THE TURQUOISE SKULL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12654, 7 September 1904, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE TURQUOISE SKULL.

[PUBLISHED BY. SPECIAL ABBAXGEMENT.]

BY FERGUS HUME, author of the "Mystery of a HtlUlom Cab."

Part I. sCni3 story has been told by three different men. Each has embellished it according to his fancy, and constituted himself the hero. I object to these egotistical pilferers, for I am alone entitled to tell, in the first person, the tale of tho turquoise skull. Should anyone question my right to this principal role, 1 can point out that tho forefinger of my left hand is missing. . That loss substantiates my statement. I should like to know if those other three storytellers lack tho forefingers of their left hands. If not, they Stand convicted of plagiarism. When Harry Carstono and I went to tho U.S.A. on a shooting excursion wo intended to strike for the Rockies. It was by no deliberate design that we found ourselves at Zacatecas. Bv a series of accidents which nerd not be set forth here we drifted aimlessly southward. From New York we travelled to New Orleans, thence took snip to Vera Cruz, and, as & natural consequence, We terminated our journey in Mexico City. And here we should have remained had not Fate, by her favourite device of feminine influence, lured us—or rather one of us—to Zacatecas. If Harry had not followed Lola Tepeaca from capital to province ho might new be alive. As it was he left Mexico City for Zacatecas, where he found Lola, tiic- turquoise skull, and a grave. I came out of the affair with my life and the loss of a finger. To save Harry I would have given willingly the whole hand. _ But it was not to be; and although I punished Lola for her evil deeds, such reprisal was bid poor compensation for the death of my collego chum. Ostensibly we sought Zacatecas in the mining interest, but I gave up my time to Bight-seeing, and Hurry spent most of his with Lola. Only once did I accompany him to her dwelling; then, seeing that I was an inconvenient third. I went no more. As for Lola, she usually smoked cigarettes in a grass hammock swung on the nzotea, while Harry sat at her feet and talked. I guessed what formed the gist of these conversations, from my friend's flushed face and sparkling eyes at 'their conclusion And, judging that such trifling was unwholesome, I ventured a remonstrance, which he promptly resented. Experience should have taught mo tho futility of interfering. " You can't marry the girl," said I impatiently: "she is half Indian, and wholly diabolical." Harry drew his brows together, as was bis habit when annoyed. 1 remembered that sign of temper at Eton when he went up for punishment. Still, ho answered temperately enough: "I know she is a ball-paste, but she is not the-—the other thing." "Isn't she, thought If ever I saw evil in a woman's eyes—" "You need say no more, Frank," he interrupted hotly: "it is shabby to speak ill of a woman behind her back.'' "I will say it to her fare if you like. Harry. Believe me, she is no good, and silo will certainly get you into trouble." "I can take care of myself. I am no fool." "You are a man. at all events." I retorted, " and all men are fe.:>l> where a

woman is concerned. Do you intend to present Lady Oar'tone With a half-ca-te daugh-ter-in-law?" "That is neither here nor there." said he Sulkily, and turned on his heel to intimate that my interference was uncalled for. Later on he left the hotel to call on his Venus P&ndernos. Having boon thus rewarded for ray mediation. I walked to the Casa de la Estrella to visit Fray Benito. He was a Dominican monk of archaeological tastes, with whom I had foregathered shortly after my arrival at Zacateca=. His monastery— after the Star of l>thlchem —was a peaceful old dwelling, with courts and corridors, a wonderful chape!, and art extensive library. When Fray Benito was not praying in the chapel he was reading in the library; and here I found him wrestling with the crabbed Latin of a priestly author.

