothed. Miss Gilder was anxious to have the business adjusted and the suspense ended. She dreaded more than any one else the work of the detectives. She was convinced that the act of Dr. Maidhoff, if brought to light, was likely to result seriously to him and would gravely compromise all. It was this conviction, shared by her aunt, that led the latter to surrender

the ruby to the physician and Fairchild with full permission to sell it, The doctor received so ’ many callers, at liis house and office that he was afraid of holding the various councils of war there. As the place most likely to be free from interruption, ho went to the Livermore homestead, where certainly there was no cause to look for visitors. ... „

Meanwhile Miss Gilder became convinced that one or both of the East Indians were in the neighborhood and that mischief was brewing. She became more nervous than her aunt had been. The story brought thither by Martha almost prostrated her, and even when she remained at the doctor’s office she required him to signal to her that all was right. In truth, as the reader has learned, the young lady had a truer conception of the situation than any of her friends, who were in actual danger from tho Thugs from India.

During all this time Dr. Maidhoff carried the rajah’s ruby with him while making his professional rounds. He had recovered his usual pluck and insisted that this was the safest course, since no one would suspect him of lugging any surplus wealth about with him. Ah, if Wichman- and Lugro had but known that the gig of the physician, as it bobbed around "the country, carried the matchless gem which had brought them thousands of miles across land and sea, they would have assailed him with the stealthy ferocity of their own jungle tigers and despoiled him of its possession. Arthur Fairchild wished to go to New York at once with the ruby, but his betrothed was in that timid, apprehensive state that she would not permit it for several days. Finally she gave her consent, believing the coast was clear. Little would she have slept during his absence had she known that one of the dreaded sepoy3 rode in the same car with him all the way to the metropolis, and that both were shadowing the unsuspecting young man.

Begarding Wichman and Lugro, they doubtless gave up the attempt to recover the rajah’s ruby after the defeat of their last effort. Their fitness for the extraordinary part they played was proved by the consummate skill with which they prepared the letter, when the only specimen of Fairchild’s writing obtainable was his signature on the register of the Astor House. They probably returned to India with little delay, for their deeds laid them open to prosecution, and they had nothing to gain and much to risk by remaining in this country. The rajah’s ruby was sold for a round sum to one of , the leading jewelers in New York city, while the large diamonds formed part of the ornaments worn by Miss Gilder at her wedding, which took placo a few months later. The remarkable gem from India, we believe, found its way back to England, where it was finally settled in the possession of one of tlie titled families, ; from whom it could not be purchased for tlie price of a kingdom.

- Miss Antoinette Livermore was rid of the gem find pest at last. Despite the horrible evils that were threatened to any owner who parted with it as she had done, nothing of tlie land has as yet befallen her. On tlie contrary, her Health has steadily improved until today she is certain that she is better physically than she lias been for many years. ...

The moral of which is that we who are not the owners of wonderful diamonds. rubies, pearls and precious stones should congratulate ourselves rather than envy those who are burdened with their possession. the Em