The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-06-02


| then returned to the corpse and or
dered Gunga Dass to help me to carry
il out TO the river front. While we
were engaged in this the exploded shell
of an old brown cartridge dropped out
of one of the pockets and rolled at my
feet. Gunga Dass had not seen it, and
fell to thinking that man does not
carry exploded cartridge cases, espe-
cially browns, which will not bear
loading twice, about with him when
shooting. In other words, that cartridge
case had been fired inside the crater.
Consequently there must be gun some
where / was on the verge Of asking
Gunga Dass, but checked myself, know
ing that he would lie. We laid the body
down on the edge Of the quicksand by
the tussocks. 1t was my intention TO
push it out and let il be swallowed mp,
the only possible mode of burial that
could think of / ordered Gunga Dass
to 60 away
Then ! gingerly put the corpse out
on the quicksand In doing so-it was
lying face downward-I tore the frail
and rotten khaki shooting coat open.
disclosing n hideous cavity in the back
have already told You that the dry
sand had, as it were mummified the
body A moments glance showed that
the gaping hole had been caused by
gunshot wound. The gun must have
been fired with the muZZle almost
! touching the back. The shooting coat,
being intact, had been drawn over the
body after death, which must have been
instantaneous. The secret Of the poor
wretch death was plain TO me in
flash. Some one of the crater presum-
ably Gunga Dass must have shot him
with his own gun-the shot that fitted
the brown cartridges He had never at
tempted TO escape in the face Of the
rife fire from the boat
pushed the corpse out hastily and
saw il sink from sight literally in
few seconds. | shuddered as / watched
| In dazed, half conscious way turned
10 peruse the notebook. A stained and
discolored slip of paper had been insert
ed between the binding and the back
and dropped out as | opened the pages.
This is what il contained: -Four out
from crow clump; 3 left; ont; 2
right; back , left Ia out; 2 left :
out; / left; 8 back 2 right; back; 4
right; back. - The paper had been
burned and charred at the edges. What
ii meant could not understand. | sat
down on the dried bents, turning it
over and over between my fingers until
was aware of Gunga Dass standing
/ Immediately behind me with glowing
eyes and outstretched hands
Have you got it, he painted
"Will you not let me look at it also? !
swear that will return it. "
Got whatY Return what2' l asked.
"That which you have in your hands
1t will help us both. He stretched out
his long, birdlike talons, trembling with
eagerness.
Il could never find it, he continued.
HE had secreted it about his person.
Therefore shot him, but nevertheless
was unable TO obtain it. "
Gunga DaGs had quite forgotten his
little fiction about the rife bullet re-
ceived the information perfectly calm
| ly. Morality is blunted 10y consorting
with the dead who are alive.
"What on earth are you raving
about What is it you want me TO give
you z
"The piece Of paper in the notebook
twill help MS both oh, You fool You
| fool Can you not see what it will do
for usy We shall escape.
His voice rose almost TO a scream,
and he danced with excitement before
me. own | was moved at the chance
Of getting away,
Don skip Explain yourself Do
you mean to say that this slip Of paper
will help us? What does il meanT
Read il aloud Read il aloud / beg
and pray to you to read it aloud "
| did So Gunga Dass listened de
/ lightedly and drew an irregular line il
the sand with his fingers.
"See now 1t was the length Of his
gun barrels without the stock have
those barrels Four gun barrels out
from the place where l caught crows
| straight ont do you follow me- Then
three left All how well remember
when that man worked il out night aft
eI night Then nine out and so on
Ont is always straight before You across
the quicksand He told me SO before
1 killed him
But if you knew all this why didn't
| you get out heforeY'
Il did not know it, He told me that
he was working it ont year and half
ago, and how he was working il out
night after night when the beat had
gone away and he could get out near
the quicksaud safely. Then he said that
we would get away together. But | was
afraid that he would leave me behind
one night when he had worked il all
ont, and SO ] SHOT him Besides, it ia
not advisable that the men who once
get in here should escape. Only l, and
am Brahman,
The prospect Of escape had brought
Gunga Dass caste back to him. He
stood up, walked about and gesticul9ted
. 81. I 4