The Rajah's Ruby

[.Copyright, 1893, by American Press Association.] - - - . - -■ fCONTINUED.J CHAPTIJR IX. "HE IS ONE OiF THOSE SEPOYS." The oíd fashioned house that had been the home of Miss Antoinetto Livennore for many years stood amid spacions prounds, surrounded by dense shade trees, which almost hid it from view during spring and summer. With the coming of autumn, when the limbs gradually lost their leaves, the antiquated building, which had been a famous one during theearly days of thecentury, and Btanding as it did on elevated ground near the outskirts of the small town formed one of the most conspicuoua land marks of Ellenville. Folsom Simpson, finding himself alone, gave his whole energies to traoing the mystery of the rajah's ruby. The vague intimations which he had thrown out to his friend, Max Manson, were genuine in his mind, though baaed on euch flicnsy fancies that he deeraed it notworth while to attempt to explain them to him. When, however, during the course of the day he recelved the jnbilant dispatch from his associate, he was so certain of the nature of the mistake made by him that he promptly responded wlth the words given elsewhere. Wandering aimlessïy, as it seemed, through the tnra, he managed to keep an eye upon the movements of )r. Maidhoff; but so far as he perceived there was nothing suspicious about them. He went and carne as his professional duties seemed to require, for he was generally a busy man, most of his joumeys being on foot, since they did not lead him beyond the limits of the town. Another and perhaps more interesting indi-idual was Miss Evelyn Gilder, who, as he viewed it, shared the inysterious secret with her fainily physician. So far as Simpson could ascertain, she never once left the big house which she had shared with her aunt so long. The female servant carne f orth about the middle of the afternoon, hearing two letters in her hand. One of these was taken to the postofflce and the other left at Dr. Maidhoff' s, who acted as if he was expecting it, for hardly had the woman reached out her hand to ring the bell when he stepped f orth and took it from her. He stood at the door while he hastily read it, and nodding his head to signify that it was all right disappeared within his office. "That letter from Miss Gilder is a summons for him to cali and see her this evening on business connected with the rajah's ruby," was the shrewd guess of the watcher, "and I must bj on hand." Simpson had not forgotten that there was another individual in Ellenville who must be interested to a certain extent in this business. That was Arthur child, credited with being the accepted lover of Miss Gilder. The detective framed an excuse for calling at his office, but a disappointment awaited him. The lad there told him the yonng lawyer was out of town and was not expected back for several days. "He's in it, too," mnttered Simpson, lounging back to the hotel, where he kept the best watch he could from his room, which gave him a view of the doctor's office. Nothing notewohrty was observed, and night closed in with little if any real progresa in the rernarkable investigation he had undertaken. The sagacious offlcer, however, had crystallized a theory which had been gradually taking shape in his niind. He had determined on what might be pronounced a desperate venture. As soon as it was fairly dark he left the hotel, flrst informing the landlord that he was Hable to be kept out until late at night and possibly until rnorning. He was told that the negro boy who slept in the barroom would admit hiru at any hour and conduct him to his room. The night was dark, with a faint moon. The Livermore hoinestead, standing almost beyond the limits of the village, was shronded in gloom except for the dim light of an oil lamp burning just in front of the entrance to the grounds. It was no difficult matter for the detective to steal in among the trees without being seen. He made himself certain earlier in the day that there was no dog about the premises, so he had nothing to fear on that score. He had secured a position which gave him a view of one side and the front of the house, including the portion lit up by the smoking lamp across the street. Posting himself thus, he was prepared to wait several hours if necessary - an ordeal for which the successful detective must always be ready. He would have given a good deal had he dared to light one of his delightful cigars while thus waiting, but that would have been inexcusable imprudence, for the odor was liable to betray him to any one approaching the dwelling. Fortunatelv he was not keet long in waítlng. Less tnan half an hour had passed when he discerned the outlines of a man coming along the lonely street and entering the dim área of illumination thrown out by the lamp. As the figure carne more plainly into view and turned to pass through the open gate, the watcher identified it. "It's Dr. Maidhofï, sure enough," he muttered, with a thrill of pleasure and expectation that his stirmiso had proved correct. "He has come in answer to that summons of Miss Gilder." The physician walked briskly up the path, stepped upon the broad porch, his footsteps sounding distinct in the stillness of the night. Bef ore he could move forward to sound the heavy brassknocker the door was drawn inward, and by the light of the lamp in the hall beyond Simpson saw the f orm of Miss Gilder. Beyond a doubt she was waiting for him, and his cali was not a professional