.
“‘Itiswell,’heanswered,handingmebackmyfirelock.‘Youseethatwetrustyou,foryourword,likeours,isnottobebroken.Wehavenowonlytowaitformybrotherandthemerchant.’
“‘Doesyourbrotherknow,then,ofwhatyouwilldo?’Iasked.
“‘Theplanishis.Hehasdevisedit.WewillgotothegateandsharethewatchwithMahometSingh.’
“Therainwasstillfallingsteadily,foritwasjustthebeginningofthewetseason.Brown,heavycloudsweredriftingacrossthesky,anditwashardtoseemorethanastone-cast.Adeepmoatlayinfrontofourdoor,butthewaterwasinplacesnearlydriedup,anditcouldeasilybecrossed.ItwasstrangetometobestandingtherewiththosetwowildPunjaubeeswaitingforthemanwhowascomingtohisdeath.
“Suddenlymyeyecaughttheglintofashadedlanternattheothersideofthemoat.Itvanishedamongthemound-heaps,andthenappearedagaincomingslowlyinourdirection.
“‘Heretheyare!’Iexclaimed.
“‘Youwillchallengehim,Sahib,asusual,’whisperedAbdullah.‘Givehimnocauseforfear.Sendusinwithhim,andweshalldotherestwhileyoustayhereonguard.Havethelanternreadytouncover,thatwemaybesurethatitisindeedtheman.’
“Thelighthadflickeredonwards,nowstoppingandnowadvancing,untilIcouldseetwodarkfiguresupontheothersideofthemoat.Iletthemscrambledowntheslopingbank,splashthroughthemire,andclimbhalf-wayuptothegate,beforeIchallengedthem.
“‘Whogoesthere?’saidI,inasubduedvoice.
“‘Friends,’cametheanswer.Iuncoveredmylanternandthrewafloodoflightuponthem.ThefirstwasanenormousSikh,withablackbeardwhichsweptnearlydowntohiscummerbund.OutsideofashowIhaveneverseensotallaman.Theotherwasalittle,fat,roundfellow,withagreatyellowturban,andabundleinhishand,doneupinashawl.Heseemedtobeallinaquiverwithfear,forhishandstwitchedasifhehadtheague,andhisheadkeptturningtoleftandrightwithtwobrightlittletwinklingeyes,likeamousewhenheventuresoutfromhishole.Itgavemethechillstothinkofkillinghim,butIthoughtofthetreasure,andmyheartsetashardasaflintwithinme.Whenhesawmywhitefacehegavealittlechirrupofjoyandcamerunninguptowardsme.
“‘Yourprotection,Sahib,’hepanted,—‘yourprotectionfortheunhappymerchantAchmet.IhavetravelledacrossRajpootanathatImightseektheshelterofthefortatAgra.IhavebeenrobbedandbeatenandabusedbecauseIhavebeenthefriendoftheCompany.ItisablessednightthiswhenIamoncemoreinsafety,—Iandmypoorpossessions.’
“‘Whathaveyouinthebundle?’Iasked.
“‘Anironbox,’heanswered,‘whichcontainsoneortwolittlefamilymatterswhichareofnovaluetoothers,butwhichIshouldbesorrytolose.YetIamnotabeggarandIshallrewardyou,youngSahib,andyourgovernoralso,ifhewillgivemetheshelterIask.’
“Icouldnottrustmyselftospeaklongerwiththeman.ThemoreIlookedathisfat,frightenedface,theharderdiditseemthatweshouldslayhimincoldblood.Itwasbesttogetitover.
“‘Takehimtothemainguard,’saidI.ThetwoSikhsclosedinuponhimoneachside,andthegiantwalkedbehind,whiletheymarchedinthroughthedarkgateway.Neverwasamansocompassedroundwithdeath.Iremainedatthegatewaywiththelantern.
“Icouldhearthemeasuredtrampoftheirfootstepssoundingthroughthelonelycorridors.Suddenlyitceased,andIheardvoices,andascuffle,withthesoundofblows.Amomentlatertherecame,tomyhorror,arushoffootstepscominginmydirection,withtheloudbreathingofarunningman.Iturnedmylanterndownthelong,straightpassage,andtherewasthefatman,runninglikethewind,withasmearofbloodacrosshisface,andcloseathisheels,boundinglikeatiger,thegreatblack-beardedSikh,withaknifeflashinginhishand.Ihaveneverseenamanrunsofastasthatlittlemerchant.HewasgainingontheSikh,andIcouldseethatifheoncepassedmeandgottotheopenairhewouldsavehimselfyet.Myheartsoftenedtohim,butagainthethoughtofhistreasureturnedmehardandbitter.Icastmyfirelockbetweenhislegsasheracedpast,andherolledtwiceoverlikeashotrabbit.ErehecouldstaggertohisfeettheSikhwasuponhim,andburiedhisknifetwiceinhisside.Themanneverutteredmoannormovedmuscle,butlaywerehehadfallen.Ithinkmyselfthathemayhavebrokenhisneckwiththefall.Yousee,gentlemen,thatIamkeepingmypromise.Iamtellingyoueveryworkofthebusinessjustexactlyasithappened,whetheritisinmyfavourornot.”
Hestopped,andheldouthismanacledhandsforthewhiskey-and-waterwhichHolmeshadbrewedforhim.Formyself,IconfessthatIhadnowconceivedtheutmosthorroroftheman,notonlyforthiscold-bloodedbusinessinwhichhehadbeenconcerned,butevenmoreforthesomewhatflippantandcarelesswayinwhichhenarratedit.Whateverpunishmentwasinstoreforhim,Ifeltthathemightexpectnosympathyfromme.SherlockHolmesandJonessatwiththeirhandsupontheirkn