Our friendship was based on a common love for archaeology: but as Harry's tastes die) aofc lie in that direction he sought neither monastery nor monk; and although I had observed casually that I had a com* panion, I had not thought it necessary to inform the holy monk of the existence of Lola. It was only after my fruitless appeal to Harry that I mentioned the name of the half-caste siren to the Dominican. As a popular confessor in Zacateens lie was likely to know something of the lady, and a little timely knowledge of her peculiarities might enable me to rescue Harry from her toils. This, then, was the main reason for my •visit, and after a few words of courtesy I introduced the subject. The pious horro<with which Fray Benito received the name of Lola served only to confirm mv fears. "What i-f this you tell m«\ Don Frail' «isco?" said he. severely, "Hue you been led --'ray iv this daughter of evil?" " No, reverend sir. I speak in the interest cf my friend, who is now in her toils." "God.help him!" said the monk, crossing himself. "She will lure him to death, as she has lured others. Demon, succuba, would that the Holv Office were still in existence, to burn hoe to ashes! ' "Who is she-, Fray?" "A demon, sciwr. Have you not heard iof the turquoise skull?" "No: what is the turquoise skull?" "It i 3 an instrument of evil possessed by j this creature," said Fray Benito, with much > ener<rr —"the skull of a heathen king adorn- I ed with jewels, and inhabited by evil spirits. With it she works her . devilries. Twelve J men has she slain. Holy Mary forbid that your friend should be the thirteenth!" "You don't mean to say that she has murdered twelve men?" I demanded uneasily. The attitude of the monk frightened toe-. "Who knows how they die! She lures them with her beauty, and gives them the turquoise skull as a token. Then they perish." "How do they perish?" "Nay, fienor. I cannot tell you. There Was an unworthy brother of our order who was charmed by. this suecuba, and fell aWay from his vows. In due time, as is her custom, she gave him the turquoise skull. He bore it to his cell, and he was found next morning seated before it—dead." "And the skull?" "We sprinkled it with holy water, and poniured the evil spirit, who dwelt therein to depart. But she came, the accursed one, and bore it away. Ay, my son, bolts and bars and stone walls could not keep her out of the House of the Star. She appeared like a demon in our midst, and disappeared with the skull. We buried Fray Anselm at midnight. May his Soul find peace!" At the conclusion of this story the friar .betook himself to his prayers and his rosary; and seeing that my presence waß distasteful I left him to his devotions. This was the first I had heard of the turquoise skull, but I was to hear of it again within an hour. This time it was from a lepero. There was no connection between monk and vagabond, yet both spoke of the same thing. Fate is fond of duplicating incident?. My acquaintance with Don Panchito Diaz deGrijalva—for so he styled • himself— by my saving his life. Tile lepero was crossing the road, when a stallion beyond the control of its rider dashed round the corner. Had I not instinctively rushed forward and dragged Don Panchito out of harm's way, assuredly be would have been trampled to death. This he recognised, for, having devoutly crossed himself, he shook his fist at the flying steed and advanced towards me with a lordly air. "I lay myself at your illustrious feet, senor," said he in the stately Spanish tongue. "You are my preserver. All I have is yours." The gift was no princely on©, for his whole wardrobe could have been purchased for half a crown. His skin was as ingrained with dirt as were his clothes. Beyond a paii of leathern breeches, a. ragged shirt, and a cloak, he wore nothing worth mentioning save a tattered sombrero, which lift held in his hand during our interview. With his evil eyes, his shining teeth, and his long matted hair, he appeared to be anything but a des.rable acquaintance. But. in nowise conscious of his defects, he oiled a cigarette and straddled impudently before me. A finer specimen of the gaol-bird I never beheld, and as I was in no way desirous of continuing the acquaintance I muttered some acknowledgment of his words and turned to go. This, however, ho would not permit. "Do my eyes deceive me," said he, stopping back a pace, "or do I indeed behold the renowned and noble Senor Don Francisco, who honours our city with his magnificent presence?" , . I admitted the identity, and turned my lack upon him as before, but With no better result. ... "Nav, senor," Said he, reproachfully, "vou must allow Don Panchito Diaz tie Oriialvn to pay his debts. I owe you my life; permit me to save that of your illustrious friend." "What is that you say?" I asked, considerably btartl«l.

