The Delta independent., 1895-08-07

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officers-or one Of them m-gets the
treasure and brings it to England,
. leaving, we will suppose, some condi-
ton under which he received it unful-
filed. Now, then, why did not
Jonathan Small get the treasure him
self@, The answer is Obvious. The
chart is dated at a time when Morstan
was brought into close association
with convicts. Jonathan Small did
not get the treasure because he and his
associates were themselves convicta
and could not get away"
'.But this is mere speculation" said l.
''It is more than that. 1t is the only
hypothesis which covers the facts. Let
us see how it fits in with the sequel.
Maj. Sholto remains at peace for some
years, happy in the possession of his
treasure. Then he receives q letter
from India which gives him a great
fright. What was that?' .us~
"a letter to say that the men whom
he had wronged had been set free"
''Or had escaped. That is much more
likely, for he would have known what
their term of imprisonment was. 1t
What does he do then? He guards him
self against wooden-legged mana
white man, mark you, for he mistakes
white tradesman for him, and actual
ly fires pistol at him. Now, only one
white mans name is on the chart.
The others are Hindoos or Moham-
medans. There is no other white man.
Therefore we may say with confidence
hot Sc.
cal with Jonathan Small. Does the
reasoning strike you as being faulty?"
mo: it is clear and concise"
! ''Well, now, let us put ourselves in
he place of Jonathan Small. Let us
look at it from his point of view. He
comes to England with the double idea
of regaining what he would consider to
be his rights and OF having his revenge
upon the man who had wronged him
He found out where Sholto lived, and
very possibly he established communi-
cations with some one inside the house.
There is this butler, Lal Rao, whom we
have not seen. Mrs. Bernstone gives
him far from good character. Small
could not find out, however, where the
treasure was hid, for no one ever
knew, save the major and one faithful
servant who had died. Suddenly Small
learns that the major is on his death
bed. In a frenzy lest the secret of the
treasure die with him, he runs the
gauntlet OF the guards, makes his way to
the dying mans window, and is only de-
tered from entering by the presence
Of his two sons. Mad with hate, how
ever, against the dead man, he enters
the room that night, searches his pri.
rate papers in the hope of discovering
some memorandum relating to the
treasure, and finally leaves memento
of his visit in the short inscription upon
the card. He had doubtless planned
beforehand that should he slay the
major he would leave some such rec
ord upon the body as sign that it was
not a common murder, but, from the
point of view Of the four associates,
some thing in the nature of an act OF
Justice. Whimsical and bizarre con-
ceits of this kind are common enough,
in the annals of crime, and usually af-
ford valuable indications as to the
criminal. Do you follow all this?''
"vcry clearly"
Z ! Now, what could Jonathan Small
do? lie could only continue to keep a
secret watch upon the efforts made to
find the treasure. Possibly he leaves
England and only comes back at inter.
/, walls. Then comes the discovery Of the
garrct, and he is instantly informed OF
it. We again. trace the presence Of
some confederate in the household
Jonathan with his wooden leg, is ut.
terly unable to reach the lofty room OF
Bartholomew Sholto- He takes with
him, however, rather curious asso
ciatc, who gets over this difficulty, but
dips his naked foot into creosote
whence come Toby, and a six-mile
limp for "A half-pay officer with dam
aged Achillis tendo." -.
But it was the associate, and not
Jonathan, who committed the crime. y