was one of the world's greatest gems, and was unique alike both
for its prodigious size and the splendor of its color. This
precious jewel the Rajah of Kishmoor had, upon a certain
occasion, bestowed upon his Queen, and at the time of her capture
she wore it as the centre-piece of a sort of a coronet which
encircled her forehead and brow.

The seizure by the pirate of so considerable a person as that of
the Queen of Kishmoor, and of the enormous treasure that he found
aboard her ship, would alone have been sufficient to have
established his fame. But the capture of so extraordinary a prize
as that of the ruby--which was, in itself, worth the value of an
entire Oriental kingdom--exalted him at once to the very highest
pinnacle of renown.

Having achieved the capture of this incredible prize, our captain
scuttled the great ship and left her to sink with all on board.
Three Lascars of the crew alone escaped to bear the news of this
tremendous disaster to an astounded world.

As may readily be supposed, it was now no longer possible for
Captain Keitt to hope to live in such comparative obscurity as he
had before enjoyed. His was now too remarkable a figure in the
eyes of the world. Several expeditions from various parts were
immediately fitted out against him, and it presently became no
longer compatible with his safety to remain thus clearly outlined
before the eyes of the world. Accordingly, he immediately set
about seeking such security as he might now hope to find, which
he did the more readily since he had now, and at one cast, so
entirely fulfilled his most sanguine expectations of good-fortune