d close at his heels, bounding
like a tiger, the great black-bearded Sikh, with a knife flashing in
his hand. I have never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant.
He was gaining on the Sikh, and I could see that if he once passed me
and got to the open air he would save himself yet. My heart softened
to him, but again the thought of his treasure turned me hard and
bitter. I cast my firelock between his legs as he raced past, and he
rolled twice over like a shot rabbit. Ere he could stagger to his feet
the Sikh was upon him, and buried his knife twice in his side. The man
never uttered moan nor moved muscle, but lay were he had fallen. I
think myself that he may have broken his neck with the fall. You see,
gentlemen, that I am keeping my promise. I am telling you every work
of the business just exactly as it happened, whether it is in my favor
or not."

He stopped, and held out his manacled hands for the whiskey-and-water
which Holmes had brewed for him. For myself, I confess that I had now
conceived the utmost horror of the man, not only for this cold-blooded
business in which he had been concerned, but even more for the somewhat
flippant and careless way in which he narrated it. Whatever punishment
was in store for him, I felt that he might expect no sympathy from me.
Sherlock Holmes and Jones sat with their hands upon their knees, deeply
interested in the story, but with the same disgust written upon their
faces. He may have observed it, for there was a touch of defiance in
his voice and manner as he proceeded.

"It was all very bad, no doubt," said he. "I should like to know how
many fellows in my shoes would have refused a share of this loot when
they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains.
Besides, it was my life or his when once he was in the fort. If he had
got out, the whole business would come to light, and I should have been
court-martialled and shot as likely as not; for people were not very
lenient at a time like that."

"Go on with your story," said Holmes, shortly.

"Well, we carried him in, Abdullah, Akbar, and I. A fine weight he
was, too, for all that he was so short. Mahomet Singh was left to
guard the door. We took him to a place which the Sikhs had already
prepared. It was some distance off, where a winding passage leads to a
great empty hall, the brick walls of which were all crumbling to
pieces. The earth floor had sunk in at one place, making a nat