Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-08-10
this business, depend ont.


Really! you we'll know how I can help
MYSELF if you don't walk straight, my
conscientious lad.
Come. none Of your threa;enings-l
can do as much at that even as you can,
am thinking. But as 20 this affair,
freely soy you will be entitled to share
the plunder. let il be as much as it may;
for you first started the project and gave
me the chance. But how. Col. did you
happen to find out tha, the old man made
such a will? You never told me exactly
think
Why. hearing that the old man wa:
confined, and all Others there. who for
merly knew me dead or removed. ven
tured to spend some months in town;
and remaining there till after The old fel
low popped off, when the subject of hi;
family and estate Was good deal talked
of, l happened one day to overhear q
lawyer who drew the will. telling FRIEND
all the particulars. He said Frank had
written home peni,ent letter, informing
his father of his private marriage in the
days of his wild oats, long before he wen,
abroad. and that although his wife died
at the birth Of her first child, yet tina,
child probably was still living. having
been left with some family in The north
par; of New Hampshire, and winding of
by asking the old mans forgiveness, and
hoping he would provide for his child, a
daughter he was told. On which the
old man forgot all his ,emper-threw the
old will. cutting Frank off. into the FIRE
made new one. giving him all his
property except those legacies in case the
girl was alive. afterwards went to the
Registers vtlice myself. and. under some
presence or other got peep at the will
aud found it as heard. Ii was then
knowing Frank would come home from
France as soon as he heard Of his father
death to take possession of his estate.
hunted you up and put you on this scheme
50 as TO have all done before his return.
And all shall be done my precious old
match maker; bu. my very good friends
the money diggers are by this time on the
ground below. and doubtless impatient at
my coming-I must be off. Let's see.
how many Of your salt and water rusted
dollars did We bury there?'
Just thirty, l believe
Five apiece. hey? Zourds! how the
fellows will jump at the sigh, of 'em. ii
they are of domestic MANUFACTURED! that is
if my very worthy friend the devil. don,
frighten 'em out of their senses
Yes, but you had better have heard to
me. Cow. and put them off till the night
before or after you are married. The
fools, am afraid, will go and pass some
of their dollars; and then we stand an
even chance to ge; blown up before you
bring your affair to- a point
Blown up! how? We get five hun
dred dollars of the real tonight, and rs
for what they dug up. we shall not pass
it, ahd who can know where i, comes
from
No, no. but they will some way or 9th
er connect it with you. and if they DO
suspect you, tell you again, ten to one
if it don't blow your marriage into moon
shine
They won't pass it-our plan of Sc
crecy. till they fairly ge, hold of the
treasure. and the next day, under pre-
tence of a short journey, am off with
my wife, you See; and you the same night
as soon as you find me fairly buckled
suppose. But must go-have your dis
guise ready--the phosphorus for the eyes
and mouth Of your mask7 Well. then
come OH pretty soon--get good posi-
tion in the bushes near. and when sing
out--'Tbere's the money--seize il'-
then you-but you will know how TO
manage
With this. Cow. lightiuga small pock-
ct lantern with which both now seemed
to be provided. left the cabin. and May
who sat trembling with apprehension lest
he should come around the corner and
discover her. soon. to her great relief.
heard him let down the ladder and de-
scend. David, after Cows departure
came crawling to the side Of his compan-
ion and now shared with her the creviCe
in observing the movements within The
old man, Oh being left alone, soon sunk
into a deep reverie. and sat so long in
his mute and motionless abstraction tha
his silent and unsupported observers be
gan TO fear that he intended 10 remain
OF that he would fall asleep and thus de-
feat their purpose of searching the inte-
rior. AT last however. rousing up and
shaking off his seeming lethargy, he rose
went back into the cave, and brough,
out the different articles of his disguise
for the part he was about to enact in the
scene below. He then. taking up and
fitting on a frightiul looking mask. turn
ing round, protruding his long neck for
ward. first on one side and then on the
other. as if practicing attitudes and try
ing the most hideoas.'
'Wheugh whu--went David. forcing
out his breath in sort of half whistle
and then suddenly checking himself and
relapsing into silence.
The old man next took from a little
box and rubbed round the small ou,le Il
Tor the eyes and mouth what appeared tr
he whitish substance. but which as the
shade occasionally fell on the face, shont
like fire. Then taking off his coat. roll
ing his shirt sleeves up TO his shoulder.
and barring his neck. he drew some brigh
red ochre several times from ear to ea r
giving his throat the appearance of hav