Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-23
'so,"I thought, -..at last your self posses

SOL thought, lat last your self posses
sion deserts YOU
Feeling sure that the key belonged to him
and that he had dropped it there, said:
THAT did no. belong to the gardener,
did itg"
"No," he ansv ered, almost in whisper;
''that belonged to my father, and to my
grandfather before him."
"Oh! Then IL was among the stolen
jewelryi The rogues dropped it when they
buried or dug up the trunk"
mo; it was not among the stolen. things"
Mr. Hammond replied, in q measured sort of
way There was something about the tone
of his voice which had sadness in it,
thought.
Not liking to watch his discomfort, began
digging energetically. l had not dug far
when tho spade struck something soft and
yielding, yet wit resistance enough to stop
the spade. struck it again, and this time
uncovered what appeared to be cloth, and the
next stroke showed it to DO the sleeve of a
mans coat, with CHASTITY hand protruding
from it.
jumped bach with a cry of horror At
Cuo Situe u sliQll6T EXCLAMATION
escaped Mr.. Ham noud's lips
This is work fo the coroner said l.
And the han gman," added Mr. Ham
mond, in whisper
Ny first thought was of tho missing gar
dener, and belle yed was in the presence Of
the murderer as veil as the murdered Could
it be possible! II So why had he come hero
and let the discovery he mades Moreover,
what motive coull have induced hiIa to kill
the gardenerl These thoughts flashed through
my mind rapidly.
Second though caused me to look more
closely at the deed band Perhaps this was
not the gardener after ell.
No, it was not: most certainly, this hand
never did any work; the fneness Of the skin
and the appearsn nee of the nails plainly
showed that the hand was not that of q work.
ing man.
Without further thought of coroners, be.
gan to dig again, shough very carefully now,
and finally using my hands.
Very soon I uncovered the unfortunate
! mans face.
Great heavens. Was awake or dreaming
some horrible dres MI
here, lying partly buried in the earth,
were the face ard form Of Mr. Hammond.
Eere was Mr.. Hammond dead and buried.
here was Mr.. Hammond standing looking
into his own grave and trembling like an
aspen.
With an effort convinced myself that |
was awake, and not dreaming
This wonderful Likeness accounted for nv
cruel inisjudgrient Of BIr Hammond
Yes; could sec that this man was older
looking than Mr.. Hammond, now that ex-
amiDed his face. Death haa changed 1t
somewhat but could swear to the identity
OF this man and ths man who sat smoking a
cigar on thsrock.
'Who is hep asked, feeling sure Mr..
Hammond could answer me.
My brother"
Killed by the glrdenerl" said.
Yes; fear so, and all for those miserable
jewels. must tsl you ver- sad story, Mr..
Brainard, in order to explain this to you
my poor brother, here, was even more
fond of jewels thar 1, and had remarkable
collection of his own, although mine excelled
his in many particulars Our mother, who
yes, must tell you-died insane, had the
same passion for jewels, and think trans
| uitted it to u.s. have no doubt that my
brother in his mar IA to add my specimens to
his own, bribsd my man-whom he may have
sent here months ago for this purpose-to
assist him. feel ure that John killed him
TO get the jewels. e. wen as the bribe"
Mr.. Hammond's unfortunate brother was
buried in the family lot after a coroner's in
quest, which found that he came TO his death
by the means Of some blunt instrument In the
hands of some one unknown to the jury.
No one save Mr. Hammond and myself
ever knew the mott 70 of the murderer
Nothing was evef heard Of tho gardener or
the Jewels.
Detectives privately employed by Mr. Ham.
mond reported that q man answering to his
description sailed for England in an English
bark which never arrived. Probably she
foundered at ssa, Carrying down the gar
dsner and Mr. Hanlmond's jowels Chicago
Herald