The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-29
CHAPTER ~.

A great change naq resulted from my
management, | must own. The people
net to be trified with, and it was quite
cheering to find how they settled down to
the work. But / did nOtTelaX my vigilance.
l was out early every morning and about
the place. fine weather or foul, and for
months past l had encountered smiles where
there used 10 be scOWls. One bright June
morning | descended the cliff and reached
the great chalk rock. where ! uudTessed,
for few moments with the early sunshine
fuh upon me and reflected from the high
cliff, as | gaZed down into the dark depths
of the clear water before making my dive.
Then / leaped right out, parted the cool,
bracng fluid, and diyed right down to see
how long | could stay below before rising
again, and repeating the performance, feel
ing Tor the moment what an excellent diver
/ was, and directly after how feeble my
efforts were AS compared with those OF
seal.
Il ought to have gone right to the bot
TOM" | said to myself as l was dressing.
"Wno knows but what the jewels may
have been thrown In there2 Not bad
hiding-pla e." unused; but no, not
likely"
1 walked back sharply, and as Of old, the
rushing and splash in the wellhOuse saIuted
me as l crossed the yard, thinking that if it
had not been for my old friend heavy loss
] should have persuaded him to let me de-
sign new machinery for raising the water
supply.
Brayson's words had so impressed me
that 1t had grown into habit to take my
glass Of cold water after my bath, and one
was Kept on n shelf on purpose for my use.
one OF the men thrustiug IN the winch
stop when bucket was level, and filling
the glass as a matter of course as soon as
l was seen crossing the yard.
That morning, as | stood in the we'll
house, slipping The clear, cold fluid aud lis
tening 10 the tIickiing and ecEOing splash
ing OF the falling water, / gave quite
start, and inYOiuntlrlly peered down into
the Notwithstanding black hole.
The next minute / had tossed off the re-
mains of my draught and hurried away
trembling lest my excitement should have
been noted by the men for, like an lnspira-
ton, the thought had come to me, The
jewels ale hidden down there"
Instead or turning into the gardens as l
generally dld l hurried in and up TO my own
room TO finish dressing, but with my cheeks
burning aud temples thIObbing, calling N.Y.
self fool, mailman; telling myself that IL
was impossible, improbable TO a degree :;
that there were a million more likely places
for the Jewels 10 have been hidden and that
TO throw them down there was to cast them
away forever.
But all these arguments were In vain
against the hourly growing feeling that
had al last hit upon the spot where sthe
stolen gems were hidden.
Why had | not thought Of that place be-
fore? don't know. Perhaps it was too
simple, perhaps TOO impossible. Suffice it,
l never had till now, and the idea had sud
denly become a fever, which went on in
crossing for quite a week, when, unable 10
combat the feeling longer, | gave way.
There must be something in it," | said
10 myself, ''oT | should not be haunted in
this fashion. Superstition? Perhaps, but
whether 1t IS that or madness, or folly, /
shall never rest till l have searched that
well"
As soon as I had made up my mind to
this ny first thought was 10 consult Lord
Gurteigh. but | cast that out at once.
Hell rIdicule It," | said, Il can't make
him feel as / do; and, although l would
have gladly given anything for a cOnfidant,
/ felt that | must act alone, and keep my
actions hidden-nO easy task-fTOm every
one about the place.
1t was ike TT Of Insanity, quite a mono
mania; but l was determined. and from
that hour began TO think out my plans.
The simplest thing would have been to
empty the ell. but that was impossible. No
amount Of drawing water had the slightest
effect, for the diggers had tapped the huge
reservoirs extending beneath the mighty
chalk range running east and west Of the
vast spur upon which the castle stood DOM
mating the sea. There could be no drain
ing the well. and, even had it been possible,
] should not have felt disposed TO propose
such a thing; for | wanted to keep my