The Washington times., 1912-08-17
CHAPTER Nv (Continued).

CHAPTER Nv (ContinueG.
<tTHEY are all here" said the
Hindu, looking up from his
examination of the glittering
NJ .. stones; ,,''sixty-three in all.
There There were sixty-three stones in the
emphasis. "one and twenty apiece
there was: Now that Stefano is in ouod
reckon he don't count. That'il make
.nlry-two, or threabouts, for you, and
do with emp
leave that to me-" said Lal Dass.
we we must turn them to the best ad-
We've risked something for ,em."
muttered Lindsay. "If ia foreseen all
that's happened since we pinched 'em.
! don't know that would have had
ausht TO do with 1t. There was ship
wreck,that was bad enough. and like
wise the worry about that Internal boy,
not knowing what had become of II.
Ihen there was starvation-which was
Si,s worse, = man man not being, built to, go
And now there's bloody murder"
La pass held up a warning hand
Hush, he said; some words should
not be said. Come, let us put these
box. That out of the way there will
Pc no link between us and the pawn
nave squlnt at 'em first,
san Lindsay. He sprang to his feet,
came to Lal Dass's side. and bent over
the table to stare at the gems
.., Mighty fine shinersr he exclaimed.
Lord, they must be worth a pot of
money! wish we had 1t ali turned into
golden sovereigns."
That shall come" said Lal Dass. He
produced small bag and began plac-
ae again ss he in dd IT. sSun'n so hndsas ns
watched him, standing erect at his side
A sudden temptation flashed into
Lindsay's mind: He looked down and
slight, 1.-THE, almost fragile, presented to
him as Lal Dass busted himself with
the gems.
How easy it would be to drive HIS
brown skin beneath into the mans
heart! He saw the exact spot there
little out Of the way of the shoulder
blade. 1t would be done in a second
his belt
Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eight
Gen. counted Lal Dass In low. purring
tones: Nineteen. twenty. twenty-one,
The knife flashed into the air and
buried itself, backed by the full
strength of the sailors heavy arm, In
the Hindu's body.
Lal Dass groaned deeply and sank
over the table. covering the glittering
stones and striking the brass bound box
A squirt Of blood shot up through the
edges Of the wound that gaped round
the knife, and began slowly to dye the
clothing
Lindsay stepped back, holding his
breath. His eyes were fixed on the body
seouslS wn he threw ssef in al s
tude Of defense, as though he expected
the dead man to. revivify suddenly and
lead upon him. Not until a moment had
gone by did he relax. Then 1t was with
wafChful SlnWnpaa q he
yet certain that the blow had done Its
work.
At last. with long sigh. he moved.
shaking himself, and stretched forth a
hand to touch his victim. He put fin
ger on the Hindu's shoulder. 1t seemed
to him that the flesh was already stiff
fening in the embrace ,t,,a Of death 3,o,d He
about him with vague stare of Won
der at his surroundings.
So far he scarcely comprehended that
he had just killed the man to whom he
had been talking only a few minutes
earlier.
The sharp cry of cat in the square
without reused him from his partial
feverish energy. He snatched the little
bag from the dead mans fingers and
began to hurry the gems into It. When
he had secured them he tied up the
mouth and crammed the bag into his
pocket.
Then he turned to the door. but on the
threshold looked back. The knife! lie
must not leave 1t there-nor the brass
bound box-they were links In the chain
that must not be forged-he must take
away both of them. He drew near the
body step by step.
mans coat was widening. He wondered
what would happen II he withdrew the
knife. Would the blood squirt over him!
1t would not do to be marked with
biod people had such suspicious minds
At last with an effort, he laid hold
Of the handle and withdrew the place
from the body with averted eyes. lie
the box That stood open on the table.
with the shallow tray which forced Its
bottom lying at its side. He slippeI
the tray into position IN. again hg rhn1 ana
ne huddled the box under his coat ana
made for the door.
He turned once more and looked
back at the dead man lying doubled up
across the table. The light still sput-
tered and guttered al his side. Hold
ing the door in one hand Lindsay
stretched forward and blew It out
A. great borrow came over him as tte
darkness fell. and he opened the door
wide and fled into the square and up
seemed to ring with the curious sound
plunged into the dead mans back.
The lights in the street revived him.
There was a certain friendliness in
their glare. There were not many peo-
pie about. and he half paused under
lamppost and looked at his hands.
There was no blood on them, nor on
his clothes, so far as he could see, and
he heaved an unconscious sigh OF relief.
He walked on, farther and farther
away from the scene of his crime, and
at last, coming to public house, he
walked boldly In and called for liquor
CHAPTER v.