Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-10-09

NpBth Oiid VI iShb wv liDCltN Nv hht
not where he was. He was at the bottom
of a natural caldron Enclosed by a wall of
rock and overarched by the sky.
AS he stood there vaguely wondering
what his next move would be, a loud shrek
followed by a groan and ending in a peal of
demoniacal laughter broke upon his ear.
All, surely he recognized that sound! 1t
was the rush of the wind through the
watercourse from which he had Just
emerged.
Yes, and heard from without he knew it
to he the noise which had given a spot not
far from his uncle's cabin the name of the
Devils Patch.
Guided by his discovery, the boy clam
bered over the edge of the caldron and
saw near at hand the dwellings of his
friends.
The air was fresh and balmy; the sur
was rising; he had spent the night under
ground.
With all the speed his exhausted condi-
ton would permit, he made his way to his
uncle's door.
a chorus Of shrieks greeted his appear
ance. 1t was not until they had laid hands
upon him that the family would believe he
was not an apparition. The villagers had
sought for his body all the night long, be
lieving that he had met with a fatal acct
dent.
Franks knees trembled under him and
he sank to the floor, crying: 81 have found
him! | nave found him.
When he regained consciousness he found
himself lying upon a bed surrounded by
his friends.
"Who have you found, Frank" inquired
his uncle.
Jasper Karch." replied the boy, draw
ing from his pocket the articles which he
had taken from the body in the cave.
The most intense excitement now pre-
vailed, a thousand questions were show
cred upon the lad, but exhausted nature
would bear no more-Frank relapsed INTO
insensibility.
The news was carried to Sedgwick, the
trial was suspended, and the coroner and
other officers of the law came down to in
vestigate this new phase of the case.
1t was not until the following day that
Frank could bear the strain Of a formal
examination: then the facts discovered in
his treasure hunting expedition were fully
revealed.
The various articles belonging to Jasper
Karch were identified, and in further con
firmation of his story Frank was taken to
the Devils Patch, where he pointed out
the crevice from which he had emerged. A
handsome reward was offered to any one
who would make the descent, but no one
was found sufficiently stouthearted to ven
ture.
The sun shone ftfully that morning.
Dark masses of cloud swept in amending
procession across the sky. The old men
gravely couned the signs and predicted
dirty weather.
That evening the storm came on. At
first a quickening land breeze, which in
creased in violence until it blew with the
force of IA tornado. The rain fell in tor
rents, singing the flesh of the unfortu-
mates exposed to the fury of the storm like
hailstones.
For twenty-fOur hours the war of the
elements ragged, and it was not until the
morning of the third day that the clear
sky was seen again.
Few of the lshermen's cabins had es-
capped damage, while many of their boats
had been blown into the sea and carried
away.
Under the combined influence of the high
wine and the ebb tide the sea had retired
farther than the oldest inhabitant remem-
bered to have seen it. a broad belt of
sand appeared, stretching as far as the eye
could reach along the shore.
Frank Bryson had sauntered down to
the beach, walking unconsciously in the
direction of King Solomon's tomb, when
he was startled by observing that the en-
trance stood high and dry above the water.
He called to the fishermen and pointed
to the dark opening i'll the rocks. y party
was quickly organized for the purpose of
recovering the body of Jasper Karch.
Under the leadership of the boy the task
was an ensy one, the men returning in an
hour with the body Of the old man resting
upon n rudely constructed litter.
The corpse was carried into the nearest
cabin and the coroner summoned. Thee
element in the village was intense. IL was
believed, without a doubt, that evidence
was about to be produced which would
make Jack Hastings "a free man.
Polly Anderson flung her arms about the
neck of her cousin, overwhelming him
with her gratitude.
When the coroner and his physician ar
rived it was with difficulty that the inquest
could be inaugurated.
AT length a jury was secured and sworn.
The body was identified as that of the
missing man, Jasper Karch,
The outer pockets of the garments of the
dead man were empty, their contents nav
ing been brought to the village by Frank.
'NN '''Nh 'H' - "h' q
pocketbook of oiled canvas was discovered.
1t contained letters, papers and bank notes.
1t had stains of blood upon it, and one
paper hastily folded was particularly
marked with the imprint of bloody fingers.
An examination Of the body revealed a
crushed and broken leg, from the lacerated
arteries of which it was evident that the
life blood had oozed away
Another unexpected light was thrown
upon the affair 10y the presentation Of the
anchor of Jasper karch's boat, which had
been found fast to the rocks in front of the
cave by the party who had gone in search
of his body.
When the anchor was held up before the
jury for examination "A fisherman pushed
himself TO the front and asked to I've sworn.
His request being complied with, he testi-
fled that he had seen Jasper Karch in his
boat sailing in the direction of King Solo
mons tomb at noon on the day of his dis
appearance at the time that Jack Hastings
was known to be at the fishing grounds.
He also remembered that the tide was I'M
usually low on hat day. He had not tes-
titled at the trial because he could NOT fix