The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-12-18

The sound was a relef, and presently
the long and suggestive box was in the
counting-room of Gafey & Co. After
its reception Mark dismissed the dray-
man, after whom he locked the door,
and, returning to the LITTLE room, took
up form!able-looking screNdriver.
But he did not attempt to use the in
strument until he had spelled aud re-
spelled his name on the box. There
were the letters that spelled Mark
Compton, and they we're arranged In
proper order. The lid of the box was
well held down by screws, and at last
the little shining heads received the
clerks attention. Having dotted bis
coat, the young man stopped down to
work with will and in silence. The
screws came out without noise; but the
sweat dropped from the workers brow.
Mark Comptons face was white and
almost expressionless, and he never re-
novel his eyes from his work
At last the last screw was drawn,
and the lifting of the lid revealed a
handsome metallic coffin.
AT the sight of this the confidential
clerk of Gaffey & Co. started back,
saying in voice very husky now &:
"A corpse it is, by heavens -
He placed the lid in one corner of the
room and returned to the coffin in the
oblOng box.
But over it he hesitated, while his
hands itched to unscrew the lid that his
eyes might fall upon the face of The
dead The coffin was extremely large;
it II measured at least six feet in length,
and the clerk thought he could lie down
and roll over in it with ease-it was SC
wide
Until the lifting of the lid of the box
Compton had pictured to himself the
cold but beautiful face of young girl,
pillowed in the case ;'but when the di.
mensions of the coffin greeted mis- eye,
such thoughts vanished, and he felt in
clined to pursue them with laugh.
But at last he again fell to the work
Of revealing the dead face of his con.
signment, and he heard the ticking OF
his watch while he worked OIL the sill
yer. headed screws.
The minutes were such that MARI
Compton would not live over again fol-
the world; and when he put aside tht
steel scrsw-driver, he drew sigh o.
relief.
Slowly the heavy lid was lifted ant
what did he see?
A white fabric, seemingly very fine
and underneath the faint contour of {
face heaveuward turned.
"rhis is mystery of the dead," salt
aIn lao al
from the concealed face. "I've Mint
to SHUT the thing up again and get JohI
to cart it back to the Condor. 1T ism
mine, ! know it isn't, and the sight o
the face under the sheet may haunt IN
through lifel''
But talk and argue as he might. Mari
! Compton could not overcome his curl
psity aud unable to restrain himself
he rent over the coffin and his finger
gently touched the shroud.
Slowly he lifted it, and saw u fac
that seemed to grin at him with all tn
facial humor of circus clowns.
Instantly the sheet was dropped, an,
the clerk started back with a gasp O
horror.
There was no mistaking the fact tina
the mystery Of the grinning dead fac
had frightened Mark Compton.
After a long while hs crept towar
the coffin again,
The shroud in falling from his hand
had left the face partly uncovered, an
while STOPPING TO remove it altogether
an exclamation fell from his lips.
9 Corpse, the dickens - lie cried
"It's some of Colby's doings. I'd tos
gotten him!"
The next moment Mark Compton
hands seized the laughing face, and ha
flung it across the room.
Where IL had lain was q letter, liftin
which the clerk caught sight of the illu
minated ends of several cigar boxes.
The coffin was filled with the bes
brands Of Havana cigars.
" Luke Colby, I'll pay you for this
it takes century Of scEeming," ejac
ulated Compton calling to mind tn
jovial member of the Southern brsnc
Colby.
! Undoubtedly at that very moment
in some rich parlor in New Otleans h
was laughing over liis hoax.
"I'll plan my revenge in the smok
of his cigars, "saii Gatfey G. Co. IS conf
Dental clerk. "If they kill me the
cannot torture me more than they hay
already. This is the ghaStliest joke o
record. Confound you, Luke Colby
may your grandfather Unexpectedly
visit you some day in his wooden doub
let I"
The next morning Gaffey & Co.. dis
covered the joke,a the counting roor
rung with oOisterous merIiment.
The laugh was on Compton, and tn
poor fellow, putting fuEiousIy on a ci
gar, swore revenge on the inyeterat
joker who had frightened him " aimos
out of his boots"
Whether the tables were ever turne
on Colby do not know ; but hav
told, as best could, tie story vf tn
COndOr's Manifest.
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