just now.... With my
bull's-eye propped up on a sand-encrusted box I am noting down
some things that must not be forgotten.... While trying to find a
passageway out of this hole in the ground we gyrated back and forth
for the last two or three hours until the women became exhausted....
Then my 'prisoner' and I returned to the mouth of the entrance. There
we heard a horrible row between the unruly brute we left on the
floor and his wild-eyed fellow conspirators.... They accused him
of DOUBLE-CROSSING THEM and making away with the treasure that they
insisted should be _theirs_!

"... He insisted that there was NO treasure EXCEPT the JEWEL he
apparently was exhibiting.... We could hear, quite distinctly, a
sullen voice saying: 'I do not believe you; you are trying to steal
the whole of it!... We'll give you ten minutes to produce ALL you have
hid away, and if you don't do it, we'll fill your body so full of lead
that your rotten carcass won't float in the Kolunda.'... The culprit
replied: 'Let me explain. You remember that I was suspecting that
_interloper_ when I insisted on watching him; well, my suspicions were
correct,--he was a TRAITOR to our cause. He was planning to steal away
with his precious gang when I covered them with my pistol. Then when
I had the drop on them I made them open all of their trunks and boxes.
Nothing was found. I felt sure they were holding out on me, so I took
a shot at the kid. The interloper made a dive at me. I knocked him
down with that chair there.... then in my rage I emptied my pistol
into the hearts of the whole gang.... that's all there's to it.'...
'He's lying!' 'Traitor!' 'Betrayer!' 'Down with the thief!' flew
back and forth from one to another above our heads.... Then in a more
subdued voice we heard 'Hist! _Silence_! Some one is coming!' A
moment later I heard distinctly the unmistakable growl of my hero of
Gallipoli overhead demanding, 'WHAT HAVE YOU CUTTHROATS DONE WITH
OUR PRISONERS?' ... There was a _silence_ that could be felt.... None
offered an explanation that I could hear.... 'Why don't you answer?'
thundered Gallipoli.... There was an unmistakable murmur.... 'Don't
YOU try to slide out of this, you COWARD! I'll hold _every one_ of you
responsible for this! _Where's my lieutenant_?'... He _means_ ME....

"'Out in the yard,' I heard one of them reply.... 'Go and tell him
to report here AT ONCE!'... Poor devil! the humor of this whole
situation is displayed in the tragi