The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-04-27

within half an hour. And, my dear
sir, considering the relative value of
my word and yours, | think 1t must be
confessed you have the better of the
bargain"
l thought for a moment. every
well, then," said !, $50 be ii; but if you
fail"
81 know what happens replied he.
With that he blew note or two on
his flute, took it to pieces and care
fully bestowed it in the tails Of his
coat. put away my pistol in mine.
'Do you mind shoulderng that
spade and pickaxe and following mef'
he asked. | took them up in silence.
He drained his glass and put on his
hat.
"Now, | think we are ready. Stop
moment"
He reached across for the glass
which | had emptied, took it mp gin
gerly between thumb and fore6nger
and tossed IL with crash on TO the
hearthstone. He then did the same to
my pipe, after first swapping the stem
into halves. This done, he blew out
the candle and with great gravity led
the way down the staircase. / should
cred the tools and followed, while my
heart hated him with a fercer spite
than ever.
We passed down the crazy stairs
and through the kitchen. The candles
we're still burning there. As my com
panion glanced at the supper table,
Him." he said, "not bad beginning
of new leaf. My friend, will allow
YOU exactly twelve months to get
hanged"
made no answer, and we stepped
out into the night The moon was
now up and the high road stretched
like like white ribbon into the gloom.
The cold wind bore up few heavy
clouds from the Northwest, but for the
most part we could see easily enough.
We trudged side by side along the
road in silence, except that | could
hear my companion every now and
then whistling softly to himself.
AS we drew near to the -Four Holed
Cross and the scene of the murder
confess to an uneasy feeling and de
sire to get past the place with all pos
sible speed. But the lawyer stopped
by the very spot where the coach was
overturned and held up finger as if
to call attertion. 1t was a favorite
trick of bis with the jury. .I
| "This is where the jeweler lay. Some
fifteen yards off there was another pool
of blood. NoS the jeweler must have
dropped instantly, for he was shot
through the heart. Yet no one doubt
ed but that the other pool of blood
was his. Fools !"
| With this he turned off the road at
right angles and began to strike rapidly
across the moor. At first | thought he
was trying to escape me, but he allow.
ed me to catch him up rapidly enough.
and then / knew the point for which
he was making. followed doggedly.
Clouds began to gather over the moou's
face and every now and then l STUN.
bled heavily on the uneven ground,
but he moved along nimbly enough
and even cried "shoo!" in a sprightly
voice when startled plover flew up
before his feet. Presently, after we
had gone about 500 yards on the heath,
the ground broke awayi in little hol-
low, where rough track led down to
the lime kilns and the thlnly wooded
stream that washed the valley below
We followed this track for ten minutes
or so, and presently the masonry OF
the disused kilns peered out, white iu
the moonlight, from between the trees
There were three of these kllns
standing close together beside the path
but my companion, without hesitation
pulled up almost beneath the very arch
of the first, peered about, examined
the ground narrowly and then motion
ed TO me.
"Dig here"
'If we both know well enough what
is underneath, what is the use of dig
ging?'
Il very much doubt if we do sale
he. "You had better Dig
/ can feel the chill creeping dowI
my back as write of it; but at th.
time, though l well knew the grizzly
sight which was to discover, | iul
away steadily enough. The man who
had discovered my secret set himself
down on a dark bank of ferns as abou
ten PAGES distance and began to whistl,
-oltly, though | could see his fng r,
fumbling with his coat-tails, as though
they itched to be at The flute agaiu.
| The moons rays shone titfully upor
the white face of the kiln and lit u,
my work. The little stream rushed
noslly below. And so, with this hate
tul watcher, | barred to the light o
heaven the remains of the conrad,
whom, almost five months before,
had murdered and buried there. How
III had then cursed my luck becaus,
forced to hide bis corpse away befor,
could return and search for the dia
mond had failed to find upon his body
But as | tossed the earth and Inn,
aside, and discovered my handiwork
the moons rays were suddenly caugh
and reflected from within the pit, au,
| fell forward with a short gasp of de
light.
| For there, kindled by her broa,
glory into countless shafts and point
of color-violet, green, yellow an,
ferest red-lay the missing damon
, among the bones of the man who ha
committed murder to possess it, an
had been murdered for its sake. A
l olutohed the glorious gem blac
shadow fell between the moon and IN,
| looked up. My companion wa
standing over me with the twinkle sti
in his eye and the flute in his hand.
, "You were fool not to guess ths
, he had swallowed it. / hope you ar
satisfied with the bargain, As we ar
not, l trust, likely TO meet again i
this world, | will here bid you adie,
though possibly that is scarcely tn
word 10 use. | owe you a debt t.
night for having prevented me fror
committing a crime. You saw that
/ had the spade and pickaxe ready in III
cottage. We'll, | confess | lusted fc
| thaa nam and / ..,oa -. a 1.