The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1912-03-01

wondering how l made him speak at
ALL"
That's the true word for ye."
az threatened to cut off his silly pig
tail and send him naked and dishonor-
ed to the ghostly halls of his ances-
tors. It's wonderful how much those
callous brutes dote on that decora-
ton. 1 told him further, that if he
lied, when I found it out I'd return
and shave him bald as an egg, even If
he were dead by that time. So per-
suaded the truth from him, the whole
story-from his side Of it"
I'm listening. :"
"He confessed he was in the pay
like these chaps we're after now-of
highly respectable Chinese merchant
and head of one of the LONESOME OF
the richest men in Rangoon, who, 1t
seems, was also after that ruby. l
can't imagine what he wanted Of it,
but that'll come out, probably; the
mans rich enough to buy dozens OF
stones as fine. However l
gather he'd laid his plan far ahead.
The coolies intimated you'd been
watched all the way from Bombay. At
all events, the brutes were ready
when you arrived; Sypher was a
doomed man from the moment you
handed over the Pool of Flame. They
surrounded his house this night, COM
ing up from the river, just as soon as
it was dark enough to conceal their
actions. Then they found a third ele-
ment in the business-yOur friend Des
Trebes, all unsuspicious of them, lurk-
ing on the veranda and watching Sy-
pher through the window. So they
waited to see what he was up to. And
pretty soon they found out Sypher
came downstairs, went to the safe and
opened it; presume he had the stone
in his hand, ready to put away. While
he was standing there the Frenchman
slipped up behind and stabbed
him, annexing the stone and leav-
ing the way he got in. The in
slant he stepped off the veranda the
Chinese got him; but he managed to
scream before they could silence him
and drew the attention of the house
hold, Miss Pynsent, your wife and the
servants. So to cover things up they
had to gather them all in. The serv-
ants were killed-there were three OF
them-and the women :"
Neither man spoke for a time. Then
Couch resumed.
This coolie was an outsider-a
servant of the merchant's-not one
of the junk gang; so he stayed ashore,
and thought it would be fine young
scheme to return and do little loot
ed the head Office to arrest that
cursed merchant and confiscate his
house and goods and detain anybody
they could catch connected with him.
The nets well enough laid, and l
think
The lights of the city became Wis
IDLE, strung along the right bank of
the river as the launch rounded a
bend. Couch swung the little boat
out into midstream. "Half-speed,
Wheeler" he said, adding to O'Rourke:
I've got to pick out that junk. l pre-
sumo the right one will have all sail
set and be moving downstream with
the tide; It's just on the turn now
and fortunately there's no wind worth
mentioning. / wish l could
see something of the other launch
He peered anxiously into the obscur
ity ahead. IF there were only star
! light" he complained bitterly
Stand by, Wheeler, to stop the motor
Well drop alongside with the current
as quietly as we can. Colonel
O'Rourke, will you get forward and
| take the boathook and headwarp
please; I'm needed at the wheel and
Wheeler at the engine until we make
fast"
Cautiously the Irishman rose, took
the boathook Couch offered him, and
crept out upon the narrow triangle Of
deck at the bows. Crouching there
he found the headwarp and waited
tense with anxious expectancy, star
| ing ahead in futile effort to penetrate