Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-09-24
down on the place where it had disap.

down on the place where it had disap-
peared.
"Rest in peace" he muttered. He pad
died himself ashore, and returned to the
house with a feeling of relief.
1t remained to burn the clothing and
bedding. He first placed a quantity of
dry wood on the hearth, then heaped the
clothing upon it and set fire to the pile.
Next he removed the bedding from the
bedstead. The latter was nothing but a
rough framework of planks, apparently
taken from the barn and nailed together
in a careless fashion.
In taking off the mattress he saw in
the cavity beneath it a small oblong
chest. 1t looked shabby and battered,
and was secured by a double strap, with
a loop attached to fasten it on the shout
ders. 1t must be, Keppel supposed, the
box in which the dead man had kept
his wardrobe. 1t must go on the fire
with the rest.
He laid hold of the strap, to lift the
box out. 1t was unexpectedly heavy.
He took both hands to it and jerked it
up; it came down on the floor with a
bang that Jared the house. "What can
be in it?' said Keppel, pausing to take
breath. Then a thought came to him
that turned him pale and trembling.
What if this should be the chest that
contained the treasure? He had taken
it so for granted that the box was buried
outdoors that this possibility had not
at first occurred to him. But now that
it had occurred to him, it seemed quite
natural. A dying man could not put
his treasure in o safer place than be-
meath his bed. As long as he remained
alive he would know that it was safe.
Now that the critical moment had ar
rived Keppel felt an almost invincible
reluctance to take the next step. The
fear of disappointment, which had hith-
erto seemed insignificant, now dominat-
ed everything else, and Keppel doubted
| whether he could endure to find it CON
firmed. On the other hand, the idea of
success was 50 s~tupendous that he feared
that too.
But, after all, uncertainty was worst
Of all.
With nervous hands he unbuckled the
strap. The key was in the lock and he
turned it. As he lifted the lid he closed
his eyes.
When he opened them he saw some
old flannel shirts, carelessly stuffed into
the box. He threw them out with
feverish impatience. What did he see?
A quantity of wax food arranged in
rows and layers. There were wax
peaches, plums, apples, pears. He thrust
his hand into them, cropping underneath.
There was nothing else but wax fruit in
the box.
With a cry Of rage he grasped a hand
full of the fruit and dashed it ~furiously
on the floor. It broke in flashes and
| CLEANS of rainbow light. Half a dozen
immense diamonds, rubies and sapphires
lay sparkling on the bare boards. There
were scores of thousands of dollars
worth of precious stones in that one
| handful.
Keppel, with q shrill ejaculation,
dropped On his knees on the floor and
picked up one of the gems. 1t was a
huge sapphire, and was still partly en-
bedded in the wax that had covered and
concealed it. He took up another; it
was a diamond. He reached over to the
box and pulled out an apricot. On
breaking it open there was revealed an
emerald as large as an acorn. He picked
up o plum from the bottom of the box.
Within it was another diamond of the
finest water.
He passed his hand over his forehead.
II am the richest man in the world" he
said in a whisper; 1.-The richest man in
the worldr'
He rose to his feet and walked about
the room. He went outdoors and wan
dered about, staring ut the sky, the
earth. the sea. The sun shone. The
air was soft and warm. He spoke his
own name aloud; he repeated parts of
the multiplication table; he recited
verses of poetry. 1t was no delusion; he
was in his right mind; he was awake.
He re-entered the house, and there vas
the box, the wax fruit and the jewels,
just al before. He examined them once
more. They were real, there was &c
mistake. From a helpless ~yagabond and
~outcast, an escaped convict, a man sup
posed 10 be dead, he had in a moment
become a ~hundredfoid millionaire. He
broke into q frantic laugh; he stamped
about the room, tossing up his arms and
shouting. He flung himself down with
his head on the box and burst nto sobs
and tears. When at length he arose
he was calm and pale.
.O1ympia, Olympia!" he said "Tte
world cannot part us. All tins is yours!'
fro BE Continued
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