The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-19


shelter. ,...-. hin,
Even this small indulgence told against MN,
IN the minds Of his companions. Dus - -
he was in position 50 entirely false ana essn
ridirulous that all his habit Of command ana
arts of pleasing were here thrown away ~
the ewes Of all, except Secundra DaSs' ne ~
ured as n common gull and designated 'i0'in'
GOING unconsciously to death; yet ne cou''
not but suppose himself the contriVer anu s'''
lo,dor OF the expedition. He could scarce
helm but 50 conduct himself, and at tne ieis'
hint Of authority or condescension MS deceiF'
ers would be laughing in their sleeves i ",S
so used 10 see and 20 conceive hun IN hish
a,tboritative attitude that when | had con
ceived his position on this journey l was
,ainod and could have blnshed How soon
,o may have entertained a first surmiso we
cannot know; but it was long, and the party
had advanced into the wilderness beyond the
reach OF any help ere be was fully awakened
to the truth.
Il fell thus Harris and some others had
drawn apart into the woods for consultation
when thew were startled by rusilng IN the
brush They were all accustomed 70 the arts
~ Indian warfare, aud Mountain had not
only lived and hunted. but fougbtand earned
soma reputation with the savages. lie could
move I'm the woods without noiss and follow
n trail like n hound; and upon the emergence
of this alert. no was deputed by the rest 10
plunge into the thicket for intelligence. ne
was soon convinced there was man IN DIS
close neighborhood, moving with precaution
hut without art among the leaves ana
branches: and coming shortly 10 place OF
.fIa 90. IiI-nfyn NsrUnNIn
| Dass crawling briskly or Win many DacA
ward chances. At this he kne" not "helhei
IN laurh or cry; and his accomplces, when
ne had returned and reported, were IN mucn
the same dubiety. There was now no danger
Of an Indian onslaught; but on tne
other hand, since Secundra Dass was
at tho pains 70 spy upon them, 10 was
highly probable he knew English, and II he
knev English 10 was certain the whole OF
their design was in the masters knowledge
There was one singularity in the position. II
Socundra Dass knew and concealed his KNOW
od0e Of English. Harris was proficient NJ
several Of the tongues Of lndia, and as DDS
career in that part of the world had been
rreat deal worse than proligate, he had not
thought proper 70 remark upon the crcum'
starce Zach side had thus a spy hole on
the counsels Of the other. The plotters, So
;oon as this advantage was explained, re
turned 10 camp Harris, hearing the am
doostauee was onco more closeted with Dos
master. crept 70 the side OF the tent, and the
-ast sitting about the fire with their tobacco.
awaited his report with impatience. hen
| no came at last his face vas very black He
had overheard enough % confirm the worst
Of his suspicious. Secundra Dass was a good
English scholar; he had been some day
creeping and listening, the master was no"
fully informed Of the conspiracy, and The
oair proposed ON the morrow % fall out OF
line at a carrying place and plunge at ven
ture in the woods
What. then. was 70 be donel some were
/ Tor killing the master on the spot; but Harris
a.sured them that would bo q crime without
croft. since the secret of tho treasure must
lie along with him that buried it. Others
we're for desisting at once from the whole en-
\ tqrprise and making for New York; but the
appetizing name Of treasure, and the thought
Of the long way they had already Travelled
dissuaded the majority. / imagine they were
dull fellows for the most part. Harris, M
deed. had some requirements, Mountain "as
no fool. HASTE was an educated man; but
even these had manifcstly failed IN life' and
/ the rest were the dregs OF colonial rascality
The conclusion they reached, at least, was
more the offspring Of greed and hope than
reason. 10 was TO temporize, 20 be wary and
watch the master, 20 DE silent and supply no
further ailment TO his suspicious, and % de
oend entirely ns well as l make QUO on the
chance that their victim was as greedy, hope
sul and irrational as themselves, and might
after all, betray his life and treasure.
Twice In the course Of the next day, Sc
cundra and tho master must have appeared
10 themselves TO have escaped, and twicethe5
we're circumyented The master, save that
the second time he grew a little pale, dis
| played no sign Of disappointment, apooglzed
for the stupidity with which bee had fallen
aside, thanked his recapturers as for ser
vice, and rejoined the caravan with all his
usual gallantry and cheerfuness Of micn and
bearing. But 10 is certain he had smelled O
rat; for from thonceforth he and Secundra
spoke only in each others ear, and Harris
listened and shivered by the tent IN vain
| The same night it was announced they were
70 leave the boats and proceed by foot; cir
| cumstauce which greatly lessened the chances
OF escape
And now there began between the tW
sides a silent contest for life on the ono hand,
for riches on the other They were now near
that quarter of the desert in which the master
himself must begin 10 play the part Of guide
and using this for pretext OF prosecution
Harris and his men sat with him every night
about the fire, and laborel t0 cntrap him into
some admission. II he iet slip his secret, be
knew well 10 was the warrant for his death
on the other hand, be burst not refuse their
| questions, and must appear 70 help them %
| the best Of his capacity, or he practically
| published his mistrust And yet Mountain
| assures me the mans brow was never ruiiioi
Indeed Mountain confessed to me they
| would soon have disbeiicved the captains
story, and supposed their designated victim
| still quite innocent of their designs, but for
| the fact that ho continued however ingeni
ously to give the slip 70 questions, and the
| vet stronger confirmation OF bis repeated ei
forts TO escape The last Of these, which
brought things 10 head, am now TO relate
| And first should say that by this time the
temper Of Harris companions was utterly
worn out; ciyiity was scarce pretended; and
| for one very significant circumstance the
| master and Sccundra hal been ION some pre-
text deprived Of weapons On their side
however, the threatened pair kept up the pa
rade Of friendship handsomely; Secundfa
was all bows, tho master all smiles; and on
the last night OF the truce he had even gone
SO far as 20 sing for the diversion Of the com.
pany 10 was observed that he had also eaten
with unusual heartiness, and drank deep.
doubtless from design.
At least, about in the morning, he came
out Of the tent into the open air, audibly
mourning and complaining, with all the
| manner of q sufferer from surteit. For some
while Secundra publicly attended on his
patron, who at last became more easy aud
fell asleep on the frosty ground behind the
tent, the Indian returning within Some
| time after the sentry was changed; hai the
master pointed out 10 him where he lay IN
what is called a robe OF buffalo; and thence
forth kept an eye upon hun lhe declared
without remission. With the first OF the
dawn a draught Of wind came suddenly and
blew open one side the corner OF the robe,
aud with the same uuR tho mastpr's hat