"Don Hcnrlques is devoted to Lola Tepeaca. Lot him beware, lest she give to him the turquoise skull." "Thai; skull again! What do you know about it?" ' ,',,'' „ . ■' "Everything, your lordship, Was it not I who brought, the skull to Lola from the holy hermit Felix, who dwells in yonder mountains? Assuredly it was. Eh. senor! know you hot that he who possesses the turquoise skull surely dies?" "How does m die?" "Truly I know not, scnor. It is said that, a fiend who slays dwells within the skull; but of the truth of this I know nothing. Four days was I carrying it from the hills, yet still I Am alive." " And Lola, who possesses it: she is alive a'-" "The father of sin does not kill his best soldiers, Don Francisco; the demon who dwells within the skull permits her to live and to work harm. Yet," added Panchito, raising a significant forefinger, twelve has she slain. "Beware, senor, and let not your illustrious friend take the love gift lest he make the thirteenth*" And with this Panehito took his departure, while I hurried back to the hotel, filled with alarm at the dangers hinted at by Fray Benito, and the lepero. Both had warned me, in words almost identical, against the turquoise skull. And although I was not sufficiently superstitious to believe in the existence of this demon, yet the rssurance that twelve men had fallen victims to the skull resolved me to warn Harry against accepting it from Lola. But my information had come too late, for when I "opened the door there was the turquoise skull on the table, and over it bent my friend. The sight fitted in so dramatically with the stories I had heard that it was impossible to suppress an ejaculation of surprise. Harry looked up, and laughed at my staring eyes and open mouth. "Well, old fellow." he said, cheerfully, " you look a hit off colour. Have you been sainnling the wine of the country?" "Where in the name of heaven did you get that infernal thing?" I stammered. "Oh, this skull? Queer, isn't it? Lola gave it to me." "I guessed as much; give it back to her at once." " Come, now, Frank,, don't, try me too far; I thought wo had settled all tha't this morning' 1 " Dropping into a chair without making a reply I stared at the blue object on k the table. It Was a man's skull, completely encrusted with rough turquoises, save the cavities of the- nose and eyes, which were filled in with Dniango rubies. These red a»d jewelled orbs glittered in so uncanny a fashion or to cause me to suspect (ho presence of tinfoil. I am fairly self-controlled, bid when I remembered how that gruesome skull, with its blue scalp and winking eyes, had caused in some unknown way the death of twelve men, I own" that I was unnerved. Shaking and white, I clutched llr table, whilst Harry eyed me in an cry surprise. "What the deuce is the matter, Frank? This skull—" '" Will cause your death. Give it back to Lola." " The sun has been too strong for yon," said Harry, with a clouded face; "go and lie down for an hour." He Wr-i about to bft the skull, when I sprang up from my chair and dragged him back. " Don't touch it, Harry. Fray Benito says—" '" Oh, so that old monk has been gossipins to you about Lola, lias he? When I said that vott knew him she fold me how he hated her." " Did she- mention how the turquoise

skull brought about the death of a priest?" "Xc; nor would I have believed it if she had. How can this dead thing kill any man?" "At all events it has killed twelve." "Fray Benito again!" "Yes, and not he only; a lepero I met with but an hour ago spoke with horror of that skull and its owner." "This is becoming interesting." said Harry, drawing bis chair close to mine. "Tell rne what they say, Frank." Glad of the opportunity. I recounted the 'conversations of Fray Benito and the lepero. Harry listened attentively, but made no remark until I had finished. Then ho shrugged his shoulders and laughed. " I never . heard such nonsense in my life," said he, disdainfully. "It is a wonder to me how a sensible man like yourself can iiwallow such monstrous fables.

