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"'For a long ti what I should do My first impulse was, of course, to call for assistance; but I could not but recognize that there was every chance that I would be accused of his ash in his head, would be black against ing out some facts about the treasure, which I was particularly anxious to keep secret He had told one There seemed to be no necessity why any soul ever should know
"'I was still pondering over theup, I saw my servant, Lal Chowdar, in the doorway He stole in and bolted the door behind him "Do not fear, Sahib," he said "No one need know that you have killed him Let us hide him away, and who is the wiser?" "I did not kill him," said I Lal Chowdar shook his head and smiled "I heard it all, Sahib," said he "I heard you quarrel, and I heard the blow But my lips are sealed All are asleep in the house Let us put hih to decide me If my own servant could not believe ood before twelve foolish tradesmen in a jury-box? Lal Chowdar and I disposed of the body that night, and within a few days the London papers were full of the mysterious disappearance of Captain Morstan You will see from what I say that I can hardly be blamed in the matter My fault lies in the fact that we concealed not only the body, but also the treasure, and that I have clung to Morstan's share as well as to my own I wish you, therefore, to make restitution Put your ears down to my mouth The treasure is hidden in--' At this instant a horrible change came over his expression; his eyes stared wildly, his jaw dropped, and he yelled, in a voice which I can never forget, 'Keep him out! For Christ's sake keep him out!' We both stared round at thebehind us upon which his gaze was fixed A face was looking in at us out of the darkness We could see the whitening of the nose where it was pressed against the glass It was a bearded, hairy face, ild cruel eyes and an expression of concentrated malevolence My brother and I rushed towards the , but the one When we returned to my father his head had dropped and his pulse had ceased to beat