The indicator., 1904-07-23

open door from light within. y man
was standing between Harvey and the
light. He seemed to be looking toward
the hnybOat, but soon disappeared into
the same place from which came the
mysterious light
at is an island" said Harvey. II am
now resting on n shoal, and the water
cannot be very deep between this and
the island. III swim ashore and risk
it."
He removed some of his clothing,
made n bundle of It and slid Off into
the water. To his surprise he could
stand on bottom. Carefully he felt his
way. For short distance the water
grew more shallow. Then 1t got deep
er, and he was forced to swim. After
a short swim he again felt the ground
under his feet, and he wnded on to dry
land. The shore was sandy.
He moved slowly and cautiously. 1t
was difficult to locate where the light
had been. He groped along. wander
ing in many curves. Trees were on the
island. but he could see no trace of a
building. After cropping some time in
the darkness he discovered what ap-
peared to be rock about Ave feet
high. Feeling the surface Of this he
found that 1t was not a solid rock, but
. rocky formation with an opening on
one side. Lying fat on the ground
and peering in, he saw light far in
the earth. apparently from lantern
hung on n peg. He slowly crawled in
side the cave. After advancing for
several feet he found that he could
stand up and walk.
A voice came from behind shelter
of the rocky wall that projected into
the chamber. 1t pleased Harvey that
1t was not the voice of n Russian, for
Russians were the only people he had
any reason to fear.
II have spoken said calm, stern
voice within the concealed chamber.
81 have given the treasure as it should
be given.'
But, no, my brother" came voice
that seemed to Harvey to tremble with
emotion. 1t was n harsh, cold voice,
not like the other. You have done
well for yourself You have done well
for the clans In the mountains. But
we have not Jared as we should. Was
1t not our courage that made the accu-
mutation of this booty possiblef'
Yes; that is So" answered the first
speaker. But | am Palpak, chief of
the Zannucks. and it was who plan
ned everything. The wealth that came
from the ameers people we were COM
PEELED to hide here until the ameer's
soldiers had finished their search
among our villages, and the wealth
that came from the Buddhist temples
which we found the most valuable of
all, and the gold that came from the
paymasters OF the Russian soldiers
whom we attacked and robbed. All
these are mine-mine! Do you under
stand. Domitan? 1t was Palpak, the
chief. who In the interest of all his
people. downtrodden as they are by
the wicked ameer, strove to gain that
with which we could buy horses and
cattle and make the Zannucks wealthy.
I have given you enough. The rest
must be divided among the people,"
NO" said third voice, thick and
cultural. "Domitan is right. Palpak,
though you be chief. We were with
you in all the ventures. 1t is not right
that you should rob us now"
Rob you" cried Palpak angrily.
Rob you of what7 In the name Of the
white bull, of what can rob you when
you have nothing save what l have
given you? | tell you l am working
not for wealth for you, my brothers, but
for the whole people. The Zannucks
have been downtrodden and robbed by
ha To ip trtI To
than we possess. He taxes us for our
wives, for our cattle, and then his SOL
diers steal the cattle. He taxes us for
our families, and the soldiers steal our
children. Our boys are compelled to
enter the ameer's army. and our girls
curses upon the ameer and upon you
II you cannot see the Justice of what
l am doing. But the ameer has de-
sisted from his search. He has some
great affair now In progress. 1t is
time we took the treasure to the noun
tains and distributed 1t among the peo-
pie and then begin again to plan"
"It shall not be so! swear it!'
"There are three of us!" growled the
surly voice.
"And we are determined menu said
one who had not spoken before.
do you intend to defy me" de-
manded the one who called himself
Palpak.
The three laughed. Eve intend to
you will see what we intend"
Harvey began to catch the drift Of
things.
"This," he reasoned, sis what is pop
ularly called honor among thieves.
Here's band Of four who have been
successful in gathering treasure by
robbing everything and everybody to
enrich people kept down by that mis-
cradle wretch of an ameer. And now
the only decent one. II there is such a
thing ms decency among them. is to be
killed 80 that the other three can keep
the treasure instead Of putting 1t to the