one, since he would not have waited so long after receiving the letter of the young lady. The two did not enter the house at once. The partly open door showed the dark figures on the threshold, where tliey talked for some moments in low tones. If Simpson could only catch a few of the words which now reached him in an almost inaudible hum, they were crtain o be of the bighest importance, so mach 60 indeed that he was on the point of saeaiing lorward among the trees, thougï Vie attempt was almost a hopeless one, when, to bis chagrín, they passed inside, and the door was cjosed behind them. He heard the click of the lock and the sliding of the old fashioned bolt. "They don't mean to be interrupted," was his conclusión, "and I don't think there is much danger of their being overheard." The attempt, however, whieh he inlended to make in that direction was frustrated in an unexpected manner. He supposed they would seat themïelves in the lower sitting room or parlor, but they did neither. The sudden flaring of a light in the npper front room (which had eyicjently been occupied by the late invaïid) showed they had gone tliither f or the purpose of greater privacy. The scheme, therefore, of creeping np beneath the window and listening, in the hope of catching a word or two, was nipped in the bud. The detective passed among the trees back and forth nntil he had surveyed the two front and each of the single side Windows. The former were impenetrably screened by curtains, as was the one on the left, but the one on the right had its curtain raised about half way to the top. Whether this was an oversight or whether it was done to assist ventilation, since the sash was also lowered a few inches, was a question of no importance. Simpson moved silently back among the trees until he was several rods from the side of the house. The change of position did not give him a gliinpse of the occupants nor of any recognizable article of furniture. "There is only one thing to be done," hereflected, "and that is to climb that tree which grows near the building. I can hardly hope to overhear their ersauon, Dut Imaysee something worth knowing- good heavens!" Well niight the eavesdropper be str.rtled, for at that moment he made the discovery that he was not the only individual moving among the trees and seeking to penétrate the mystery of the Livermore homestead. There was another person engaged on the same errand. Indeed the backward moveinent of Simpson, in his effort to gain a glimpse of the interior of the upper room, was all that saved him from discovery by this second intruder, who carne upon the scène as noiselessly as a shadow. The saine obstacle which shut off his prying attempts caused him to do as Simpson had done only a minute before. He moved toward the bonndary fence in the effort to inspect the window whose curtain was partly raised. This took him so far from the dwelling that his head and Bhoulders were thrown partly in relief against the faint light, tlie outlines, however, being so indistinct that they were barely distinguishable, and only proved that it waa a man that had appeared so unexpectedly on the scène and complicated matters. While the detective was debatingwith himself what he should do, if indeed he could do anything, the head and shoulders vanished. The stranger was proacmng the house again, ha ving found that nothing was to be gained by staying where he was. The offlcer's senses were strung to that tense point that when, a minute later, he caught a soft, faint scraping sound he read its meaning. "He is climbing the tree near the window which I would have used a minute later if he had not anticipated me." Such was the fact. The fonn of the man was now shown more clearly as his head and bodjr rose above thewindow sill, climbing with the agiiity of a monkey . "He is one of those sepoys," muttered Sünpson, ' 'and the f ellow means murder." CHAPTER X "DO JUST AS I TELL YOU." Although Detective Simpson had never 8een either of the East Indiana who were so closely identified with the rajah's mbv. be ideatified this fellow the ■ inent his shadowy figure was outilnea against the lamplight of the room beyond. The round skull cap, with its dangling tassel, the thin hooked nose, the long wiry mustache and prominent chin- all these were unmistakable as their silhouette showed against the yellow background. "Dr. Maklhoff has deceived him in some way about the gem," was the conclusión of the watcher, "and that fellow has come back to revenge himself upon him." The large limb upon which Wichman ros crouching put out from the trunk below the window sill so that his body from the waist downward was in impenetrable gloom, but the rest was so plainly shown that tlw watcher detected every niovement. The fellow cautiously raised his head until he must have gained a glimpse of the interior. At the same time he shrouded his movements as much as he could, doubtless through fear that the couple in the room would discover him. The weird figure of the man and liis noiseless movements suggested the fearful belief that the miscreant was about to wreak ten-ible vengeance upon both of them. "If such is his intention," thought Simpson, "I don't think I'll stand fccr and allow it. I can't see very well in this darkness, but if I can't wing him with my revolver it will be the poorest shot I ever made." The impending tragedy was sure to overthrow all the calculations made by the sagacious detective and to bring about Bch new complications