Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-17

| getting too complex. The fact is, we
 ought to have settled it by a bold
 stroke much earlier"
 We didn't know" said Montgomery. I said nothing then at once, but pres
 ently I spoke up.
 Sheppard" said, "and you, Mont gomery, l think this thing has gone far enough. To tell you the truth, I have
 had enough of 1t for some time past. That man in the moat sickened me.
 Look at 1t in this way. We have been
 actuated by mere greed of gold.
 There's no denying that. will confess
 that undertook it lightly. I had no notion that we were to be called upon to enter bloody warfare. What has l Williams done? He stood no chance with us; he was not to share in our throw of the dice It's plain murder, | and an ugly sound it has Can you tell me why he came by his death?
 can. That man I tracked through the
 wood last night-he got wind of me.
 What his mission was have no guess,
 but Williams was taken for an emis- r sary, and dead men tell no tales. What he saw before he received his death blow I won't hazard. But, mind you, he was knifed to death-hacked in the l quick flesh till the life oozed out at the bloody gaps. That's black; that's bloody-and that's good enough, or bad enough, for me-"
 1 spoke with heat, even with pas sionate emotion, for the thoughts had been burning in my mind for some time. Sheppard said nothing for a space, but leaned forward and careful ly knocked the ash from his cigar.
 What you say is very true, Ned" he said quietly at last, "and you have put it very bluntly, and don't say that you have not something on your side. You have emotion, at any rate. and we shall all be agreed that good, honest emotion is to be reckoned force as much as reason. But, to my mind, you forget, you overlook, too much, and your feelings miscarry. What, precisely, have we done? We have defended against pack of ruff fans what certainly is not their prop erty, and what, so far as 1t is any ones, is ours, or, rather. yours. We have drawn blood in the encounters. but it was that same cutthroat blood. I will confess to you both that I am of q squeamish temper myself, and that first surprise fairly wrought upon me. But I pulled myself up and con sidered. And as for this last affair, there's no denying its gravity. It has the menace of tragedy that's fact. But where do we intervene? Williams meets fate destined for one of us. We take our chances, but Providence designs otherwise. Williams Is dead; I learn that with regret. understood him for a man of spirit and pluck Rest his soul. But by whom was he killed? By these very cutthroats against whom we are conspiring There's another reason, and, if you like, more potent reason, why we should continue. Williams dead body does not stand between us and the treasure, and especially if we aim at two ends. Justice will be measured out by our pursuit. You will think speak harshly. but I am talking sense. That is how 1t appears to me"
 You are wrong" I said. Tt is not emotionally that speak On the con trary, I am guided by reason, and I take leave to say it is yours that is the sentiment We have shed blood; that is bad. We have been the cause of bloodshed. and that in way is worse
 at least 1t seems so to me. am not taking upon me the obligations of that murder. The plain truth is that had we not been involved in this feud the man would have been alive this day. If we go on it will be with increasing ferocity. We shall set passions in mo tion like machine, the force of which is irresistible, the end of which is dis. aster. I ask you to consider that"
 Sheppard turned softly to Montgom. cry. What do you say:" he asked,
 'I agree with what Greatorex says" he answered sturdily. Let us go on and finish the brutes. They've done for Williams. poor chap. It's time we did for them"
 Sheppard burst into gentle laughter, and I. too. could not forbear smiling at the boy's confusion of mind.
 There, you see, Ned" said Sheppard slyly. your eloquence has convinced Montgomery, and I must reluctantly give way. I am all for peace. but" ht sighed. we must needs be governed by the majority in these democratic times"
 "I take your hint" I said quietly. But I am entitled to ask if you have duly considered"
 q have. Ned" said be gravely.. And you. Montgomery
 "I am anxious to go and ready to face the results" replied the lad !. 50 be it." said I. and thereafter ney- CT reverted to the subject. Having once made up my mind that we must go forward, I threw myself into the busi- ness with .slacrity. Sercombe was gone. indeed. we learned that day that the police were searching for him. The treasure also had disappeared. and only Hood remained-silent. docile. civil and, as I knew. implscable- He had deceived Jones 90 deeply that the poor fool imagined the fnnkeeper was bis ally. and I dared not enlighten him for our private reasons. Moreover. I do not think thst he would have paid me any attention He thought he knew