The Republican journal., 1875-02-18

-lneIe NdSafleS OF uy1ng man, evident
ly," felt almost certain he lied-that he
had discovered an important secret, and
treacherousy intended to profit by the
discovery.
l allowed him to depart without men
tioning my suspicious, but resolved to
keep close watch over all his movements.
When he had gone l took up the stone,
resolved to make final effort to decipher
its meaning "Sidem, Earth''-I repeated
the words over and over Could they pos
sible mean that DeFonville had buried the
diamond beside him in the earth where he
had fallen? He might easily have done
SO before his assassin reached him after
firing the fatal shot. Why hadn't thought
OF that before? At all events, | concluded,
ii the gem was buried there, the secret
rested with me, and my friend, whose
solution OF the enigma was undoubtedly
identical with mine, could never discover
the locality of the tragedy unaded 1t
was his intention, thought likely, to in
siduously CLEAN the locality from me and
eventually possess himself of the mysteri-
Gus diamond.
| remained sitting up that night till
late hour My mind was on the occur
rences OF the day, and, in the midst Of my
reflections, fell asleep. awoke almost
Immediately and sprang to my feet. Some
voice had shouted in my ear
Hurry to Greendale Cemetery
] rushed to the door, opened it and
looked into the hall There was no one
there, and | returned and searched the
apartment. | looked under the bed and
peered carefully into my wardrobe, but |
did not find the author of the strange
iniunction-'' Hurry to Greendale Gene
terry y The words rang IN my ears with
a distinctness that alarmed me. | looked
at the clock-it was nearly twelve. hais-
ing d window, | looked out. The night
was very dark and Il swelling breeze from
the west, with drops of rain, gave promise
OF storm. | sat down and attempted to
forget the circumstances by reading. But
in my ears | heard repeated, again and
again, the words which had awakened me,
and on the page, in glaring capitals that
widened as | looked appeared the start
ling commanG-"Ilurryt TO Greendale Gem
etery -
Il will GO | said aloud 1T is De
Fonville's voice urging me to his grave !"
| went softly down the stairs, and was
soon on the silent street. The lamps We're
all extnguished, and had not been per-
fectlv acquainted with the route, it would
have been folly in me to have attempted
to reach the cemetery in such darkness.
| soon reached the marble arch at the en-
trance, and passed into the silent resting
place Of mortality. Taking the gravelled
path that led by a clrcultous route TO Il
small artificial plateau i'll the heart of the
deeply shaded vale where Del Onvlle was
buried, | cautiously pushed forward !
had nearly a quarter OF a mile to traverse
7 in the total darkness, but | kept persist
emily on, for neither the darkness nor the
depressing influence the awful silence OF
! the place eXerted over me, weakened me
for moment in my resolve to reach the
resting place of my loved friend of other
days | reached the base OF the plateau
and climbed the marble steps. Heaven
what a mad plunge my heart gave as the
shifting light Of lantern and indistinct
forms moving about in that light over Dc
| Fonville's grave, met my eye. They We're
but short distance off, and | saw that
three of the party We're common labOrers,
and We're busy making an excavation.
| The light of the lantern for an instant fell
on the face of the fourth, and revealed the
determined features of my treacherHus
visit? l sat down upon the steps and tried
to solve the mystery, And while sitting
there at the midnight hour, in the very
heart Of the lovely cemetery, with a soul
less theft and his hireIings breaking the
turf above his ashes, Det onville's enigma
became as clear to me rs though its s0lu-
ton had been written in letters OF fire on
the darkness. above me. He had swal-
lowed the diamond
Jumping up. | rushed forward with a
loud CRY. The whole cowardly party
instantly fled, leaving the lantern and
tools with me. The coffin was uncovered.
Breaking its dc cayed tinbers away with
a shovel, | soon exposed the ashes of my
Ill tated friend, and there, shining like the
soul of its former possessor, loath to de-
part from the clay. | found the mysterious
diamond ~
My friend paused, and seeing that l had
taken up the stone and was looking at it
intently, said:
1T now has 4 deeper interest for YOU,
see Is its meaning apparent?"
YES" | replied. 1T lies inside me,
Arth DiamondH What a wonder you
never saw its meaning before" Did you
send the diamond to its address?
Yes, after ascertalning that the party
was still living, forwarded the diamond
to him. together with its strange history
| parted with it without much regret, iol
Of the two stones, | treasure the one YOU
hold in YOUR hand far the most