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Page 216

| whereabouts of that chest you hid. Think so, Ashton?" |

| Ashton frowned from Crispin to Rufus. "I damn well know so," he said flatly. "But you're here to help me keep it a secret, aren't you, mates?" |

| "Aye," Crispin said. |

| Rufus's eyes became anxious. "When are you goin' to show us where you hid it, Ashton?" he asked. "When are you goin' to dig it up?" |

| "It's not in my plans ever to touch that damnable chest," Ashton grumbled. "It's best kept away from those who might squander it." |

| "If Silas Howland ever gets well enough to travel again and hears where you are, he'll come and force you to tell," Crispin said solemnly. |

| "I doubt that," Ashton said. "He would be a condemned man for sure, if he ever got possession of the chest that I stole from his premises. That would be all the proof I needed to point an accusing finger at him." |

| "Maybe he wouldn't care," Rufus interjected. "Since you wounded him, he ain't fit for much, anyhow. I'd think he'd take a chance of trying to get the chest back, at least to enjoy for his final days on this earth." |

| Ashton laughed. "Rufus, I may have wounded Superintendent Howland, but I'm sure he's far from being on his death bed," he said. "I would say that being accused and condemned of cheating the people of Melbourne out of thousands of dollars would assure his demise quicker than anything." |

| Rufus shrugged. "Aay, I'm sure you're right," he mumbled. |

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