Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-05-23
CHAPTER IV.-CoNr1NUED.

CHAPTER IV.-CONT1NUED.
'''I will tell you how Morstan died.
The continued. He had suffered for
years from weak heart, but he con-
~cealed it from everyone. I alone knew
1T. When in India, he and I, through
remarkable chain of circumstances,
came into possession of considerable
treasure. I brought it over to Eng
land, and on the night of Morstan's ar
rival he came straight over here to
-claim his share. He walked over from
the station, and was admitted by my
faithful old La1 Chowdar, who is now
dead. Morstan and 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 dusky hue, and he fell back
wards, cutting his head against the
corner of the treasure-chest. When
zstooped over him I found, to my horror,
shat he was dead.
'''For a 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 chsnc
that I would be accused of his murder.
His death at the moment of a quarrel,
land the cash in his head, would be
black against me. Again, an official
enquiry could not be made without
bringing out some facts about the
treasure, which I was particularly
anxious to keep secret. He had told
zme that no soul upon earth knew
where he had gone. There seemed to
Tbe no necessity why any soul ever
should know.
81 was still bordering over the mat
ter, when, looking up, I saw my serv-
.ant, 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?" 81 did not
kill him." said I. La1 Chowdar shook
his head, and smiled. ST heard it all,
=sabib," said he. 81 heard you quarrel,
sand l heard the blow. But my lips
=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 I hope to make it
good before twelve foolish tradesmen in
"a Jury box? La1 Chowdar and dis
posed OF the body that night, and
within few days the London papers
were full OF the mysterious disappear
sance of Capt. Morstan. You will see
from what I say that 1 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 1 have chung
to Morstan's share as well as to
9my own. I wish you, therefore, to
make restitution. Put your ears down
to my mouth. The treasure is hidden
sin At this instant horrible change
came over his expression; his eyes
STARED wildly, his jaw dropped, and he
yelled in voice 1 can never forget
Keep him outi For Christ's sake keep
him outr We both stared round at the
window behind US upon which his gaze
was fixed. A face was looking in at Us
-out of the darkness. We could see the
whitening of the nose where it wa:
pressed against the glass 1t was s
bearded, hairy face, with wild, crae
eyes and an expression of concentrated
malevolence. My brother and rushed
towards the window, but the man wa
gone When we returned to my father
his head had dropped and his pulse hat
ceased to beat