THE GREEN CURSE


The American Medici disappeared into his main library, where Miss
White was making a minute examination to determine what damage had
been done in the realm over which she presided.

"Apparently every book with a green binding has been mutilated in
some way," resumed Dr. Lith, "but that was only the beginning.
Others have suffered, too, and some are even gone. It is
impossible that any visitor could have done it. Only a few
personal friends of Mr. Spencer are ever admitted here, and they
are never alone. No, it is weird, mysterious."

Just then Spencer returned with Miss White. She was an extremely
attractive girl, slight of figure, but with an air about her that
all the imported gowns in New York could not have conferred. They
were engaged in animated conversation, so much in contrast with
the bored air with which Spencer had listened to Dr. Lith that
even I noticed that the connoisseur was completely obliterated in
the man, whose love of beauty was by no means confined to the
inanimate. I wondered if it was merely his interest in her story
that impelled Spencer. The more I watched the girl the more I was
convinced that she knew that she was interesting to the
millionaire.

"For example," Dr. Lith was saying, "the famous collection of
emeralds which has disappeared has always been what you Americans
call 'hoodooed.' They hare always brought ill luck, and, like many