Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-11

I have made up my mind to settle ii
or.cc ard for all"
81 am glad you have COMO 20 thss
way OF thinking" said. at will
save US bcth an inGnity Of trouble.
You understand, OF course, that. 1 rep
resent Mossrs. Kitwater and Codd."
81 am well aware of it," he replied,
land In common fairness to myself,
j can only say that an sorry ia
hear it."
May I ask why you are sorry?"
Because you have the honor "a
represent the biggest pair OF scoun-
dreis unhung," he answered. And in
saying this 1 pledge you my word
that / am by no means overlapping
the mark. I have known them both
for great many years, and can,
therefore, speak from experience"
Before going further with him
v&as DESTROYS of convincing myself
upon the point.
you knew them, then, when thew
were missionaries in China, sup.
poser"
That's the first time I have ever
heard what they were" he replied,
"kitwater missionary! You must
forgive my laughing, but the idea ia
too ludicrous. III admit he's done a
considerable amount of converting,
but it has been converting other PEG.
Pies money into his own pockets"
lie laughed at his own bad Joke.
and almost Instantly grew serious
once more. He wss quite at his
ease, and, though he must have
known that I was familiar with tn,
story, or supposed story, Of his VIII
lainy, seemed In no way ashamed.
"Now, Mr.. Fairfax" he went on,
81 know that you ere surprised 10
see me this morning, but I don'a
think you will be when we have had
little talk together. First and fore
most. you have been told the story
of the stones I PoSsess?"
81 have heard Mr.. kitwater's vera
sion Of IT," I answered, cautiously.
"I know that you robbed my clients
Of them and then dscppeared,"
4 did not rob them Of the stones"
he said, not in the least offended bv
J
plain that you do not know how vvo
obtained them. Perhaps it's as well
that YOU should not, for there's more
behind, and you'd go and get them.
No! We obtai7ed them honestly
enough at certain place, end l was
appointed to carry them. For this
reason I secured them in bit
about my waist. That night the Chi
nese came down upon US and mada
US prisoners. They murdered our
two native servants, blinded Kit
water, and cut out Codd's tongue. (
alone mana god 70 effect my escape.
Leaving my two companions for
dead. I managed to get away into
the jungle. Good heavensl man, you
can't imagine what ! suffered after
that"
I looked at him and saw that his
face had grown pale at the mere
recollection of his experiences.
AT last I reached the British out.
post OF Nampoung, on the Burmah.
Chinese border. whore the oficera
took me in and played the part o.
the good Samaritan. When I -sts
we'll enough 10 travel, mace my
way down to Rangoon, where, still
believing my late companions to be
dead, l shipped for England"
"As Mr.. George Bertran," said.
quietly. why under an assumed
name, when. according 30 your story,
you had nothing TO fear?"
Because l had good and sufficient
reason for 80 doing" he replied.
'You must remember Nat I had u
quarter of a millions worth of pre-
oious stones in my possession, and,
well, to put it bluntly, up 10 thas
time ] had been living hat you
might call a make-shiit sort OF lilo.
For the future | told myself I was
going 10 be a rioh man. That being
SO, l wanted TO start With clean
sheet. You can scarcely blame me-
l did not answer him IN this point.
but continued my crosS-examination-
''You reached London, and soli
some of the stones there, later on
you disposed OF some more in A1-s-
sterdam. Why did you refuse The
dealers your name and address9'
Once more he was quite equal to
the occasion.
because if had told them. every.
body would have to know it. and,
to be perfectly frank with you,
could not feel quite certain that f.
water and Codd were really dea i."
"By that I am 70 presume that yc1
intended. if possible, to swindIe them
out of their shars?" I asked. not a
little surprised by his admission.
"Opce more, to be frank with you,
I did. I have no desire TO be rude,
but I rather fancy you would hava
done the same had you been sine
ilarly situated. I never was much
OF a success in the moral business
I could well believe this, but dil
not tell him SO.
when did you first becorne aware
that they were in London?"
ION the day that they landed" he
answered. II watched every shin
that came in from Rsngoon, and 40
last had the doubtful satisfaction a
seeing my two old friends pass Out
OF the dock-gates. Poor beggarA
they had indeed had a hard time
OF IT,"
Then you could pity them? Even
while you were robbing themP'