The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-03-18

BILE; wan and hollow-eyed, with /.
strange, searching look that added t,
my already overwhelming fright.
You know me-" he muttered, ssWh,
are you?"
'Kenton. the watcher, Mr.. Stat
ford"
Stafford turned to the men and said
go on with your work, and max,
haste; no time to lose. Leave him tt
me-"
The men took up their spades anl
resumed their work upon the grave.
Stafford motioned me to sit down
and laid himself upon the grass op-
posite to me. Thus we remained
know not now long-it seemed an age
to me. I was thinking what should
say to him, and finally I mustered up
courage to speak.
'Mr. Stafford" said, and he start
ed and looked up.
"Well?" he answered, after a mo-
ment's silence.
You are getting me into an awful
scrape, Mr.. Stafford"
He did not answer for some mo-
ments. and was just about to speak
again, when he said suddenly, look
here, Kenton; you keep quiet and all
will be right. Wen leave this place
as we found it; and unless you speak
no one will know the grave was touch
ed; so if you get into a scrape you
will walk in with your eyes open"
But suppose, Mr.. Stafford, it should
somehow be discovered that the dia-
monds are gone-what then?"
"Diamonds?" he said quickly. "What
diamonds?"
why, I thought you were after
! them"
As soon as had spoken the words ]
saw that had done wrong. He Jump
ed toward me as if he would have kill
ed me with blow, and grasping my
throat fercely, he demanded: What
do you mean, man? What diamondsf
speak out"
Releasing me as suddenly as he had
taken hold, he asked coolly: "Do you
mean that there are diamonds on that
corpseP'
Yes" replied, "the General pur-
chased diamond set, and
He turned quickly. called one of the
men, and said to him: keep your
eye on this man; if he moves knock
him down. land strobe rapidly off to
the grave.
/ saw that he gave the men some di-
rections, but could not hear what
they were. I heard, however, the
scraping of the spades on the coffin,
| and knew their work was nearly &C
complished.
They needed the assistance of the
man who was guarding me, and he
took me to the grave with him. The
coffin was quickly hoisted up with
ropes and landed by the side of the
hole.
Go you to the wagon till I whistle, 81
said Stafford. ..Kenton is used to this
thing and shall help me-"
The men withdrew, and Stafford,
handing me the tools bade me unscrew
the cofin-lid. I was about to refuse
regardless of consequences but the
strange look in his eyes compelled me
against my will to do his bidding.
commenced the work. and Stafford
STOPPING close to me said: stKenton
your own safety compels your silence
concerning what you've discovered to-
| night. I did not know there was any
| one watching; I did not know there
were any diamonds. Go on with your
work; don't stop. This coffin contains
my wife-my wife. Kenton; and her
father knows it, and buries her. shuts
her in the ground leaving me to dis
cover it as I can. I swore that not
even death should part us, and Pll
keep my oath. She's mine spite OF
law, spite of malice and prejudice
she's mine, and claim my own"
The lid was uncovered and rose
from the ground.
Stay here, Kenton," he said, and
stopped to lift the lid from the coffin.
For an instant it flashed through my
mind to push him over into the grave,
escape and give the alarm, but had
not the heart to do it. and besides, l
thought it would then become known
that there was but one watcher.
He removed the lid and there lay the
Generals daughter, as I saw her on
the day of the funeral. as natural as
she were but sleeping.
He raised the corpse from the coffin,
and throwing his arms around it he
pressed it closely to him, swaying to
and fro.
"Oh, my dear one. my life. my soulr'
| he said, lis it thus we meet again?"
and he sobbed aloud, and I myself felt
like joining him.
He quickly recovered himself, how
ever, and slowly rested the body back
into the casket. As he did so he no.
ticed paper. and bringing the light
toward it he called me to him, and
said, eagerly:
Look, Kenton! See; I told you
she was my wife-our certiicate!"
1t was a certificate of their marriage.
| hove
your own eyes-you know-and should
you hear her fair fame maligned, brand
the speakers as liars. Kenton-liars.
But 1 forgot you are forced to keep
quiet, and Della. my dear one, must
90 unrighted. But enough. Look
here, Kenton; I claim my own, moth
ING more. Here-see these diamonds.
He carefully removed them, kissing
the cold clay again and again as he die
so, and laid them in the coffin. The
certificate he put in his pocket. and
then he raised the body and laid it up.
on the ground.
Now" he said, 'screw on the lid
quickly. and I'll call the men to fill the
hole"
screwed on the lid, and the mer
came back. leading horse and wa
gonette. which they left standing a
the gate.
He motioned them to fill the grave
and taking up the body. he carried il
himself and laid it in the wagonette
and called me to him.
"I'm going, Kenton," he said. ::
may be able one of these days to open
ly avow to-night's. work; in that cas-.
you shall not suffer; and if you are 81
lent and discreet you shall be reward
ed. FAREWELL"
But Mr.. Stafford" 1 said, "yo1
mustn't go till everything is righ
again. Suppose these men refuse t
work after you are gone. what then
You must stay"
What menP" he asked. Il see nj
men,"
Startled at his words and look,
turned around and saw with astonish
ment that the men had gone-no trac
of them was visible. 1 was franti
with alarm, and the very urgency
my position gave me courage.
what does this mean, Mr.. Sta
ford?" I cried. What trick is this