Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-30

Ihey got mis- money, his bodb ana
his shell, with three pearls that would
have made your mouth water" replied
the other.
"And Stellman?"
"Oh, they buried him At sourabaya.
He took the cholera, SO they said, but I
have heard since that he died Of star
vation. They don't feed you too we'll
in Dutch jails, especially when you've
got . concession and q consul."
The speaker looked up At his COM
panion IS he said this, and the other,
who, as have already said. was not
interested in the unfortunate Stell-
man, or had probably heard the tale
before, nodded his head in the direc-
ton Of the room where the smaller
man was engaged on his toilet. to the
accompaniment Of splsshing water.
The movement Of the head was as sig
nificant as the nod Of the famous lord
Of Burleigh.
"Just the same as ever" the other
replied. always pushing his nose into
old papers and documents, until you'd
think he'd make himself Ill. Lord,
what a man he would have been for the
British museum! There's not his
equal on ancient Asia in the world" r.
"And this particular business?"
"Ah, you shall hear all about IL IN
the proper time. That'll be tomorrow
morning, I reckon. In the meantime
you can 70 to bed. and content your
self with the knowledge that, all being
we'll, you're going to play q hand in
the biggest scoop that ever I or any
body else have tackled"
Mr.. Kitwater, for such was the name
Of the gentleman, began his prepara-
tions for the night, vigorously cursing
the mosquitoes as he did so. He was
a fine-looking man, with a powerful,
though somewhat humorous cast OF
countenance. His eyes were large and
not unkindly. His head was good
one from chronological point Of view,
enormous ears which stood out on
either side of his head like those of a
bat. He wore a close-cropped beard,
and he was famous for his strength,
which indeed was that of giant.
"Hayle, il can sum it up Alright, is
just the same as ever" he said, as he
arranged the mosquito netting OF his
bed. "He doesn't trust me. and I don't
trust him. But he'll be none the less
useful for that. Let him try to play
me false, and, by the Lord Harry, he'll
not live to do it again"
With this amiab BILE sentiment Mr.. Kit
water prepared himself for slumber.
Next morning they met at break
fast. All three were somewhat silent.
1t was as IL the weight Of the matter
which was that day 10 be discussed
pressed upon their spirits, The small
est of the trio, Septimus Codd by name,
who was habitually taciturn, spoke
scarcely word. He was strange
little man, nineteenth century viii
lain in a sense. He was a rogue and a
vagabond, yet his one hobby, apar TT
from his business. was a study of the
past, and many an authority on east
ern history would have been aston
ished at the extent Of his learning.
He was never so happy as when bur-
rowing amongst ancient records. and
il was mainly due to his learning in
the first place, and to a somewhat sim
gular accident in the second, that the
trio were now foregathered in Singa-
pore. His personal appearance was q
peculiar one. His height was scarce
ly more than four feet six inches. His
face was round, and at distance APP
peared almost boyish 1t was only
when on. came to look into it more
closely that il was seen to be scored
by numberless small lines. Moreover,
it was unadorned by either beard or
mustache. His hair was gray, and was
worn somewhat longer than is usual.
He could speak fluently almost every
| language of the east, and had been
imprisoned by the Russians for seal
ing IN prohibited waters, had been tor
tured by the Chinese on the Yangtss,
and, to his own unextinguishable dis
grace, logged by the French in Ton
quin. Not the least curious trait in
his character was the affection he Is
t-rtained for Kitwater. The pair had
been together for years, had guarreled
repeatedly, but had never separated
The record of their doings would form
an interesting book. but for want Of
space cannot be more than referred
to here. Hayle had been their part
ner in not few Of their curious I'M
dertakings. for his courage and re-
source made him valuable ally,
though how far they trusted each
other II is impossible to say.
Breakfast over they adjourned TO
tho veranda, where the newt BILE
cigars made their appearance.
"Now let's hear what you've got to
say to me?" Hayle began.
"Not here" Kitwater replied. "There
are too many listeners. Come down
to the harbor."
So saying he led his compa mons to
the water side. where he chartered a
native boat for an hours sail. Then,
when they were ont Of earshot of the
land, he bade Hayle pay attention to
what he had to say.
First and foremost you must under
stand" he said, that it's all due TO
Coddy here. We heard something of it
from an old Siamese in Hanoi, but we
never put much trust in it. Then
Coddy began to look around, to hunt
up some Of the musty records, and
after awhile he began to think that
there might be something in the st DRY
after all. You see it's this way: You
know Sengkor-Wat?"