Professor Habib.
"Professor Habib was a Parsee, with features Irish in their intensity. As I gazed at him I thought of the far-reaching kinship of man. Here was a Fire-worshipper out of Persia, who for all the world looked like my brother Mick; and God knows Mick's no Parsee! Habib wore his native costume with a little red fez on top.
"'Be seated,' he said courteously; again reminding me of Mick.
"'Which one first?' he asked, pointing to a little inner room curtained from view. The Judge suggested genially that we all go in together, but the professor explained that one at a time was his invariable rule.
"'Oh, all right, all right,' said the judge, somewhat miffed; 'far be it from me to—to——'
"'Ladies first,' said I.
"''Tis well,' said the professor, with a salaam; and the pair disappeared behind the draperies.
"'I wonder how long they are going to stay,' said the Judge, after we had waited some fifteen minutes. The conversation behind the arras, at first low and murmuring, was becoming animated. I distinctly heard the Parsee say, 'Who are the blaggards ye've brought here wid ye?' followed by an unintelligible reply.
"'What did he say?' queried the Judge, looking up sharply.
"'I don't understand Parsee, sir,' said I.
"'That was no foreign tongue; that was American—with a brogue. I don't like that. Let's hurry them up. I say, what time is it?'
"We reached for our watches. They were gone! Instinctively I felt for my wallet. Gone! My scarf-pin. Gone!
"We made a wild rush for the little inner room.
"Miss de Dear? Gone! And the Parsee? Gone!
"Later, when we had made our report to the police, and I was guiding the Judge home, I asked:
"Who is this de Dear? Where did you know her?"
"'Never laid eyes on her before!' growled the Judge."
"Another 'Jewel'!" said Colonel Manysnifters. "You find them everywhere."