Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-17
The Daily
Short Story
A MYSTERIOUS BURIAL IN snx
BY Warren Miller.

In Siam on the banks Of the
Klawng canal. not far from the ctty
OF Bankok, lived Linn Thai In
matched house elevated on posts and
looking more like an Anticipated barn
than anything else. One night Lin
Thai came home from a gamhlinr
house in Bankok--the Siamese besf
the Mexicans in gambling-having lost
what little money he had, and settled
himself to chewing the Detel nut b.
fore turning in ON his straw bed.
While thus engaged, the Juice Of the
betel nut dripping through the OPEN
ing in the floor, Linn looking throush
the crevices in the back Of the house
uttered an exclamation Of surprise
and cunning satisfaction. His abode
though a primitive one, stood in the
vicinity of the residence of Thee Wan
a rich ivory merchant. Linn had very
good eyes and could distinguish dis
tant objects with remarkable clear.
ness.
He saw Thee Wan and h;s wife ens.
rying from the rear of their house
box just large enough to contain lit
tie child. Thee carried the box while
his wife held light. They took the
box to a spot about hundred yards
from their house; Thee dug a hole In
the ground; the box was placed in II,
covered with earth; then the man and
his wife knelt beside the spot, and
they said their prayers This being
finished, Thee led his wife away, she
weeping as though her heart would
break.
Linn Thai was overjoyed. He had
often gazed upon the palatial resi-
dence Of Thee Wan and cursed his
fate in having to live in such . hum
BILE abode as his own while Thee Wan
resided in such splendor. Linn did
not consider that while the merchant
had worked hard for his comforts, he
Uim) had spent his time gambling.
Linn had a lively imagination, and
evolved many explanations Of the Sc
cret burial he had witnessed. This
was his favorite theory: Thee Vans
wife had an orphan nephew, a minor,
who would inherit a large fortune In
elephants. The child had been under
the care Of his aunt. To get posses
sion of the elephants. the couple had
murdered the heir and buried him IN
the rear Of their grounds In the dead
of night.
While Linn was asleep that night he
dreamed that Buddha had appeared to
him and told him that his theory was
correct, and directed him to send /
message to Thee telling him that he
knew his secret and unless he would
send him a hundred tekels (about $Se)
he would inform the kings oflcefs
that he had seen him and his wife
bury their nephew at midnight
Now, while Linn had every conf
dence in his dream and in Buddha, he
would rather have examined the grave
himself and confirmed the theory. un-
fortunately, the grounds Of Thee were
inclosed and guarded by dogs. Lin
would have poisoned the dogs, but the
dog is sacred animal in Siam, and
Linn dared not commit such an un-
holy act. So he proceeded more dis
creetly, obeying Buddha's instructions.
and sent an anonymous letter to Thee
demanding blackmail.
Linn waited a week, and receiving
no reply. he sent another message to
Thee, this time demanding thou
sand tekels for keeping the secret.
Since this produced no effect he kept
on sending demands, till firing Of
threats, he sent on more message
declaring that it was the last, and
that If, the money was not immediate
ly forthcoming he would inform the
kings judicial officers of what be
i had seen.
This, like the rest of Inns mes
sages. not producing any effect. he In
formed the kings chief prosecutor Of
the mysterious burial and awaited the
result. He was soon summoned to
court. where he told the whole story.
including the elephant fortune, which
had been confirmed by Buddha in his
dream.
| The king was very wroth when be
heard of the elephants, for his majesty
has cinch on the elephants in Siam,
and it is hands off by all others. He
sent an order for Thee Wan to appear
Before him and answer to the charge
that had been made against him and
his wife. Thee appeared at the court,
and begged that the king send hh
chamberlain to his house; the grave
| should be opened, and the contents o.
the box exposed.
The same day the chamberlain. Thee
Wan, and his wife, and Lin, with al
| tendants from the court, stood beside
the spot where the burial had taken
place. The grave was opened, the Ia
removed, and there lay the remxns
of little monkey.
Thee explained that it had been |.
pet Of his wife's, that there was no
nephew, no elephant fortune; indeed,
that Lin had coined the story out o.
his brain.
! Linn was taken by the chamberlain
to the king and the results OF the IN
vestigation were given to his mateeU.
Lin begged to be excused for MAKING
a mistake which was very natufsi
one, and the king might have excusee
him on the ground that his theory naa
been confirmed by Buddha hiYsen'
but his majesty was greatly dislv
| pointed at not being able to confiscsis
a herd of elephants to attach to nD
own herd, and consequently not ~
posed to leniency. He ordered ta
to be beheaded, and the poor man. "
stead Of having house over his No.
however imperfect, was consigned =
a home under ground.