The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-01-08

had passed within the interior Of the
vault, leaving the metal door behind
him Just enough ajar to admit o certain
quantity Of air, yet not enough 20 a. 10
attract the notice Of any possible passer.
he now stood in pitchy darkness. A
heavy smell a. Of fresh cut flowers ct
once oppressed him. He had ceased to
feel trepidation; his old magnificent
courage and GOODNESS had come back to
him. Slowly he struck q match and
lighted one Of his tarers. As the fame
struggled from intense dimness into com
parative brightness the solemn, stone
wrought chamber became clearly viSi-
bic. It contained but three cofflns, each
laid In q separate niche. One was that
Of Louis Bonds mother, one that Of hil
father and one was his own. The Las,
lay heaped over with wreathS and
crosses All the Iiches were large, and
In . manner took from the usual grim.
ness Of such receptacsSs by being un.
cramped and commodious Of .-spect
Gerald had brought Q small sconce fol
his candle, and now set both on the edge
Of the empty niche, Just above the caslEei
Of his friend. he waited some time In
awed silence To open the coffin was an
act from which he shrank most reluc-
family. And yet his sacred oath com.
PEELED him to perform this act There
was only the usual lock to be pried
asunder, and for this purpose he had
brought with him q capable instrument.
Presently he banished his repulSion.
"How can there be the least desecration,
he thought, "when am only following
out LOUIS own earnest wishes7 Besides
the vow he once exacted from h,s there
Is new stimulus in Brepda's account Of
that hidden paper"
And yet to spend three mortal hour
In this dismal vault He began already
TO feel that his nerve power, strong and
trustworthy as it was, could scarcely en-
dure 90 drastic an ordeal Still he must
make the effort Looking at his watch
he discovered that only fifteen minutes
Of the allotted time had already passed.
And yet they had seemed far more than
an hour.
One stout wrench with his chisel and
thecofin was priedapart. Hesoon looked
upon the calm, waxen face Of Louis.
How like, and yet how completely soul
less and irresponsivel What hope Of any
vital resurrectional Sign could possibly
be drawn from this pallor and apathy.
he leaned closer above the still feat.
ures, familiar and yet utterly changed
He forgot the concealed paper Of which
Brenda had told him, while he parted
from the dead mans breast and chin the
thick masses Of flowers which lay there.
But he remembered, and with a piercing
force Of recollection, what he had bound
himself Of old to use every mental effort
In desiring and yearnlng after.
Some Of the flowers fell over upon the
stone flooring Of the vault-loose camel
las and white roses, with perhaps q few
glossy leaves Of either. He meant to
Stoop and pick them up, when suddenly
Q strange and horrible thing occurred
The light went out. and II seemed to him
that a. It did 90 sharp metallic sound
rang through the dead, abrupt darkness.
And then something struck him, with
Q light, yet distinct, contact, full on the
breast. He lifted his hand and caught q
stiff square Of glazed paper.
"The hidden letter." flashed through
his brain. He has given 1t to me him
selfr'
For the first time in all his brave young
life Gerald Ravelow knew what It was
TO be dazed and half mad with terror.