Twelve men killed by that skull! Twelve fiddlesticks: it is merely a curious relic of bygone civilisation; the head of some old Aztec or Tolteo king embalmed and Encrusted with gems. A hermit who knew Lola Idng before he retired from the world sent it to her as a present." , "Then why does she give it to you?" "There is some secret connected with it, which she has asked me to discover if possible. Look here." He handed mo A slip of paper, en which were two linfis written in Spanish. Having a fair knowledge of the language and a capacity for rhyme, I improvised upon them an English couplet :-*- Find out my secret, arid yon shall win Eternal happiness from that within." " In allusion to the beatitude of the victims, no doubt." said 1, bitterly. "Who is the author of these lines?" "The hermit who sent the skull to Lola," replied Hflrry. taking back the paper. "She cannot discover the secret, so she has asked me to try." " I trust it will 'not cost you dear, Harry." "Nonsense! what possible h-Tm can this skull Bo to me? Look at it. It won't bite you." Taking no heed of his flippancy. I closely examined the bone of contention. _ The stories Were roughly embedded ih a kind of I cement, and some Were missing, while the ; base whs fashioned - crudely of niinolislied ! wood. Externally there was no evidence to | show that this ghastly object was of a harmj ful nature yet, so ii-fluencod was I by the j warnings of "the monk find the lepero that I I still regarded it with horror. For over an hour T discussed with Harry the advisability of having nothing to do with Lola or her barbarous curiosity. Btit my efforts were in Vain, for he obstinately refused to restore the thing to its owner until he had discovered its secret. Wearied out by continuoun expostulation I ceased to argue further, and let hint carry it to his bedroom. After all. I might be wrong. I must admit th?t the stories told by Fray Benito and Don Panchito weft* improbable, so that it was not surprising that a prosaic young man such as Harry should despise thorn. An imaginative strain, inherited from Highland ancestors, .led me to accept with less hesitation these romances of a semi civilised race. Nevertheless Harry's scepticism was not without its effect upon me. and I retired io rest a trifle ashamed of my championship. But in the morning When I entered his bedroom the turquoise skull was on the table, and seated before it. fully dressed, was my poor friend dead! The number of victims was now thirteen. Part 11. There is no need to dilate upon my profound grief. Harry Carstone had been my closest friend at Oxford, as at Eton. Constant companionship had bound us together by no common ties, and his unexpected death fell heavily upon me. I knew that it would fall more heavily still upon tho old couple at Carstone Hall. To them I wrote all details of the death and burial, and then I addressed myself to the task of punishing Lola, whom I regarded as the indirect cause of the tragedy. _ It is at this point that I assume the principal role. I have mentioned the funeral as having taken place at Zaeatecas; for although I wished, to have the oorpee embalmed for transmission to England, such a course proved to be quite out of the question. Whatever the cause of death was— and I was utterly unable to determine it-—the state of the body was such as to necessitate a hasty interment. In twenty-four hours the remains of my poor friend were committed to the earth, and I returned from the funeral, to take the turquoise skull to Lola, and to compel her to confess by what means it had killed Harry. To my surprise the skull was gone. .1.1.1 , " A senora had come," explained the landlord, "and had awaited the return of Don Francisco in the sitting-room. But after a ' . time she had changed her mind aim de--1 parted." I I had no doubt that it was Lola who had ' ; visited my hotel for the purpose Of recovering ; ' the turquoise skull. So long as it remained ! in her possession I could not hope to solve ' the mystery of Harry's death; and how to : get it back I could not think. That the ! woms.n should dare to approach the scene ! of her crime angered me greatly, t and coti--1 firmed by determination to remain for re- • tribulive justice. In turn Fray Benito and : the lepero commiserated with me, but I took 1 neither into my confidence. The first, a re- " ligious recluse, could be -if no possible as- " I sistanee, whilst I more than suspected the I other of having an understanding with her ' whom I designed to punish. Above all was it important.that I should regain possession of this turquoise skull. If . ! I could arrive at the secret hinted at in the 3 i couplet I might suCeed in discovering the f ! cause of the thirteen deaths, and so bring - ! Lola within the clutches of the law. If legal I measures proved unavailing I intended my - I self to mete out justice. Sho had killed 1 Harry, and I would till her. This savage

resolve, entirely foreign to my nature, was the result of the terrible tragedy of the previous week. In some way I was determined to avenge the death ol! my friend. Informed by Panehito that it was Lola's invariable custom to request her lovers to solvj the Secret of the skull, I hoped, by becoming one of these, to secure the instrument of her crimes. Ignorant as I was of the way in which the thing accomplished its mission, there was the chance that I too might lose my life. But such a contingency did not deter me from prosecuting my design. With great care I might come off harmless; and, even did I not, I hoped before dying to destroy the skull, so that its list of victims should terminate- with my death. Thus prepared for good or evil I called upon Lola, whom I found in the garden in a grass hammock, with her usual accessories of fin and cigarette. Slw exhibited no signs of confusion or fear, but, with an audacity which revolted mc, she openly lamented the death of Harry. An accident, she termed it, as though she did not know full well the hideous truth. "Alas, senor, that I should have given Don Henriquez tho turquoise skull!" she cried, with feigned sorrow; "but I knew not that it would cause his death." "Yet you had experience to go upon, senora." Lola closed her fan with a snap, and became alive to tho situation. "What say you, Don Francisco?" " Those twelve friends of yours who—" " Who died," said Loin, unfurling her fan with unnecessary violence; " and what of that? Am I" responsible for their deaths? Truly no. Why should I slay those who love me? Oh, yes, senor, I know well that Fray Benito been talking. Sucoubft, sorceress, demon, those are the words over on his lips when he speaks of me." "True enough; that turquoise skull has gained for you no enviable reputation." 'And wherefore? It is only & skull." " But one that kills. Don Panchito—" "Eh; you know him. that scamp?" she interrupted hastily; "he could have provented all these deaths, for he knows the secret of the skull. I do not; hence I have asked those who loved me to discover it. They have died, and so I bear the blame; but it is all Panchito's fault." "Ho procured the skull from Fray Felix, I believe?" "Yes, senor; he has been talking. I see. Tell me," she added curiously, "do you think that a demon dwells within the skull?" "You know best, senora." "Nay. Don Francisco, you talk foolishly. I am quite in ignorance of the matter. The skull is a dead thing. It cannot slay." " Nevertheless it does slay." "Ay," she Answered with a shrug; "but how. I know not." "Why not destroy it?" " I dare not." said she. in a frightened whisper. "It is the head of a dead king. Who knows what curses the dead may send? Nay, I shall not destroy it. All I wish is to discover its secret. But. alas! I cannot; and they who. to aid me. have sought this knowledge, have perished." " Let me try. senora." " Thou. Don Francisco? No, no ; thirteen have died in the quest. Let there be ho more. Think of your poor friend. Ah, mo! how I have wept at his fate!" This affected sorrow and feigned ignorance did not deceive me. I saw that in truth she was overjoyed at my offer, but feared to accept it too readily, lest she might fall into a trap. When I thought of how sh° had caused Harry's death T could have slain her then and there. But I determined to punish her in a more deliberate fashion. I therefore persisted in my offer: and after much hesitation she accepted it. Descending to the patio with the skull under my cloak I heard a low laugh of satisfaction, ft was Lola rejoicing over her success in adding a fourteenth victim to her list. " To-day to you, to-morrow to mo," muttered T to myself. On the way to my hots) I met with Don Panehito. He planted himself in my way, and. catching sight of the skull, he touched it significantly with his finger. '" Does Lola wish you also to die!" said he. "Give it back, Don Francisco. Then: is death under those blue stones." "Not if yon tell me the secret, Panehito." " Most illustrious senor, you saved my life, and I would most willingly save yours. But I swear by the Virgin that I know not the secret. Who says so lies." "Then Lola lies." < Panchito twirled his cigarette with a contemptuous smile. He had evidently a bad opinion of the lady. '' Does she do aught else but lie. year worship? Eh! and what says she of the skull?" "Very little. But she asked ino to search for a spring which opens it." "' Exactly, senor. She is 100 wise to search for the spring herself." "There you are wrong. She has done so and failed."

