The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-03

seemed to oil my thoughts till they worked without a hitch, ahd I saw my plan of action marked out quite plainly before me.
 "Do you want to know the first step of all?" I asked.
 "To be sure; the first step at any rate determines the direction"
 "Well, then," said very steadily, and staring into his face, "the first step of all is that am going to kill you."
 "H'm," said he after bit, and I de- clare that not so much as an eyelash of the man shook, "I thought as much. guessed that when you came into the room. And what next?"
 "Time enough then to think of what next" answered; for though I was set upon blowing his brains out, I longed for him to blaze out in a pas- sion and warm up my blood for the job.
 "Pardon me-" he said as coolly as might be, "that would be the very worst time to think of it. For just think of it; in the first place you will already be committed to your wayJof life, and secondly, if 1 know anything about you, you would be far too fur ried for any thought worth the name. :"
 There was a twinkle of frosty hu- nor in his eyes as he said this, and in the silence which followed I could hear him chuckling to himself, and tasting the words over again as though they were good wine. 1 sat lingering my pistol and waiting for him to speak again. When he did so, it was with another dry chuckle and long puff of tobacco smoke.
 "As you say, 1 know a deal too much. Shall I tell you how much?"
 "Yes, you may if you'll be quick about it."
 "Very well, then, I will. Do you mind passing the bottle? Thank you. I probably know not only too much, but deal more than you guess. First let us take the case for the crown. The jeweler is travelling by coach at night over the moors. He has one postillion only, Roger Tallis by name, and by character shady. The jeweler has money Che was niggardly fool to take only one postillion, and carries a diamond of great, or rather of enor- nous and notable value Che was big ger tool to take this). In the dark morning two horses came galloping back, frightened and streaming with sweat. A search-party goes out, finds the coach upset by the four holed cross, the jeweler lying beside it with a couple of pistol bullets in him, and the money, diamond, and Roger Tallis nowhere. So much for the mur- dered man. Two or three days after, you, Gabriel Foot, by character also shady, and known to be friend of Roger Tallis, are whispered to have a suspicious amount of money about you, blood stains on your coat. It further leaks out that you were trav- cling on the mOors afoot on the night in question, and that your pistols are soiled with powder. Case for the crown closes. Have l stated it cor rectly?"
 nodded he took a sip or two at his wine, laid down his pipe as if the tobacco spoiled the taste of it, took another sip and continued
 Cease for the defence. That Roger Tallis has decamped, that no diamond has been found on you Cor anywhere), and lastly that the bullets in the jew eler's body do not fit your pistol, but came from a larger pair. Not very much of a case, perhaps, but this last is a strong point"
 "Well?" 1 asked, as he paused.
 "Now, then, for the facts of the case. Would you oblige me by casting look over there in the corner?"
 "I sec nothing but pickaxe and shovel"
 "Ha, ha very good; nothing but pickaxe and shovel.' We'll, to resume facts of the case. Roger Tallis mur- ders the jeweler, and you murder Roger Tallis; after that, as you say, nothing but a pickaxe and shovel.'"
 And with this, as am living sin ner, the rosy faced old boy took up his flute and blew slave or two of "Come, Lasses and Lads."
 "Did you dig him up?" muttered hoarsely and although deathly cold I could feel drop of sweat trickling down my forehead and into my eye.
 "What, before the trial? My good sir, you have fair, very fair aptitude for crime; but believe me, you have much to learn both of legal etiquette and of lawyers conscience" And for the first time since I came in I saw something like indignation on that ruddy face.
 "Now," he continued, "I either know too much or not enough. Ob- viously know enough for you to wish, and perhaps wisely, to kill me. The question is, whether I know enough to make it worth your while to spare me. I think I do: but that