The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-11-12
an ProrYMouS NOVEL;
II Wbieb is Told a Tbrilli7o story
Of Baffled Crime.

suppose you 1iIltis5lucu udu SCIlG IOT you
to bid you a last farewell before depart
ing to my long home. am not in such
q hurry to depart as all that, can tell
you; but there is something want done
that | want you to do for me. Imeant
to have done it myself, but am down
now and | must trust somebody.
know better than to trust a clever man.
An honest fool-but am depressing
from the case in point have never
trusted anybody all my life, so you may
feel honored. l have a small parcel
which I want you to take to England for
me- Here it isl
His long, lean hands went searching
in his dressing gown, and presently
produced an old brown bag, held to-
gether at the neck by a string.
"See here" he said; and he pushed the
glasses and papers aside from the table
near him and undid the string. Then he
craned forward to look about him, lay
ing spasmodic clutch on the bag. ''Tm
watched! l know I'm watchedw he
said in Il whisper. his pale eyes turning
slowly in their sockets 81 shall be
killed for them if l keep them much
longer, and won't be hurried into my
grave I'll take my own time"
here is no one here said. "and no
one in sight except Cathcart smoking in
the veranda, and / can only see his legs,
sc, he can'tssee us. :"
He seemed to recover himself, and
laughed. l had never liked his laugh,
especially when, as had often happened,
it had been directed against myself; but
liked it still less now.
't'See here!" he repeated, chuckling:
and he turned the bag inside out upon
the table.
Such jewels l had never seen. They
fell like cut flame upon the marble table,
green and red and burning white. A
large diamond rolled and fell upon the
floor. picked it up and put it back
among the confused blaze of precious
stones, too much astonished for IA mo-
ment to speak.
Beautiful! aren't they?" the old man
chuckled, passing his wasted hands over
them "You won't match that necklace
in any jewelers. in England. | tore it
off an old she devil of Rhanee's neck
after the mutiny, and got a bite in the
arm for my trouble. But she'll tell no
tales He! he! he! | don't mind say
ing now how got them. am u hum
BILE Christian now l am so near heaven:
eh, Middleton? He! he! You don't like
to contradict me- Look at those emer-
aids. The hasp is broken, but it makes
pretty bracelet. don't think Ill tell
how the hasp got broken-little accident
as the lady who wore it gave it to me.
Rather brown, isn't it, Oh one side? But
it will come off. No, you need not be
afraid Of touching it; it isn't wet. Hell
he'll And this crescent Look at thos>
diamonds! A duchess would be proud
of them. had them from a private SOL
der. gave him two rupees for them.
Dear me! how the sight-of them brings
back old times. But won't leave them
out any longer. We must put them
away-put them away"
And the glittering mass was gathered
up and shoveled back into the old brown
bag. He looked into it once with hungry
eyes, and then he pulled the string and
pushed it over to me. "Take it, he said.
''Put it away now. Put it away" he
repeated, as I hesitated.
put the bag into my pocket. He gave
long sigh as he watched it disappear.