Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-31
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Missing Engineer.
[copyright. .s55. ~ c. B. Lewis.l

weeks, but more particularly at Ard
meme Once in every five years the
government of India has survey of
all public land which is tillable and
then names a sum for the rent and an
other for the taxes.
1t was claimed that on the lasti sur
vey made the civil engineer for that
district had shown great Partially, and
at Ardmene the owner of n plot OF
ground affirmed that portion of 1T
had been taken away from him and
rented out.
There are always disputes and COM
plants after every survey, and for
long time the commissioner at Gwalior
refused to be disturbed. However, aft
err two or three riots, in which several
people were killed, he felt compelled
to do something, and the engineer was
sent down to Ardmene to see whether
any mistakes had been made, with
view to doing justice.
The man was q hard headed, obsti-
nate Scotchman, and when resurvey
showed him that he had made errors
on the previous one he hung out about
correcting them.
This was particularly the case where
strip of ground had been taken from
the owner. Only u portion of the plot
of twenty acres was tillable. About fif-
teen acres were covered with the ruins
of an old temple. The strip was taken
from these ruins. and the owner, whose
age no one knew, complained.
These stones are holy relics. Here
was once the greatest temple in all In
dia. 1t was built thousand years be-
fore 1 saw the light, and 1t was in
ruins when my NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
was a child.
my ancestors took n vow when they
bought the land to preserve the ruins,
and that vow has come down to me
and will descend to my children.
"Can 1 keep my VOW if the govern
ment takes away n portion of 1t? 1t
has done that, and he who rented is
preparing his seeds for the few bare
spots. will have my own or 1 will
fight in the courts"
The obstinate engineer didn't want
the matter to go to court. and he didn't
want to alter his survey. Here was an
old man and fanatic who had been
| despoiled and was making threats, but
the engineer remembered that he had
cowed others, and he said to him:
Cease to cry out. The survey is
right, but 1 will give you an equal
| strip on the other side. Should you
make further complaint will take the
whole away from you. Who are you
| that you should shout at the top of
| your voice?'
81 am who 1 am" replied the old
man, land l demand justice. Here is
my deed, and want my land
The engineer made further threats.
and the fanatic stuck to his point, and
as a result he was arrested as a dis
| orderly person and thrown into Jail.
| When locked up he appeared TO be
| cowed, and after n few hours he sent
| for the engineer and said:
"Sahib, 1 denied your survey, and
was wrong to do so. 1 spoke to you
as 1 should not, and am sorry for it.
l will make you no more trouble"
| 81 thought you would come to your
| Senses" sneered the other. ain the
! morning you will be let go, but let me
hear no more of your prattle. 1 be-
| lieve that 1 shall recommend TO the
commissioner that your ruins be taken
to build culverts and bridges along the
| line of the new railroad. The blocks of
stone are good for naught else. Yes.
think 1 will do So
But before you do that let me tell
you a secret. 1t has been a secret since
the great mutiny."
The engineer shifted concealed treas
ure and cooked up his ears.
evil the sahib be fair with me?
VIII he take only half?"
'Is it treasurer"
"It is treasure" whispered the old
mana great treasure. 1t was placed
in my hands by a great rajah when lie
had war. 1 have guarded 1t for forty
years. 1 alone have any claim to 1t
now. 1 was keeping it for my children,
as 1 am old and must die soon, but If
the sahib will leave the rest of the
ruins alone I will tell him the secret.
You are to have half, but only half.
Do you give me your wOrdT"
"Of course 1 do" replied the engi
neer. 81 will take half and say nothing,
| and the ruins shall remain"
Next morning the old man was set at
liberty, and at midnight of that night
he accompanied the engineer to the
ruins. They carried spade and crow
bar, and at certain spot the dirt was
cleared away and fiat stone exposed.
1t took the strength of the two men
to pry up this slab and expose a vault
beneath, and as the cover stood on end
the Hindoo whispered:
1.-THE sanf0 has only to drop down
and light his lantern and handle the
treasure. Remember, only half"
"Only half" replied the engineer as
he dropped into the treasure house.
He had just struck a match to light
his lantern when the heavy slab fell
into place, and ten minutes later it was
covered a foot deep with dirt and the
Hindoo was treading it down with his
feet
Next day the villagers waited for the
engineer. The next day after that the