Page:The Master of Mysteries (1912).djvu/325

 to drowse, dropped both into the yard. When I went down there I saw footprints, undoubtedly the Italian's, in the earth."

"But that leads nowhere, after all?" said Valeska. "How in the world should an immense opal and a hand be in the bag that was snatched?"

"That's what we have to find out," said Astro.

"And why should the Italian have a human skull in his basket?"

Astro laughed. "That's where the true half of his lie comes in. Undoubtedly a boy did sell it to him. It wasn't till I spoke to the woman about the excavations in the street here that I recalled that Washington Square was in old days the 'Potters Field.' Many graves have been found here, and no doubt the gamins of the neighborhood have watched every shovel and got the skulls there. The Italian fancied it,—thought perhaps he could sell it to some doctor,—and so brought it home. In fact, I think we have eliminated him from the affair altogether. Of course, he'd never dare say he stole the opal."

"And what about searching the hospitals?"

"For the original owner of the bag, of course. The thief came home with a bruised eye. That means he had a fight; but, as he brought off his booty, he must have punished his man pretty badly. Consequently he is now probably in a hospital. We have to look for a man from El Paso; for there is where he got the opal, or at least the box in which it was kept. Well, we'll leave that till to-morrow. I believe I have an engagement for five o'clock, haven't I?"

"Yes. A Miss Merrington."