30 THE STRAND 174G

recognised from the description as thosc that had been stolen from the Manor a year or so previously, together with twelve magnificent hookahs. These preparations Lomplucd he retired, and a quarter of an hour later he returned and wound up a large musical box which I had not noticed, owing to its being concealed behind a cur- tain. Thc box bw'zm to play muffled and plaintive music. The sounds were so soft- ened, the music was so dreamy and sweet, and secmed so far off, that the cffect was unlike anything I had ever before heard. A few minutes later, and the Indian once more appearced. This time he wore a sort of dressing-gown of some rich material braided with gold. He walked backwards, and following him in single file were twelve men, the first being Ronald Odell, Five of them were men of U)l()Ul threc of the others were half-castes, the rest werc whites. But they all had the languid, drcamy appearance which characterised Odell, who, as I was to subsequently Icarn, was their le ader and president.,

They ranged themselves round the table silently as Ohosts and, without a word, Ronald Odell handed a l\ev to the Indian, who proceeded to unlock the chest 1 have referred to, and he took therefrom the skull goblet which had been carried off from Colonel Odell’s “ T'reasure Chamber " by——could there any longer be a doubt r— his own son. The sl\ull, which was pro- vided with two gold handles, and rested on gold claws, was placed on the table before the president, who poured into it the con- tents of two small bottles which were given to him by the attendant, who took thun from the chest. He then stirrel the decoc- tion up with a long-handled silver spoon of very rich design “nd wor kmanship, and which 1 mwomsul from the description that had been given to me, as one that had been taken from the Colonel’s collection. s this strange mixture was stirred, the sicken- ing, overpowering odour that I had noticed on fiht entering the place became so strong as to almost overcome me, and I felt as if I should suffocate. But I struggeled against the fecling as well as T could. The presi- dent next poured a small portion of the liquor into cach of the twelve cups that had been provided, and as he raised his own to his lips he said—

‘“ Brother drcamers, success to our club ! May your dreams be sweet and long !’

The others bowed, but made no response, and cach man draincd the draught, which

GAZINE.

l guessed to be some potent herbal decoc-

tion for producing sleep. Then each man rosc and went to a - couch, and the attendant handed him a hool\ah

applicd a light to the bowl, and from the smell that arose it was cevident the pipes

were charged with opium. As these drugged opium smokers leaned back on the Tuxurious couches, the concealed

musical-box continued to play its plain- tive meclodies. A drowsy languor per- vaded the room, and affected me to such extent that 1 felt as if I'must be dreaming, and that the remarkable scene before m.\ cyes was a dream vision that would speedily fade away.

One by one the pipes fell from the nerveless grasp of the smokers, and were removed by the attendant. when the last man had sunk into lll\LI]blblllL\f the Indian flled a small cup with some of the llqum from the skull goblet, and drained it off. Then he dlalocd a pipce with opium, and, cotling himsclf up on an ottoman, hc began to smol\c until he, like the othub yicldcd to the HOpL)lth mf]uulcu of the drug and the oplum and went to sleep.

My hour of triumph had come. T stepped from my placc of concealment, feeling faint and strange, and all but overcome b\ an 1rresistible desive to sleep. The potent fumes that flled the air begot a sensation in me that was not unlike drunkenness. But I managed to stagger to the table seize the nroblgt and the spoon, and makec my way to the door. As I gained the passage the Hindoo woman confronted e, for she was about to enter the room.

“What is the meaning of this?’ she cricd, as she endeavoured to bar my

passage.

“Stand back ! "1 said, ster nly. ' Laum a detective officer. Hmsc things have been stolen, and I am about to restore them to therr rightful owner.!

She manifested supreme distress, but recognised her powerlessness. She dared not raisc an alarm, and she might as well have tried to awaken the dead in Lhe adjoin- mg churchyard as thosc heavily drugged .\]u,.l)us And so I gained the strect ; “and the intense sense of relief L,\IX,IICI](,L(l as | sucked 1in draughts of the cold, fresh alr cannot be dcsgnbul Getting to the thoroughfare I hailed a cab, and dmvc home with my prizes, and the following morning 1 telegraphed to gypt to an address the Colonel had given me, infor ming him that I had recovered the goblet.