The Delta independent., 1895-08-28

have to break it open. Where Is the
key, my man?'
AT the bottom of the river" said
Small, shortly.
''llum! There was no use you Civ
ing this unnecessary trouble. We have
had work enough already through you
However, doctor. need not warn you
to be careful. Bring the box back
with you to the Baker street rooms.
You will find us there on our way to
the station
They landed me Mt Vnuxhnll with
my heavy iron box and with n bluff,
genial inspector rs my companion. a
quarter of an hours drive brought us
to Mrs. Cecil Fotrestcr's. The servant
seemed surprised at so late n visitor.
Mrs. Cecil Forester was out for the
evening. she explained, and likely to
be very late. Miss Morstan, however,
was in the drawing-room; SO to the
drawing-room ] went, box in hand,
leaving the obliging inspector in the
cab.
She was seated by the open window,
dressed in some sort Of white diaphan-
Gus material, with little touch of
scarlet Mt the neck and waist. The soft
light of u shaded lamp fell upon her as
she leaned back in the basket chair
playing over her sweet. grave face. and
tinting with dull metallic sparkle
the rich coils of her luXurinnt hair, one
white arm and hand dropped over the
side of the chair. and her whole pose
and figure spoke of an absorbing
melancholy. At the sound of my foot
| fall she sprang to her feet. however.
and bright flush of surprise and of
| pleasure colorcd her pale checks.
Il heard cab drive up" she said. II
! thought that Mrs. Forester had como
back very early, but l never dreamed
that it might be you. What news have
| you brought me-"
II have brought something better
than news" said l, putting down the
box upon the table and speaking jov.
tally and boistcrously. though my
heart was heavy within me. Il have
brought you something which is worth
| all the news in the world. l have
brought you fortune"
| She glanced ut the iron box. ''Is
that the treasure, them she asked,
coolly enough.
Yes. this is the great Agra treasure.
Half of it is yours and half is Thaldcus
Sholto's. Iou will have couple OF
hundred thousand each. Think of
that. An annuity of ten thousand
pounds. There will Ike few richer
young ladies in England. Is it not
glorious?"
j think that must have been rather
ovcracting my delight, and that she
detected Il hollow ring in my congratu-
lations. for saw her eyebrows rise u
little. and she glanced at me curiously.
"If have it, said she, II owe 1t to
you"
NO, no." answered, mot to me,
but to my friend Sherlock Holmes.
With all the will in the world. could
never have followed up II clcw which
has taxed even his analytical genius.
As it was, we very nearly lost it ut the
last moment
'Pray sit down and tell me all about
it, DIR. Watson" said she.
narrated briefly what had occurred
since had seen her last-IloIines' new
method of search, the discovery of the
Aurora. the appearance of Athelney
Jones' our expedition in the evening,
and the wild chase down the Thames.
She listened with parted lips and shin
ing NNCS " my out adventures
When spoke of the dart which had SO
narrowly missed us, she turned 80
white that l feared shc was about To
faint.
ut is nothing she said, rs
hastened to pour her some water. u
am all right again. Itwas shock TO
me to hear that had placed my friends
in such horrible peril
THAT xall over answered. at was
nothing. Twill tell you no more gloomy
details. Let us turn to something
brighter. There is the treasure. What
could be brighter than that? got
leave to bring it with me, thinking
that it would interest you to be the
first to see it."
ut would he OF the greatest interest
to me, she said. There was no eager
ness in her voice, however. II struck
her, doubtless, that it might seem un-
gracious upon her part to bc indiffer-
ent to prize which had cost so much
to win.
what a pretty box! she said, stoop-
ing over it. This is Indian work, I
supposc?-
'Ycs; it is Bcnarcs mctal-work." ,
"And SO heavy!' she exclaimed, try
ing to raise II. ''rhc box alone must
be of some value. Where is the lscy?'
Small threw 1t into the Tianes.''
answered. II must borrow Mrs For
rester's poker" There was in the front
thick and broad hnsp. wrought in the
image of q sitting Buddha. Under this
] thrust the end Of the poker and
twisted it outward as lever. The hasp
sprang open with loud snap. With
trembling fingers flung back the lid.
We both stood gazing in establishment.
The box was emptyI
No wonder that 1t was heavy. The
iron work was two-thirds OF mn inch
thick all round. II was massive, well
made and solid, like chest constructed
to carry things Of great price, but not