The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-05-27
Ny Strangest Case
BY GUY BOOTHBY.
Arthor of ''Dr. KiIoIa,' - The Beautiful
White Devil Pharos, The
Egyptian" Etc.
CHAPTER IX.-CoNTMUED.
ICcpyrlgArsd, 1901, by Ward, Lock s. Col

CHAPTER IX.-CONTINUED.
at last l reached the British out
post of Nampoung, on the Burmah-
Chinese border, where the officers
took me in and played the part of
the good Samaritan. When was
well enough to 'Cavel, 1 made my
way down to RangoOn, where, still
believing my late companions to be
dead, I shipped for England"
"As Mr.. George Bertram," 1 said,
quietly. why under an assumed
name, when, according to your story,
you had nothing to fear?"
Because 1 had good and sufficient
reason for so doing" he replied.
"You must remember that 1 had a
quarter of a millions worth of pre-
cious stones in my possession, and,
well, to put it bluntly, up to that
time / had been living what you
might call malle-shift sort of life.
For the future l told myself 1 was
going to be a rich man. That being
so, l wanted to start with a clean
sheet. You can scarcely blame mel"
I did not answer him on this point,
but continued my cross-examination
you reached London, and sold
some of the stones there, later on
you disposed of some more in Am
sterdam. Why did you refuse the
dealers your name and address,"
Once more he was quite equal to
the occasion.
Because if 1 had told them, every
body would have to know it, and,
to be perfectly frank with you, I
could not feel quite certain that Kit
water and Codd were really dead"
by that am to presume that you
intended, if possible, to swindle them
out of their share?" I asked, not a
little surprised by his admission.
"Once more, to be frank with you,
I did. / have no desire to be rude,
but I rather fancy you would have
done the same had you been sim
ilarly situated. 1 never was much
of a success in the moral business"
1 could well believe this, but did
not tell him so.
when did you first become aware
that they were in LondOn?"
"On the day that they landed" he
answered. Il watched every ship
that came in from Rangoon, and at
last had the doubtful satisfaction of
seeing my two old friends pass out
Of the dock-gates. Poor beggars,
they had indeed had a hard time
of it,"
Then you could pity them? Even
while you were robbing them?"
why not?" he answered. "There
was no reason because 1 had the
stones that 1 should not feel sorry
for the pain they had suffered.
had to remember how near I'd been
to it myself"
This speech sounded very pretty
though somewhat illogical.
And pray how did you know that
they had called in my assistance?"
Because 1 kept my eyes on them.
knew Mr.. Kitwater of old, you see.
watched them go into your office
and come out from a shop on the
other side of the street"
The whole mystery was now ex-
planned. What an amount of trouble
should have been spared had l only
known this before.
You did not approve, then, of my
oelng imported into the case?"
distinctly disapproved," he an
swered. 4 knew your reputation, of
course, and 1 began to see that if
you took up their case for them 1
should in all probability have to
climb down"
1T is doubtless for that reason
you called upon me, representing
Yourself to be Mr.. Bayley, managing
director of that South American
Mining company? 1 can now quite
understand your motive. You want
ed to get me out of the way in or
der that 1 might not hunt you? Is
that not sop
You hit the nail upon the head
exactly. But you were virtuous. and
would not swallow the bais. It would
nave silnpiffied matters from nv
pSnt of view if you had. I should
not have been compelled to waste nv
money upon those two roughs, nor
would you have spent an exceedingly
uncomfortable quarter of an hour in
that doorway in Holywell street."
1his was news indeed. So he had
oeen aware of my presence there? 1
put the question to him.
Oh! Yes! knew you were there"
he said with laugh. 'And I can tell
you 1 did not like the situation one
DIT. AS matter of fact, found
that It required al my nerve to pre-
tend that 1 did not know it. Every
E'e-2ent l expected you TO come out