The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-12-07

THE STRANGE STORY OF JONATHAN SMALL.
A very patient man was the inspector
an the cab, for II was n weary time be-
fore rcioined him. His face clouded
over when 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 II the treasure
had been there"
.sNr. Thaddcus Sholto Is a rich man."
i said. sHe 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 will think"
His forecast proved 70 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 q station
upon the way. My companion lounged
In his armchair with his usual listless
expression, while Small sat stolidly OPP
posite to him with his wooden leg
cooked over his sound ono. 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 II away where you
shall never lay hand upon 1t" he cried,
exultantly. cit is my treasure; and II
can't have the loot I'll take darncd
good care that no one else does. tell
you that no living man has any right
TO IL, unless IL Is three men who are IN
the Andaman convict barracks and my
self. / know now that cannot have
the use Of IL, and | 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
10 Just what have done, and throw
the treasure into the Thames rather
.han let IL go 20 kith or kin of Sholto
or OF Morstan. II was not TO make
rhcru ricii that We did ftSr .Assh:::et.
You'll find the treasure where the key
Is. and where little Tonga Is. When
saw that your launch must catch us
put the loot In n safe place. There are
no rupees for you this journey"
s'You are deceiving us, SMALL" said
Athelney Jones, sternly. IF You had
wished 70 throw the treasure into the
Thames II would have been easier for
YOU TO have thrown box and all"
ssEasier for me to throw, and easier
for you to recover" he answered, with
shrewd, sidelong look. THE man
that was clever enough TO hunt me
down is clever enough to pick an iror
box from the bottom OF n river. Now
that they are scattered over five miles
or so, II may be harder job. IL went
TO my heart to do IL, though. wa
half mad when you came up with us
However, there's 10 good grieying ovel
IL. I've had ups in my life, and Pv'
had downs, but I've learned not TO or,
over split milk"
This IA very serious matter, Small,
said the detective. III you had helpc'
iustice. instead Of thwarting IL In thi
wav. YOU would have had bette
chance at your trial"
ssJusticel" snarled the ex-convict. "A
pretty Justice! Whose loot Is this, !
II Is not ours? Where is the justic
that l should give IL up 70 those VIII
have never earned II? Look how nav
earned III Twenty long years In tina
fevcr-riddcn swamp, all day at worl
under the mangrove tree, all nigh
chained up In the filthy convict huts
bitten by mosquitoes, raclscd VII
acue. bullicd by every cursed black
faced policeman who loved TO take
ont of q white man. That was how
earned the Agra treasure; and You tai
40 me of Justice because cannot bea
TO feel that have paid this price onl
that another may enjoy III 4 woni
rather swing score OF times
or have one OF TonRa's darts 4
nv hide. than live In convicss CO
and feel that another man Is OF his cas-
An n palnce with the money that shoul
be mine" small had dropped his mas
OF stoicism. and all this came out IN
wild whirl of words. while his eye
blazcd. and the hnnd-cuffs clnnkcd z
gcthsr with uapassioned movement (
his hands. could understand, 90
Jaw tho fury and the passion OF IN
man. that n was no Rroundlcss or NJ
natural terror which had posscsse
Ma sholto when he first learned tina
the Injured convict was upon his tract
"You forget that we know nothing
nj this" said Holmes. quietly. Nv
have not heard your story. and we cal
not tell how far justice mny original
a