Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-04-16
CHAPTER XXI

There was one thing about the sepul-
cher which perhaps l have failed to re-
mark to you, and as this will presently
come before the reader, the sooner this
is told the better the sequence will be I'M
derstood.
1t was more than the ordinary tomb,
being some ten feet square, back of which
were a number of holes looking like large
Dutch ovens.
These inches were intended each to hold
a coffin.
Two of them were sealed up, but there
were several still yawning open.
On one side were about four old boxes
with lids upon them.
They were shipping eases for collins
that had been tumbled in here at odd
times.
Wehad been seated upon one Of them
while engaged in conversation.
When we sprang TO the entrance of
the tomb, and opening the door, peeped
up over the top of the steps, our eyes
were at once attracted by 4 moving
light.
1t was close to the ground, and APP
peared at intervals from behind tombs
and gravestOnas so thickly planted here.
"A lanterni" ventured.
ayes; there can be no doubt of that,
and moving this way"
Looking closer ! could see figures be-
hind the party who carried the lantern.
a sudden suspicion flashed through my
mind that the officers whom we had given
the slip earlier in the night had tracked
US TO the old walled-in cemetery, and that
they were advancing to seize their prey.
This thought gave me a shock. Be
fore l could communicate the idea to
Cain he had spoken again.
~By Jove! a night burial, Joslyn."
"NOu don't mean it?n
swell, 1 got a glimpse just then of
men carrying coffin. LoOki"
Sure enough; they We're so close now
that as the view was no longer inter
rupted and the lantern held a little
higher, we could see four men following
the leader, holding a coffin between
them.
~Are they taking it to the dead-house?"
1 asked, quickly.
Il don't think so. The place seemed
full. Besides, it don't lie in this direc-
ton"
"They are heading straight this way"
"That is true"
"Colonel, what if they should intend to
put it in here?"
My low words startled him:
at can hardly be possible?"
"But if we should find il so when it is
too late to run?"
"Then we would have to hide"
~By crawling into the man-hOles?"
@Great Cesar, no! By utilizing a couple
of those boxes, and pulling the lids over
us"
swell, it's my impression we shall
have to come TO that yet. See, they are
close at hand, and still aim this way"
Even my companion began to see that
this was the case.
"Joslyn, as sure as live believe you
are right. We must hide
There was no time to be lost Already
the man with the lantern was so close
that the light fell on US.
Should our suspicious prove true we
would just have time TO carry out our
plan, If everything went well.
Without any loss of time we hurried
into the vault. Cropping our way across
it we came to the first box.
The lid of this was hastily whipped OF.
~Into it, Joslyn," said the Colonel,
huskily.
obeyed orders to the letter. This
was no time for sQueamishness.
If by any chance they knock the lid
of play dead, with which remark he
clapped the rough pine lid over me.
1 could hear him at the next box. for
my hearing seemed TO be preternaturally
keen. Possibly it was the popularity of
my position that rendered it so.
A seraping sound announced that he
was clawlng at the lid TO get it over him,
and that he finally succeeded 1 judged
from the fact of sudden silence falling on
the place
We had finished none too soon.
Already the man bearing the lantern
was descending the slippery stone steps
leading to the sepuleher.
He pushed open the door, which we
had neglected TO fasten.
This way, men. Now, be careful. We
do not want any accident"
The four bearers slowly descended with
their burden, ali entering the tomb
could feel my nerves quivering, such
was the singular nature Of the position in
which I found myself. Perhaps / was
now experiencing something that had
come to many persons in = more aggra-
buried alive-a feeling Of horror akin TO
despair.
PUT IL down, men,
was lying, but only little. 1t offered
more resistance than he had expected.
There, some Of yOn lend hand.
Move this box yonder so that we can use
the two of them for horses Now lift the
coffin and rest it across, So"
I groaned, but the sound appeared to
be taken as a snort from one of the men,
IS they leaned over me-
We were trapped, shut into boxes, and
with heavy weight resting on the lids
The air seemed TO become suddenly
dense TO me SO that ! could hardly
breathe,