San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-12

poor man. Have you seen Maurice?
Bah! he is dead. You can't deceive me.
have done him no harm. buried him
the captain and |. He cannot come
back"
WHAT'S your disease" Keppei asked.
"They all had it--all but the captain
and me. had seen yellow fever before;
was not afraid. shall get well; am
not going to die with all these millions
i am poor man; have wandered up
here; I'm looking for work. Maurice
he follows me everywhere. What differ
ence can it make to him what do with
the treasure: A dead man has other
things to think about. The emperor has
enough without this. What is he but a
robber: He stole them; have as much
right to them as he" His voice sank in
unintelligible mutterings.
What does all this mean?' said KEEP
pei to himself. "Treasure-the emperor
"a dead man-robbery! He has muir
dered somebody, probably. And he has
yellow fever. He'll die of it, too, and |
may catch it myself No matter: here
am, and here stay, for tonight at least.
[ can't go any farther, and | can't leave
II dying man either, even if he is muir
derer. | have special sympathy for
murderers, suppose. At any rate, am
as much Of a vagabond and desperate as
he Is This is Il poor place TO die in, but
he viii be better off with me here than
he would be alone. Though he doesn't
seem very hospitable, III make myself
at home"
He raised the head of the sick man,
s:noothed out his pillow and rearranged
the bed clothes. As he was stopping to-
tuck the blanket under the mattress he
felt something cold touch his forehead,
and lifting his head quickly confronted
the muzzle of the revolver within an inch
of his mouth. The sick mans finger was
upon the trigger, and his features We're
twisted into hideous look of terror and
malevolence. Keppel had the instinct to
remain perfectly still, with his gaze fixed
upon the other.
"You thought you could rob me-" said
Dupont, between his teeth. I'm not to
be robbed while I'm alive, and you shall
die first. know you-accursed spy!'
His long yellow finger had begun to
contract to pull the trigger Keppel's
lips grew whit: death looked ugly. Sud-
denly startling change swept over Du-
points visage. Els rel eyebrows lifted
in a strange stare, his eyeballs protruded
and his black lips curled back from his
teeth But his eyes were directed no
longer upon Keppel, but to the farther
corner of the room. The next instant he
had pointed the revolver in that direc-
ton, and fired over Keppel's shoulder,
almost deafeni. :; him. He then dropped
the weapon AMI sank back screaming,
with his hands over his face. ......
Keppel secured the revolver, and then
looked round. There was no third per-
son in the room The bullet had passed
through a wainscot panel.
What the devil were you shooting
att" he demanded sternly.
"A bullet won't kill him." quavered
the man; The can die but once. But he
comes-he is always here. It's the treas
ure he wants. What can a dead man
DO with treasurer
Your dead man has saved my life, at
all events" muttered Keppel, land Pm
obliged to him for it. As for you-well!
You. will never harm any one again
This is an ugly night; / wish it were
over. And what Of tomorrow
He found another candle, lit it, and,
having put the revolver in his pocket,
set out to explore the house. There was
scarcely anything in it except the bare
rooms; but in a closet in the kitchen he
found some loayes of bread almost as
hard as stone. He soaked it in water
and ate some of it. He brought glass
of water for the sick man, who drank it
eagerly That's good!" the poor wretch
said. II shall get we'll"
Il don't think you will get WE'LL" re-
turned Keppel. "You look to me like a
dying man, and you had better realize
it. know nothing about the treatment
of yellow fever, and it's no use trying to
find doctor tonight If you are alive
tomorrow I'll go for one. Meanwhile, if
there is anything you want done, in case
you do die, you had better let me know
it now"
Bring no one here" said the other,
with tremulous earnestness. Listen.
When get well will divide with you;
there's enough for BOTH, we shall be two
of the richest men in the world. There
are millions-millions! have told no
body. No one knows am here. If they
came they would take it all and put us
in Jail. What is the sense of that? Maui
rice knows, but he can't tell; it isn't
Maurice-it is his spirit, that's ALL He
can't speak, he can only look; and no
oro hut L Gun 500 him Wn nro cafo if