The Irish standard., 1895-05-04

sion he actually fired his revolver at q
wooden-legged man, who proved to be
harmless tradesanan canvassing FOR
orders. We had to pay a large sum to
hush the matter up. NY brother and I
used to think this q mere within of my
fathers, but events have since led us
to change our opinion.
Early in 1882 my father received a
letter from India which was great
shock to him. He nearly fainted at the
breakfast table when he opened it, and
from that day he sickened to his death.
What was in the letter we could never
discover, but could see as he held it
that it was short and written in a
scrawling hand. He had suffered for
years from an enlarged spleen, but lie
low became rapidly worse, and towards
the end of April we were informed that
he was beyond all hope, and that he
wished to make last communication
to lis.
s;When we entered his room he was
propped up with pillows and breathing
heavily. He ,besought us to lock the
door and to come upon either side Of
the bed. Then, grasping our hands, he
made a remarkable statement to US, in
a voice which was broken as much by
emotion as by pain. shall try and
give it to you in his own very words.
4 have only one thing he said,
(which weighs upon my mind at this
supreme moment. 1t is my treatment
of poor Morstan's orphan. The cursed
greed which has been my besetting sin
through life has withheld from her
the treasure, half at least of which
should have been hers. And yet have
made no use Of it nyself--so blind and
foolish q thing is avarice. The mere
feeling Of possession has been so dear
to me that could not bear, to share it
with another. See that chaplet tipped
with pearls beside tile quiniIe bottle?
Even that I could not bear to part
with, although had got it out with
the design of sending it to her. You,
my sons, will give her a fair share Of
the Agra treasure. But send her moth
ing-not even the chaplet-until I am
gone. After all, men have been as bad
as this and have recovered.
1'I will tell you how Morstan died.
he continued. He had suffered for
years from a weak heart, but he con-
cealed it from everyone. alone knew
it. When in India he and I, through
remarkable chain of circumstances,
came inttpossession of a considerable
treasure. I brought it over to Eng
land, and on the night of MorBtan.s ar
rival he: came straight over here to
nj 3,sc IL
the station, and was admitted by my
faithful old Lals Chowdar, who is now
dead. Morstan and I had difference
Of opinion as to the division of the
treasure, and we came to heated words.
Morstan had sprung out of his chair in
a paroxysm of anger. when he sudden
.ly pressed his hand to his side, his face
turned duslky hue, and he fell back
wards, cutting his head against the
corner of the trcasure-chest. When I
stopped over him found, to my horror,
that he was dead.
"sFor long time I sat half dis
tracted, wondering what I should do.
My first impulse was, of course, to
call for assistance; but could not but
recognize that there was every che nee
that would be accused of his murder.
His death at the moment of a quarrel,
: and the cash in his head, would be
black against me, Again, an official
inquiry could not be made without
bringing out some facts about the
treasure, which I was particularly
anxious to keep secret. He had told
me that no soul upon earth knew
: where he had gone. There seemed to
be no necessity why any soul ever
should know.
'I was still bordering over the mat
ter, when, looking up, / saw my serv-
ont, Lal Chowdar, in the doorway
He stole in, and bolted the door behind
him. ..'Do not fear, sahib," he said
'sNo one need know that you have
killed him. Let us hide him away,
and who is the wiser?" II did not
kill him. said I. Lal Chowdar shook
: his head, and smiled. II heard it all,
: sahib,'' said he. II heard you quarrel,
and heard the blow. But my lips
y. are sealed. All are asleepin the house
Let us put him away together" That
. was enough To decide me. If my own
servant could not believe my inno-
cence, how could hope to make it
good before twelve foolish tradesnen in
a jury box? Lal Chowdar and I dis
posed of the body that might, and
within a few days the London papers
were full Of the mysterious disappear
ance of Capt. Mcrstan. You will see
from what say that can hardly be
blamed in the matter My fault lies in
the fact that we concealed, not
only The body, but also the
; treasure, and that have clung
to Morstan's share as well as to
my own. wish you, therefore, to
make restitution. Pint your ears down
to my mouth. The treasure is hidden
in At this instant horrible change
came over his expression; his eyes
stared wildly, his jaw dropped, and he
yelled in voice l can never forget:
Keep him out! For Christ's sake keep
him out!' We both stared round at the
window behind us upon which his gaze
was fixed. A face YVES looking in at us
out of the darkness. We could see the
whitening Of the nose where it was
pressed against the glass 1t was a
bearded, hairy face; with wild, cruel
eyes and an expression of concentrated
melevolence. My brother and rushed
towards the window. but the man was
gone. When we returned to my father
his head had dropped and his pulse had
ceased to beat.
ssWe searched the garden that night,