Sax Rohmer

“ You are really not at all well. How sorry I am!”
The sweet tones reached him as from a great distance; but as one dying in the desert turns his face toward the distant oasis, Deacon turned weakly to the speaker. She placed one fair arm behind his head, pillowing him, and with a peacock fan which had lain amid the cushions, fanned his face. The strange scene became wholly unreal to him; he thought himself some dying barbaric chief.
“Rest there,” murmured the sweet voice.
The great eyes, unveiled now by the black lashes, were two twin lakes of fairest amber. ”

“ Surely even the great Leonardo must have failed to reproduce that smile—the great Leonardo whose supreme art has captured the smile of Mona Lisa. Madam had the smile of Cleopatra, which, it is said, made Cæsar mad, though in repose the beauty of Egypt’s queen had left him cold. A robe of Kashmeri silk, fine with a phantom fineness, draped Madam’s exquisite shape as the art of Cellini draped the classic figures which he wrought in gold and silver ”

“ Judging from the isolation of the barbaric figure, it would seem that society did not know the tiger-lady, but Deacon, seizing his companion by the arm and almost dragging him into the small salon which the lady had entered, turned in the doorway and looked into Annesley’s eyes. Annesley palpably sought to evade the glance.
“You know everybody,” whispered Deacon; “you must be acquainted with her.” ”

“ The tale was done at last; the incense-burner was cold, and breathlessly the Brahmin clutched his knees with long, clawish fingers and swayed to and fro. Madam de Medici spoke. “My friend of old,” she said, “you come to me from your home below the snows of Everest because you know that I can serve you. It is enough.” She touched the bell, and the white-robed servant reëntered. ”

“ René descended to the telephone dazedly, but recognizing the voice of Annesley, aroused himself.
“I’m leaving town to-night, Deacon,” said Annesley, “for—well, many reasons. But before I go, I must give you a warning, though I rely on you never to mention my name in the matter. Avoid the woman who calls herself Madam de Medici; she’ll break you. She’s an adventuress, and has a dangerous acquaintance with Eastern cults, and—I can’t explain properly, but—”
“Annesley! the ruby!”
“It’s the theft of the ruby that has prompted me to speak, Deacon. Madam has some sort of power—hypnotic power. ”

“ The words died upon René’s lips unspoken, and ke stared blankly at the Colonel.
“I thought I knew all there was to know about pictures, antiques and all that sort of lumber,” continued Colonel Deacon in his rapid and off-handed manner. “Thought there weren’t many men in London could teach me anything—certainly never suspected a woman could. But I’ve met one, boy! Gad! what a splendid creature! You know there isn’t much of the world I haven’t seen—north, south, east and west. I know all the advertised beauties of Europe and Asia—stage, opera and ballet, and all the rest of them. ”

“ God fashions few such women. It is well.
“BY heavens, Annesley!” whispered René Deacon, “what eyes that woman has!”
His companion, following the direction of Deacon’s glance, nodded rather grimly.
“The eyes of a Circe, or at times the eyes of a tigress.”
“She is magnificent!” murmured Deacon rapturously. “I have never seen so beautiful a woman.”
His glance followed the tall figure as it passed into a smaller salon on the left; nor was he alone in his regard. Fashionable society was well represented in the gallery—where a collection of pictures by a celebrated artist was being shown ”

“ Below were the raging waters, and ever nearing him the tigerish shapes—which now Madam was calling to as to a pack of hounds. They were about to devour him, when—
He was crouching upon a ledge, high above a street which seemed to be vaguely familiar. He could not see very well, because of a silk mask tied upon his face, and the eyeholes of which were badly cut. From the ledge he stepped to another, perilously. He gained it, and crouching there, where there was scarce foothold for a cat, he managed fully to raise a window which already was raised some six inch. ”

“ There is a Jain temple set deep in the forests on the mountain slopes above Khatmandoo. It is far from the frequented roads, and jealously guarded. No European, I can swear, had ever entered this temple until. last year. It was famed for its statue of the god Vishnu, the Preserver, in which was set an eye consisting of a solitary ruby said to be priceless because of its great size and flawlessness. Last year a certain captain of Gurkhas—I’ll not mention his name—left the town one night and crept through the woods to the ancient temple. ”

“ The poor chap wanted money, and he thought he could sell the stone to one of the native jewelers. But he was mistaken. He got back safely, and secretly offered it in various directions. No one would touch the thing ”