"Ah, well," cried I, "you may think better of it when you are choking; now you two hold him fast, and take the bag off his shoulders." They did so. I threw the roomal about his neck, and tightened it till he was almost choked: he made several attempts to speak, and at last I relaxed my hold a little; but he could not utter a word--fear of death had paralyzed his powers of utterance. "Give him some water," said I, "it will wash down his fright." He took it, and fell at my feet, and implored me to spare him. I spurned and kicked him. "Where is the treasure?" I said: "you have felt the tightening of the roomal once, beware how you risk it again: where is the treasure?" "Promise to let me live and I will tell," cried the Bhutteara, trembling in every limb. "I will promise," said I; "you shall remain here, and I will send people to bring it; you well know we have no time for delay, and if you trifle with us you know the result--you have already half felt it." "Where is Motee-ram? he knows the spot." "Liar! I know it not," cried Motee, stepping forward; "do you wish to make me out to be a participator in your base gains?" "You know the spot," continued the Bhutteara, "but you do not know that there is aught there; you remember the old hollow mango-tree on the other side of the town, where you left the last share I got from Ganesha?" "I do."----"Well, then, you must dig in the hollow of the trunk; about a cubit deep you will find all I have--gold, silver, and ornaments." "Now," said I, "villain, I have kept my word, you _shall_ remain here; the grave is dug which shall hold thee, and has been ready for hours: I swore that I would spit on thy beard before morning, and Bhowanee, whose votaries thou hast bullied and threatened, has delivered thee into my hands:" and I spat on him; all the men who were near me did the same. "Again," cried I, "hold him fast, and bring the tobacco." He knew the fatal jhirnee, and struggled to be free; but he was a child in the power of those who held him--in an instant more he was dead! "Off with you, Motee!" cried I; "take ten men and go to the spot he mentioned; he may have told the truth, and we shall be the richer for it; then will many a man cry 'Wah! Wah!' when he hears of this deed." The body was taken away and buried, the grave was smoothed over and beaten down, the place plastered over, some fire-places made, and fires lighted to blacken them, and our work was concealed. Now did not that villain deserve his fate, Sahib? To my perception, his cold-blooded work was far worse than our legitimate proceedings; and as for his treachery, he paid the forfeit of it. It was a fearful revenge, said I; but you spoilt the justice of it by your vile love of plunder. Why should you have promised him his life, and then have murdered him? that was base. I did not promise it to him; I said he should remain where he was, and he did remain--ay, he is there now.