The lepero looked at me dubiously. My unaccountable defence of Lola led him to mistake my feelings towards her. "Do you love Lola?" "Nay, Panchito; I abhor the witch. I take this skull to learn its secret. I hope to punish her for slaying my friend." " Good. Did I know the secret the knowledge would be yours. But you are as wise as I, senor. Yet. this much I can speak. In searching for the spring, should you feel pain or see blood, you die." Before I could demand an explanation Panchito folded his cloak around him and disappeared. He had a way of coming and going which savoured of magic. On this occasion I resented his unexpected vanishment, for it struck me that he hinted more than he chose to tell. However, his advice was worth taking; and when I unpacked 'lie skull in my sitting-room I was particularly careful to handle it lightly. The Angela was ringing before I could persuade myself into attempting the solution of this problem. Before proceeding to an examination 1 laid an axe on the table, for, if all other means failed, I was resolved to smash open the skull and thus roughly end the mystery. Thus prepared I sat clown and gently fingered the turquoise scalp in search of the spring. My sense of touch is unusually delicate, but though I felt line after line of the stones, I could find no projecting knob to press. Failing so far I examined the ruby eyes, the wooden base, and lastly the ruby nose. The gems of this latter were particularly irregular in their setting. Being ambidexter, I held the skull with my right hand ant', pressed hard with the forefinger of the left. Suddenly I felt a thrill of pain, and withdrew my finger to see a tiny globule of blood swelling on the tip. In an instant I remembered Panchito's warning. It explained itself. Blood-poisoning! That very instant I chopped, off my forefinger with the- axe, I" 1 fore the venom had time to pass the middle joint, and, with my maimed hand wrapped in a handkerchief, I raced out of the hotel in search of a doctor.

