Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-09-05
CHAPTER XII

Il Ale S2hAa1l SkOks1 oE SoNA1hAA SHALL
| A very patient man was the inspector
In the cab. for it was weary time be
| fore rejoired him His face clouded
| over when I showed him the empty
| box
There goes the reward" said he,
gloomily. Where there is no money
| there is no pay. This nights work
| would have been worth tenner each
| to Sam Brown and me If the treasure
had been there"
''Mr. Thaddeus Sholto is rich man, /"
said He will see that you are re-
warded, treasure or no."
The inspector shook his head de-
spondently. however. Its bad job, -
he repeated. land so Mr. Athelney
Jones viii think
His forecast proved to be correct,
for the detective looked blank enough
when got to Baker street and showed
him the empty box. They had only
just arrived. Holmes. the prisoner and
he, for they had changed their plans so
far as to report themselves at station
upon the way. Ny companion lounged
IN his armchair with his usual listless
expression. while Small sat stolidly op-
GOS1Sc W AIAl VIII Ills NOOLGn
cooked over his sound one. As ex-
hibited the empty box he leaned back
IN his chair and laughed aloud.
This is your doing, SMALL said
Athclney Jones, angrily.
Yes. have put IT away where you
shall never lay hand upon it, he cried.
exultantly. 1T is my treasure; and if
can't have the loot III take darned
good care that no one else does. tell
you that no living man has any right
TO it. unless it is three men who are in
the Andaman convict barracks and my
self. / know now that I cannot have
the use of it. and l know that they
cannot / have acted all through for
them as much as for myself. It's been
the sign of four with US always Well
/ know that they would have had me
do just what 1 have done, and throw
the Z sure into. the Thames rather
than let it GO to kith or kin of Sholto
or of Morstan. 1t was not to make
them rich that we did for Achmet
You'll find the treasure where the key
is, and where little Tonga is When I
saw that your launch must catch us
put the loot in safe place There are
no rupees for you this Journey"
You are deceiving US, Small" said
Athelney Jones, sternly. If you had
wished to throw the treasure into the
Thames it would have been easier for
you to have thrown box and all"
Easier for me to throw, and easier
for you to recover he answered. with
a shrewd, sidelong look. The man
that was clever enough to hunt me
down is clever enough to pick an iron
box from the bottom of a river. Now
that they are scattered over five miles
or so, 1t may be a harder job. 1t went
to my heart to do it. though. 1 was
half mad when you came up with US.
However, there's no good grieving over
it. I've had ups in my life. and I've
had downs. but I've learned not to cry
over split milk
This is very serious matter, Small"
said the detective. IF you had helped
justice, instead of thwarting it in this
way, you would have had a better
chance at your trial.
JUSTICE snar1ed the ex-convict- "a
pretty justice. Whose loot is this. if
that 1 should give it up to those who
nave never eaIIiCo LOOK now nave
earned it. Twenty long years in that
fever-ridden swamp, all day at work
under the mangrove tree, all night
chained up in the filthy convict huts,
bitten by mosquitoes. racked with
ague. bullied by every cursed black
faced policeman who loved to take it
out of white man. That was low I
earned the Agra treasure: and you talk
to NE of justice because cannot bear
to feel that have paid this price only
that another may enjoy it. / would
rather swing score OF times,
or have one of Tonga's darts in
my hide, than live in a convics's cell
and feel that another man is at his ease
in palace with the money that should
be mine" Small had dropped his mask
of stoicism- and all this came out in
wild whirI of words. while his eyes
blazed. and the handouts clanked to-
gether with imprisoned movement of
his hands I could understand, as l
saw the fury and the passion of the
man. that it was no groundless or I'M
natural terror which had possessed
Maj. Sholto when he first learned that
the injured convict was upon his track
You forget that we know nothing OF
all this said Holmes. quietly. I'VE
hare not heard your story, and we can
not tell how far justice may originally
have been on your side"
well, sir, you have been very fair
spoken to me, though / can see that
have you to thank that / have these
bracelets upon my wrists Still. bear
no grudge for that It is all fair and
above-board- II you want to hear my
story have no wish to hold it back.
What say to you is Gods truth, every
word of it. Thank you: you can put
the glass beside me here. and I'll put
my lips to it if am dry.
~ an a Worcestershire man myself
born near Pershore- L dare say you
would find heap Of Smalls living
there now If you Were to look / have
often thought of taking a look round
there. but the truth is that I was never
much of credit TO the family, and
doubt If they would be so very glad to
see me. They were all steady, chapel
going folk. small farmers. well known
and respected over the countryside. |
while was always a bit of q rover.
At last. however. when / was about
eighteen. gave them 10 more trouble. |
for got into mess over 4 girl. and
could only get out OF it again by tax
ing the queens shilling and joining
the Third Bluffs which was just starting
for India
Il wasn't destined to do much sol I.
however. had just got past j