The Mysterious Shin Shira   By: George E. Farrow (1866?-1920?)

[ See page 28. ]

THE MYSTERIOUS SHIN SHIRA

BY

G.E. FARROW

AUTHOR OF The WALLYPUG of WHY

[Illustration]

ILLUSTRATED BY W.G. EASTON

LONDON HENRY FROWDE HODDER & STOUGHTON

CONTENTS

PAGE

Mystery No. I SHIN SHIRA APPEARS 9

Mystery No. II SHIN SHIRA AND THE DRAGON 23

Mystery No. III THE MAGIC CARPET 33

Mystery No. IV SHIN SHIRA AND THE DUCHESS 50

Mystery No. V SHIN SHIRA AND THE LAME DUCK 65

Mystery No. VI SHIN SHIRA AND THE DIAMOND 81

Mystery No. VII SHIN SHIRA AND THE ROC 98

Mystery No. VIII SHIN SHIRA AND THE MAD BULL 114

Mystery No. IX SHIN SHIRA AND THE QUEEN OF HEARTS 130

Mystery No. X and Last SHIN SHIRA DISAPPEARS 146

LIST OF COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS

To face page

"A SHORT DISTANCE BEYOND LAY A TERRIBLE DRAGON" ( See page 28 ) Frontispiece

"THE EXECUTIONER IN HIS AGITATION DROPPED HIS AXE" 20

"WE FLOATED AWAY OVER THE ROOFS OF THE HOUSES" 38

"SHIN SHIRA PLACED THEM IN THE CRYSTAL BOWL" 58

"HIS PINIONS WERE STRONG AND MIGHTY" 108

"THIS WAS CAREFULLY SET BEFORE THE KING" 138

MYSTERY NO. I

SHIN SHIRA APPEARS

It was very remarkable how I first came to make his acquaintance at all. Shin Shira I mean. I had been sitting at my desk, writing, for quite a long time, when suddenly I heard, as I thought, a noise in another part of the room. I turned my head hastily and looked towards the door, but it was fast closed and there was apparently nobody in the room but myself.

"Strange!" I murmured, looking about to try and discover what had caused the sound, and then my eyes lighted, to my great surprise, upon a pair of bright yellow morocco shoes with very long, pointed toes, standing on the floor in front of a favourite little squat chair of mine which I call "the Toad."

I gazed at the yellow shoes in amazement, for they certainly did not belong to me, and they had decidedly not been there a short time before, for I had been sitting in the chair myself.

I had just got up to examine them, when, to my utter astonishment, I saw a pair of yellow stockings appearing above them; an instant later, a little yellow body; and finally, the quaintest little head that I have ever seen, surmounted by a yellow turban, in the front of which a large jewel sparkled and shone.

It was not the turban, however, but the face beneath it which claimed my greatest attention, for the eyes were nearly starting out of the head with fright, and the expression was one of the greatest anxiety.

It gave way, however, to reassurance and content directly the little man had given a hurried glance round the room, and he sank comfortably down into "the Toad" with a sigh of relief.