The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-05-09
CHAPTER vIII-contInued.

the week, relieving Ned, who still oc
cupied the brick shanty, but was plan
ming to hoard at cottage on tbs
Maiopo road.
WintOn hud now reached the poin
where the Immediate sale of the biz
stone had become inevitable. He haC
had quantity Of the blue clay-whicf
is simply the yellow clay before de
mposition-crushed with mallets, an
unsatisfactory process, but useful wheI
the slow process of decomposition can
rot be undergone. This had been
passed through the washing troughs
and picked over. Not a single diamond
had been discovered
Ned could not understand it. If only
few small stones had been found this
would have been an augury for the
future. STILL little could be gagged as
to the resources of the claim from this.
The diamonds might lie compactly at
a lower level. But his need of funds
compelled Winton to enter into nego-
tiations for the sale Of the big stone.
He showed it to one of the jobbers,
who was in Malopo. The man agreed
to advance him fifteen thousand pounds
on it, pending its valuation. The trans
action was to take place on the follow
ing morning.
Winton had had day of intense la
Dor in the compound, looking over the
washings. He flung himself down on
his bed without undressing, and fell
asleep almost as soon as his head
touched the pillow. Once he awakened
with start and, half dreaming still,
Imagined that he heard a horse canter
mp to the compound. Then he fell
asleep again.
But after a while he began TO be
aware of a sense OF oppression and
he struggled in that dim borderland be-
tween sleep and waking, where dream
and reality are inextricably blended.
He felt as If invisible fingers were
clawing at his throat. so that each
breath became an effort For long
time he was unable to shake himself
free from the bonds of sleep. At last
he found that his eyes were open. II
was quite dark, but he fancied that
there was figure in the room, and he
became aware Of an intolerable, sweet,
sickly odor that filed his nostrils.
He must have stirred, for he felt
the hands at his throat again, and was
certain that 1t was not hallucination;
he felt them between periods of uncon-
seriousness that might have been years.
Something damp was against his lips.
Winton recognized the odor as that of
chloroform; and by the faint light of
the moon that came through the little
window he perceived a mans face bent
over his.
He tried to cry for help, but only a
hoarse whisper came from his throat.
and the saturated handkerchief was
clapped over his nostrils.
Then followed absolute unconscious
ness, broken by the distant sound of
revolver shot, and a faint cry Of pain.
Both sounds passed through Winton's
mind as meaningless; but suddenly he
felt hand upon his shoulder, shaking
him.
With a supreme effort he sat up in
bed. The fumes were suffocating. but
he managed to spring to his feet and
stagger toward the window, which had
been opened. Then he saw Sans agi-
tated black face before him.
The man was speaking and trying
to make him understand. Winton
could not gather the import of what
he was saying. He shook himself free
dow, breathing in the desert air. Grad }
lally his situation dawned upon him. Z
"What is 1t, Sam?" he mumbled.
"Mr. Garrett, sir, come to the next :
-oom They've stolen the diamond
was watching, though my job doesn't {
begin till tomorrow. Come, sirl"
Winton stood up. The room had b
,eased to revolve about him, but still 2
swung dizzily before his eyes. The d
noon was still low; it could not have n
,een much past midnight. Eons seemed h
o have passed since Winton had gone
o bed at nine. Y
He made his way toward the door, h
supported by Sans arm. He passed A
through the open doorway 5
The outer door was closed Two Il
nen lay upon the floor against it. One s
vas Rash. the Armenian, stone dead.
With a bullet through his forehead. il
he other was Ned Burns. breathing ly
oislly but unconscious, and his head h
overed with blood from a blow Of the fl
utt of the revolver which lay beside
i'm Il
sam caught at Winton's arm 81 r;
card the shot," he cried. Il was COM nj
ig to watch the claim. l ran, and bl
aw the two of them attacking Mr.. 81
urns He killed one; the other shot
Inn and dragged his body inside and q
,cked the door, / climbed through %
our window and found you uncon- dl
rious from chloroform."
Winton began to take in the situa- az
on. Sam must have alarmed ,he rob- h'
er. who had taken flight without wait b.
lg TO finish Ned Burns. Evidently III
iurder, very dangerous game on in
rltish territory, had formed no part &
( their plans. otherwise he would
ave been killed in his sleep. be