The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-09-14

The last sentence was uttered more
as a grim joke than anything else, but
to the surprise of all present it was
not so received. There was positive
eagerness in to prisoners face and
voice as. with a quick salute, he an
swered:
That's wot I'd like, sir, morn any
thing. If you'll send me up to Jhari
T. settle that Job for good"
There was no mistaking the mans
earnestness and the sincerity of his
offer, and for a moment there was ST.
lence. Then. with a sort of brusque
irony, the colonel said:
You know how to form a high opin-
ion of yourself at any rate. Are you
aware that much more clever men
than you can honestly profess to have
been baffied by this business already?"
81 dunno what other folks ave done,
sir" was the quite answer, "but If
you let me try to lay put this sentry
killer-or killers, if there's more than
oneLIIl do it'll get there"
i've half a mind to give you a
trial" the colonel said slowly, and
keeping his keen eyes fixed on the
prisoners face. From what I've
heard of you, you're bad to beat, and
have your wi way of doing things.
What do you say, gentlemen to the
assembled officers. shall we give him
a CHANGER"
The answer was a general assent.
Very well, you can go up and see
what you can do" said the colonel,
addressing Nicky. IF you can stop
the hellish work that's going on up
at Jhari, | can give you my word that
the service will not be forgotten. But
remember, you take your life in your
own hands, my lad, and are more Ike
ly to lose it than not"
"Oh, that's all right, sir" replied
the soldier, almost, as it seemed,
c%heerfully. There wouldn't be any
fun in the Job only for that"
Early next morning Nicky, with Dab
Pratt for a companion and with a SER
geant named Ferral in charge of both,
set out for Jhari. This station, thirty
miles distant from their starting point
was far within the old Burmese from
tier line, and lay in the heart of a
wild iunpIa country tho
Of which had never taken kindly TO
British rule, but had remained from
the first in a state of chronic disaffec-
ton. Dacoity was rife all round it,
ana the frontier horse, Junjabi regi-
ment. and r. A. F battery forming its
garrison had and were having a lively
help them.
This state of matters had been bad
enough, but about a month or so be-
fore the date of this story a new COM
~piication had appeared, dwarhing all
that had gone before. Certain sentries,
for the most part men of the Punjabis,
had been found dead on their posts.
The murders had been confined to no
one guard or place, but were widely
scattered round the station, and had
invariably taken place at night. Sew
Ell men in all had been killed, and it
was remarkable that the cause OF
death in eacn case was the same-dis-
location of the neck. Another note
worthy circumstance was hat in no
one instance were the arms of the
dead soldiers carried off-a thing that
eHectualIy precluded the idea of the
slaughter beng the work of dacoits,
as in thelr case possession of the arms
would have constituted almost the sole
motive Tor the murders. No sound
or alarm had at any time been given
nor were the utmost efforts of the
keenest wits in the garrison, European
and native alike. able to solve the
mystery any more than their most
elaborate precautions seemed to avail
to stop the murders.
So to this hotbed of suspicion, fear
ana rage Sergt. Farrell and his two
men rode toward sunset, making
straight for the quaters of Col. DAN
vers, who, on reading the letter which
the sergeant presented, glanced up
with a hopeful look replacing on his
face the worried expression it had
nItherto worn.
(Which of you is Private Fidge?"
he asked.
Il am. sir" Nicky answered.
The colonel looked at him earnestly
an inspection that seemed productive
of satisfactory results, for the hopeful
look grew stronger.
We'll, my lad, you'd better see the
c-Ommandant at once" he said; land
to ave time I'll take you to him my
self"
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