Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-05-24
My Strangest Case
BY GUY BOOTHBY.
Author of CDR. KikoIa,' - "The Beautiful
White Devii,'' "Pharos, The
Egyptian" Etc.
Copyrighted. 1901, by Ward, Lock & Col
PART I.-CoNTINUED,

PART I.-CONTINUED.
Hayle accompanied them into the
bar, and was witness of the satisfac-
ton the landlord endeavored, from
business motives, to conceal. In due
course he followed them to the small,
sitting rooms in the yard at the back,
and observed that they were placed
on either side of himself. He had al
ready taken the precaution of rapping
upon the walls in order to discover
their thickness, and to find out wheth-
er the sound of thinking money
was to be heard through them.
Il must remember that thirty-seven
and sixpence and two Mexican dollars
are all [ have in the world" he said to
himself. 1T would be bad business
TO allow them to suppose that l had
more, until find out what they want"
THE last time I was here was with
Stellman," said the taller of the men,
when they met again in the courtyard.
Dutch, so he said, to work a portion Of
The West Coast for shell. He wanted
me to go in with him."
"And you couldn't see your way
to it?''
1--WE seen two Dutch jails," said the
other; "and I have no use for them
"And what happened to Stellman?'
asked Hayle, but without any appar-
ent interest. He was thinking of some
thing else at the time.
'"They got his money, his boat and
his shell, with three pearls that would
have made your mouth water" replied
the other
"And Stellman?"
ooh, they buried him at Sourabaya.
He took the cholera, so they said, but I
have heard since that he died of star
walton. They don't feed you too we'll
in Dutch jails, especially when you've
got a concession and consul"
The speaker looked up at his COM
panion as he said this, and the other,
who, as I have already said, was not
interested in the unfortunate Ste1l-
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 splashing water
The movement Of the head was as sig
nifcant 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 man he would have been for the
British museum! There's not his
equal on ancient Asia in the world"
"And this particular business?"
"Ah, you shall hear all about it in
the proper time. That'1 be tomorrow
morning, I reckon. In the meantime
you can go to bed, and content your
sell with the knowledge that, all being
we'll, you're going to play hand in
the biggest scoop that ever 1 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
fine-looking man, with a powerful,
though somewhat humorous cast of
countenance. His eyes were large and
not unl1indly. His head was a good
one from chronological point of view,
but was marred by the possession of
enormous ears which stood out on
either side of his head like those of
bat. He wore a close-cropped beard,
and he was famous for his strength,
which indeed was that of giant
'Hayle, if I 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 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 anna BILE sentiment Mr.. Kit
water prepared himself for slumber.
Next morning they met at break
fast. All three were somewhat silent.
1t was as if the weight of the matter
which was that day to be discussed
pressed upon their spirits. The small
est of the trio, Septimus Codd by name,
who was habitually taciturn, spoke
scarcely a word. He was a strange
little man, a nineteenth century vii
lain in a sense. He was a rogue and a
his Ouc uODDN, apart
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
it was mainly due to his learning in
the first place, and to a somewhat sin
gular accident in the second, that the
trio were now foregathered in Singa--
pore. His personal appearance was
peeullar one. His height was scarce
more than four feet six inches. His
lace was round, and at a distance ap-
Pearea almost boyish. 1t was only
when one came to look into # more
closely that it was seen to be scored
by numberless small lines. Narrower
it was ..nadorned by either beard or
mustache. His hair was gray, and was
worn somewhat longer than is usual.
lie could speak fuently almost every
language OF the east, and had been