The Union and journal., 1870-01-21

Rosanna's mysterious employment OF the
nighttime, with her door locked and her
candle burning till the morning-Rosan-
mas suspicious purchase Of the japanned
tin case and the two dogs chains from
Mrs. Yolland-the sergeant's positive
conviction that Rosanna had hidden some-
thing ut the Shiyering Sand, and the SER
geant's absolute ignorance rs to what that
, something could be-nll these strange re-
suits Of the abortiye inquiry into the loss
of the Moonstone, were clearly present TO
me again when we reached the quicksand
and walked out together on the low ledge
of rocks called tho South Spit.
i With Bettercdge's help ] soon stood In
the right position to see the Beacon and
the Coastguard flagstaff in line toscth-
or. Following the memorandum rs our
guide, we next laid my stick In the neces-
sary direction, rs nearly rs we could, on
the uneven surface OF the rocks. And
then we looked at our watches once more.
It wanted nearly twenty minutes yet OF
the turn of the tide. suggested waiting
through this interval on tho beach, instead
of on the wet and slippery surface OF the
rocks. Having reached the dry sand, l
prepared to sit down; and, greatly to my
surprise, Betteredgc prepared to leave
me. H., ,.
what are you going away for'' I ask
cd.
Look at your letter again. sir, and you
will Sec" ..,Eh1f = % Hla
A glance Mt the letter reminded me that
was charged, when 1 made my discov-
| cry. to make it alone, ' .sH.
ITS hard enough for me to leave you
mt such q time rs this said Betteredge.
But she died dreadful death, poor soul,
and l feel kind of call on me, Mr.. Frank
lin, to humor that fancy Of hers. Besides,
he added. confdcntially, there's nothing
in the letter Against your letting out the
secret aflerward. III hang about in the
fir plantation, and wait till you pick me
up. Don't be longer than you can't help.
sir. The detective.fevcr isn't an easy dis
ease to deal with, under these circum-
stances.' ..~ .r r|
With that parting caution he left me.
The interval Of expectation, short rs 1t
was when reckoned by the measure of
time, assumed formidable proportions
when reckoned by tho measure of s,,s-
pense. This was one of the occasions on
which tho invaluable habit of smoking
becomes especially precious and consola-
tory. lit cigar, and sat down on the
slope of the beach.
The sunlight poured Its unclouded
beauty on every object that ! could see.
The exquisite freshness of the air made
the mere act of living and breathing q
Injury. Even the lonely little bay well
coined the morning with show of cheer
/ ftllness and the barred wet surface of tho
quicksand itself. glittering with golden
brightness, had the horror OF Its false
brown face under passing smile. 1t
was the finest day I had seen since my re-
turn TO England.
The turn of the tide camo before my
cigar was finished. saw the prelimi-
nary heaving of tho Sand, and then tho
awful shiver that crept over Its surface
rs IL some spirit of terror lived and moved
and shuddered in tho f,thomlcss dceps be-
meath. threw away my cigar and went
back again to the rocks.
Ny directions in tho memorandum in.
structcd me to feel along the limo traced
by the stick, beginning with tho end which
was nearest to the beacon.
I advanced in this manner more than
halfway along the stick, without cncoun-
tcring any thing but the edges of tho
rocks. An inch or two further on, how
ever, my patience was rewarded. In q
narrow little fssure, Just within reach of
my forelinger. felt the chain. Attempt
ing, next, to follow 1t by touch in the di-
rection of the quicksand. l found my pro-
gress stopped by thick growth of ses-
weed-which had fastened itself into the
fissure, no doubt, in the time that had
elapsed since Rosanna Spcarman had
chosen her hiding place. & ONO 81
1t was equally impossible to pull up tho
sea-weed or to force my hand through 1t.
After marking tho spot Indicated by the
end of the stick which was placed nearest
to tho quinksand, l determined topursue
the search for the chain on plan of my
own. Ny idea was to 'sound" imme-
diatcly under the rocks, on the chance of
recovering the lost trace of tho chain ut
which it entered the sand. took up the
stick and knelt down on the brink of the
South Spit. 'Irf ....F ..... ..
| In this position my face was within q
few feet Of the surface of the quicksand.
The sight of II so near me, still disturbed
at intervals by It's hideous shivering I'll,
shook my nerves for the moment. A hor-
rible fancy that the dead woman might
appear on the scene of her suicide to as
sist my search-an unutterable dread OF
seeing her rise through the heaying sur
face OF the sand and point to tho place
forced itself into my mind. and turned me
cold in the warm sunlight, l own ! closed
my ewes Mt the moment when the point OF
the stick first entered the quicksand.
The instant afterwartl, before the stick
could have been submerged moro than u
few inches, was free from the hold of my
own superstitiOus terror, and was throb-
bing with excitement from head to foot.
Sounding blindfold, Mt my first attempt-
Mt that first attempt had sounded right !!
The stick struck the chain.
Taking firm hold Of tho roots OF the
sca-weed with my LEFT hand, / laid myself
down over the brink, and felt with my
right hand under the oycrhanging edges
Of tho rock. My right hand found the
chain.
/ drcw II up without the slightest diff
Guilty. And there was the japanned tin
case fastened to the end of II.
The action of the water had so rnsted
the chain that 1t was impossible for mo to
nnElstcn it from the hasp which attached
II to the case. Putting the case between
my knees, and exerting my utmost
strength. contrivedto draw of the cover.
Some white substance filled the whole In
terror whenI looked in. I put in my
hand aud found it to bc linen. -. e.
In drawing out the linen / also drew
out letter crumpled up with 1t. Aftcr
looking ut the direction, and discovering
that itborc my name, put the letter In my
pocket and completely removed tho linen.
1t came out in n thick roll, moulded Of
course. to tho shape ofthe case in which
1t had been so long confined, and perfectly
preserved from any injury by the sea.
l carried the linen to the dry sand Of the
Ibeach, and there unrolled and sn,oothcd