"Well ? " said Evans

" swerved little straight," said Hooker "That was expected "

He turned and looked dim cool shadows silent forest behind them " beat little way up and down the stream come to something "

"You said--" began Evans

"_He said heap of stones," said Hooker

The two men looked at for moment

" try little down-stream first," said Evans

They advanced slowly, looking curiously Suddenly Evans stopped "What the devil's that ? "

Hooker followed his finger "Something blue," It had come into view topped gentle swell ground Then he began to distinguish what

He advanced suddenly with hasty steps, until the body that belonged limp hand and arm had become visible His grip tightened implement he carried The thing figure of Chinaman lying face The _abandon pose was unmistakable

The two men drew closer together, and stood staring silently ominous dead body It lay in clear space trees Near by was spade Chinese pattern, and further off lay scattered heap of stones, close to freshly dug hole

"Somebody here before," said Hooker, clearing his throat

Then suddenly Evans began to swear and rave, and stamp ground

Hooker turned white but said nothing He advanced towards the prostrate body the neck was puffed and purple, hands and ankles swollen "Pah ! " , and suddenly turned away and went towards the excavation cry of surprise He shouted to Evans, who was following him slowly

"You fool ! It's all right It's here still " Then he turned again and looked dead Chinaman, and then again hole

Evans hurried hole Already half exposed ill-fated wretch beside them lay number of dull yellow bars He bent down hole, and, clearing off the soil bare hands, hastily pulled heavy masses out As so little thorn pricked his hand He pulled the delicate spike out fingers and lifted the ingot

"Only gold or lead could weigh like this," exultantly

Hooker was still looking dead Chinaman puzzled

"He stole march friends," at last " here alone, and some poisonous snake has killed him . I wonder how the place "

Evans stood ingot hands What did dead Chinaman signify ? " this stuff mainland piecemeal, and bury it there for while How shall we get it canoe ? "

his jacket off and spread it ground, and flung ingots Presently that another little thorn had punctured his skin

" carry," said he Then suddenly, with queer rush of irritation, " you staring at ? "

Hooker turned to him " 't stand him . " He nodded towards the corpse "It's so like----"

"Rubbish ! " said Evans "All Chinamen are alike "

Hooker looked into his face "I'm going to bury that_, anyhow, before I lend hand stuff "

"Don't be fool, Hooker," said Evans, "Let that mass of corruption bide "

Hooker hesitated, and then his eye went carefully over the brown soil "It scares me somehow,"

"The thing is," said Evans, "what ingots Shall we re-bury them over here, or take them across the strait canoe ? "

Hooker thought His puzzled gaze wandered tall tree-trunks, and up remote sunlit greenery overhead He shivered again as his eye rested blue figure Chinaman He stared searchingly grey depths trees

"What's come , Hooker ? " said Evans " lost your wits ? "

"Let's get the gold out place, anyhow," said Hooker

the ends collar coat hands, and Evans took the opposite corners, lifted the mass " ? " said Evans " canoe ? "

"It's queer," said Evans, had advanced only few steps, "but my arms ache still paddling "

"Curse it ! " "But they ache ! rest "

They let the coat down, Evans' face was white, and little drops of sweat stood out upon his forehead "It's stuffy, somehow, forest "

Then with an abrupt transition to unreasonable anger: " the good of waiting here all the day ? Lend hand, ! You nothing but moon since we saw the dead Chinaman "

Hooker was looking steadfastly at his companion's face He helped raise the coat bearing the ingots, went forward perhaps hundred yards in silence Evans began to breathe heavily "Can't you speak ? "

"What's the matter ? " said Hooker

Evans stumbled, and then with sudden curse flung the coat He stood for moment staring at Hooker, and then with groan clutched at his own throat

"Don't come near me," , and went and leant against tree Then in steadier voice, "I'll be better in minute "

Presently his grip trunk loosened, and he slipped slowly down the stem tree until crumpled heap at its foot His hands were clenched convulsively His face became distorted with pain Hooker approached him

"Don't touch me ! Don't touch me ! " said Evans in stifled voice "Put the gold back coat "

"Can't anything ? " said Hooker

"Put the gold back coat "

As Hooker handled the ingots little prick ball thumb He looked at his hand and saw slender thorn, perhaps two inches in length

Evans gave an inarticulate cry and rolled over

Hooker's jaw dropped He stared thorn for moment with dilated eyes Then he looked at Evans, who was now crumpled together ground, his back bending and straightening spasmodically Then he looked pillars trees and net-work of creeper stems, to where dim grey shadow the blue-clad body Chinaman was still indistinctly visible He thought little dashes corner plan, and in moment he understood

"God help me ! " thorns were similar the Dyaks poison and use in their blowing-tubes He understood now what Chang-hi's assurance safety treasure meant He understood that grin now

"Evans ! " he cried

But Evans was silent and motionless, save for horrible spasmodic twitching limbs profound silence brooded over the forest

Then Hooker began to suck furiously little pink spot ball thumb--sucking for dear life Presently strange aching pain arms and shoulders, fingers seemed difficult to bend Then that sucking was no good

Abruptly he stopped, and sitting down pile of ingots, and resting his chin upon his hands elbows upon his knees, stared distorted but still quivering body companion Chang-hi's grin came into his mind again The dull pain spread towards his throat and grew slowly in intensity Far above him faint breeze stirred the greenery, white petals of some unknown flower came floating down gloom