41 Lure O Gold 1904

My Burden of
Treasure
more than once during
all this, but sat still as a post,
staring out through the darkness.
My roommate for I judged
that it was he
struck his foot against the corner of
my bed, and then I
could feel his leg press the edge of the cover.
Was he
going to try to choke me to death, or stab me in my
sleep, and then take the gold and the key of the box ?
Well, he should not have them without a struggle.
He was so near to me now that I could hear him breathe.
Suddenly my alert ears caught the sound of a sharp
click. I did not fancy that sound in the least, it
could be nothing less
than the cocking of a revolver.
So instead of being choked or stabbed, I was to be shot
or threatened with a pistol.
I pulled the rifle toward
me. If it was to be too close range for firing my weapon,
I could at least give my man the butt.
I heard a scratch and a match burst into a bright
flame before my astonished eyes. Then it was the
clicking of a metal matchbox that I had heard and not
that of a revolver! man saw the candle I had left
My
on the small dry-goods box which served for a table.
He applied the match to the wick, which soon flamed
up, revealing the round and familiar face of Doctor
Philip Quaritch, of Doctor Quaritch, jolly, good-
[15]