The Irish standard., 1895-06-01
CHAPTER XII.


THE STRANGE STORY OF JONATHAN SMALL.
A very patient man was the inspector
in the cab, for it was weary time be-
fore I reioined him. His face clouded
over when I showed him the empty
box 49,
''There goes the reward" said he,
gloomily. "Where there is no money
there is no pay. This nights work
would have been worth q 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-
yvarded, treasure or no."
The inspector shook his head de-
spondently, however. cts bad job"
he repeated, land SO Mr.. Athelney
Jones will 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. My companion lounged
in his armchair with his usual listless
expression, while Small sat stolidly op-
posite to him with his wooden leg
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
Athelney Jones, angrily.
eyes, have put it away where you
shall never lay hand upon it, he cried,
exultantly. ut is my treasure; and if
can't have the loot I'll take darned
good care that no one else does. I tell
you that no living man has any right
to it, unless it is three men who are in
the Andnman convict barracks and my
self. know now that 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
I know that they would have had me
do Just what l have done, and throw
the treasure into the Thames rather
than let it go to kith or kin of Sholto
or of Morstan. It 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 1
saw that your launch must catch us, I
put the loot in a safe place. There are
no rupees for you this Journey"
"You are deceiving us, Small" said
Athelney Jones, sternly. eff 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
. shrewd, sidelong look. 1.-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 harder job. 1t went
to my heart to do it, though. I 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 a very serious matter, Small"
said the detective. "1f you had helped
justice, instead of thwnrting it in this
way, you would have had a better
chance at your trial"
"Justice!" snarled the cx-convict. IA
pretty Justice! Whose loot is this, if
it is not ours? Where is the justice
that I should give itup to those who
have never earned it's Look how have
earned it! Twenty long years in that
fever-ridden swamp, all day at work
under the mangrove tree, ali 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 how I
earned the Agra treasure; and you talk
to me of justice because cannot bear
to feel that have paid this price only
that another may enjoy i'll! l would
rather swing score Of times,
or have one Of Tonga's darts in
my hide, than live in convict's cell
and feel that another man is at his ease
in a palace with the money that should
be nine" Small had dropped his mask
of-stoicism. and oil this.came out in q
wild whirl of words. while his eyes
blazed, and the handouts clanked TO.
sgether with imprisoned movements Of
HI hands could understand. a. !