that he might well despair of success. Stül he could not stand idly by and permit a dreadfnl crime to be committed when it was in kis power to prevent. He hoped there was a possibility of the deed being averted without interference on his part - that is, it seeined that there was a chance that the sepoy was in quest of knowledge, like himself, instead of a human life. "At any rate Til wait. I can detect what he is af ter and baffle Mm before he does any harm. If he wül withdraw without hurting either the doctor or Miss Gilder, he need never know that he haa been under my eye." The f ellow in the tree now seemed to concéntrate all his attention npon the couple, who were evidently in sight. Holding his body poised with one hand, he leaned f orward until his head and face were marked as if with ink on the window. Thus he remained motionless for several minutes. During that brief but exciting period Folsom Simpson stood beneath and just back of him with his revolver, ready to fire the instant it became necessary. He half suspected the miscreant meant to make a catlike leap from his perch and, catching the sash, throw it quickly upward and bound into the room with his deadly knife and assail the two persons who littlo dreamed of their frightful peril. In order to carry out such a purpose, he must make himself the best kind of target for the watchful man below, who would not hesitate to bore him through. But how passing strange that Folsoni Simpson as he stood on the grour.d, alert, attentive and ready, forgot the fearful fact that this sepoy had a companion! Not once did he recall the statement of Max Manson that a couple of the swarthy wretches were involved in the disappearance of the rajah's ruby. It was a strange piece of f orgetfulness on his part that was to prove of momentous consequence to him. At such times a person thinks rapidly, and it occnrred to Simpson that if thjs man contemplated the taking off of Dr. Maidhoff alone, or indeed of him and his fair compamon, he could gain a better opportunity than by his leap through the window. He had but to wait on the outside until the physician came out on his return to his office, when he could strike him down among the trees of the yard before coming into the light of the lamp in front of the gate. One quick, deadly blow, and it would be done, the assassin making off immediately and being miles away before the crime could be discovered. But in what a frightful situation Miss Gilder would be lef t ! Af ter disposing of the man the criminal could enter the house and finish hpr as tha wn+iTiai. V.Q. lieved ho would assuredly do. These reflections were suddenly broken by the sound of the opening and closing of the front door. In the stillness the noise was distinct, as were the footfalls of soine one moving quickly across the porch and along the graveled walk toward the gate. "The doctor is going home. Now comes his peril." Simpson was around the corner of the house in a twinkling, nioving as silently as an Indian and holding himself hidden among the shadows. As he shifted his position he saw a figure in the act of turning out of the gate and hurrying in thedirection of the town, where the light from the lamp showed it quite distinctly. It was not Dr. Maidhoff, but a woman. wauong swimy. He recogmzed her as the servant that admitted him when he applied at the house some time before. She disappeared while he stood wondering what it could mean. 'It must be that she has been sent on soine erand and will not be gone long. Nobody besides the doctor and Miss GHlder are nowin the building, but they won't be moleted until after the return of the servant." This conclusión was so reasonable (since tke sepoy would lay hiniself liable to interraption if in the meantiine he rnoved against the inmates) that Simpson did not fear to act upon it. Straling back to his former position, he glanced tip in the tree to learn how the fellow was taking the new situation. He was not visible, and a few minutes' waiting satisfied the detective that he had descended to the ground. "He will do nothing until the return of the woman. When she is inside again he will resume operations." Eager as was Simpsou to solve the -roblem of the rajah's ruby, he feit that - ' ene first stop was to protecx tne aoctoi and the two women against these Thugs as they had been callad. While he was seeking to do that without disarranging his own scheme, he decided that it was his duty to warn the servant on her return of the peril of herself, her mistress and Dr. Maidhoff, in order that they niight be on their guard. To do this without exposing liiniself he must intercept the woman before she carne back and at such a distance from the house that the assassin would not see them. Inasmuch as she was Hable to return at any moment it would not do to wait. The abundant trees and the gloom of the night gave him all the screen he could ask. He was confident that when he emerged from the vegetation and stole into the highway no one had observed hún. It neetl not be said that he used his eyes and ears to the utmost, and the fact that he neither heard nor saw anything added not a little to his own sense of security. Prompt as was his action, it was none too much so, for at a distance of less than 200 yards from the front gate, but fortunately where his movements were hidden by an intervening house, he met the servant walking rapidly toward the Livermore homestead. Simpson knew her at a glance. j [continced.]