"When I returned, white with pain and loss of blood, I found the room occupied. Lola, frowning and surprised, stood looking at the severed finger on the table. Silo had come to survey my body and to recover the skull. My unexpected entrance caused nor to utter an ejaculation ; but whether of regret, of wrath, or of surprise merely, I was too perturbed to notice. "' You see I am still alive, senoru : and I • know now how my poor friend dice!. You know also, you infamous creature!" "Why did you cut it off?" she stammered, still looking at, the severed finger. "To save my life. Else would I now be dead, and you would have taken back your accursed turquoise skull, until you inveigled a new victim within your toils. But this ends it; no more shall die." Before she could guess my intent I took up the axe and with one stroke cleaved the skull in twain. Loin screamed and hid her face. From the interior of the accursed thing poured a glittering stream of jewels. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires—ail kinds of gems—tinkled out on to the table, and rapped like small shot on to the- floor. The Spanish woman stood aghast at the sight. "With a pious exclamation she stooped to pick them up. ' No," I cried " no, wretch ! Look here--not there." I thrust forward the right hemisphere of the skull, and displayed the wicked mechanism of the interior. A snake's fang, concealed at the back of the nose, curved itself to the surface, and finally emerged between two rubies. At the least pressure this spike, keen as a thorn, ejected venom. This, collected in a small bag, was attached to the root of the fang, so that the poison could trickle drop by drop to tile deadly point. Never was there so ingeniously fiendish an invention, and I wondered what devil could have designed it. , "Felix!" she gasped, looking white and sick; "he then intended my death. Ah, what mercy that I touched not the evil thing!" " It was a pity you did not," said I savagely, "for then thirteen men might bo alive still." , . , "I did not know of this, senoi ; 1 swear I did not. Felix loved me, and fled to a hermitage because I loved another. He sent me the turquoise skull as a gift, saying that I should find eternal happiness if I succeeded in opening it. I was afraid, senor I thought there was danger, and so I touched not the thing, and asked my friends to open it. But you. Don Francisco, have discovered the secret." . „ .... . "Ay, at the cost of my friend s life and my own finger. Leave those jewels! ' I added, as she again bent to pick them up. " They are mine," she cried, defiantly "Felix sent them tc me." " He sent you death, not jewels, ( I re torted, angered at her heartlessness. "Leave them; you shall not take oue with you."

She looked wrathfully at the floor and then at me. I was determined to punish her for her callousness, but I saw that I should havo to resort to strong measures to do so. "Out, you infamous creature—!" Lola saw the barrel of my revolver pointed at her, and, with a gasp of terror, she fled from the room. That was the last I saw of her. I took the skull and jewels to i) ray Benito, and told him my story. He did not evince much astonishment at it. Being a Mexican and a confessor, he was well aware of the devilments of his countrymen. "I knew this Felix," he said gravely; "he was a wild and reckless youth, and he vowed to punish this daughter of sin for her treatment of him. He became a recluse, and while in the mountains he discovered a cave wherein the Aztecs laid' their dead chiefs. This is the skull of some mummy, adorned and packed with gems after their barbarous fashion." "But the poisonous fang, Fray?" " No doubt Felix placed it there for his revenge. Ho judged that the evil woman would take his advice and press the skull to find the supposed spring. Ono touch of that fang, and sno would die. But she was too cunning to venture, Don Franoisco. From her knowledge of the sender's character she suspected danger, and so she let others die for hen" "And the jewels?" "Felix probably found them in the cave of the dead. They were of no use to him; doubtless he placed them in tho cavity of the skull to embitter tho dying moments of her ho hated." '"I don't understand." "See you, senor. Felix concluded that Lola Tepeaca would touch the snake-tooth and thus open the skull and meet he* death at the same time. Knowing her greed, it would be an additional pang for her to see these jewels which she could not live to enjoy." "What a fiendish idea!" " Ay, my son; human nature, is very wicked. Do you intend to keep the jewels?" "No," I answered, with a shudder; "they would constantly remind me of my poor friend's death. You can make what use of them you please, father. Yet I shall keep a few, with which to reward Panchito, without whose warning I had now been dead." Fray Benito accepted the gift, and now Our Lady of the Star possesses a fine necklace of Variegated gems, which is the wonder of all visitors. They would wonder still more did they but know the history attached to it. I could do nothing to punish Loia further than depriving her of the jewels. The Mexican lawyer to whom.l submitted the case assured mo that the evidence was too indefinite to prove her guilty. On moral grounds she surely merited death, but legally sneaking she was as assuredly innocent. So she escaped with her life. I often wonder whether she went to (he cave of Felix to cajole him into wing her fresh gems. If she did I ..have no doubt he killed her. A man capable of inventing such a death-trap as the turquoise skull would not hesitate to do what it had failed to accomplish. One? again I heard of Lola. It was from Don Panchito, who accompanied me to the railway station on tho day I left Zaoatecas. " It is just, as well you are going, senor," said he significantly "Lola is wild at the loss of the turquoise skull and its jewels. Slip asked me to knife you, but I refused. Did you not save my life, and have you not giv-n me precious stones? Still, senor, others may not feel as I do, and the cursed woman may cause you to lose your life as well as your finger." I quite believed it. A woman who could doom thirteen men to death for the gratification of her curiosity would not stick at putting the fourteenth out of the way. I have often regret!e.d I did not shoot her at our last interview, and so rid the world of a demon. But if she is in existence the turquoise skull is not. Neither is the forefinger of my left hand.