The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-22
CHAPTER XXI.

lncr6 WIS ono tnluS SDOub tnc eSpCi.
cher which perhaps I have failed to re-
mark to you, and as this will presently
come b0foee, the reader, tho sooner this
is told the better the sequence will be ua-
derstood.
It was more than tho ordinary tomb.
being some ten feet square, back OF which
were q number Of holes looking like large
Dutch ovens.
These inches were intended each to hold
q coffin.
Two OF them were sealed up, but there
were several still yawning opep.
On one side were about four old boxes
with lids upon them.
They were shipping cases for collins
TINT had been tumblcd in here at odd
times.
We had been seated upon ono Of thcm
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
wore at ouce attracted by moving
light.
It was close to the ground, and ap-
peared at intervals from behind tombs
and gravestonos sn thickly planted here.
"A lantcrn!" I ventured.
@Yes; thcre can bo 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
tho slip earlier in the night had tracked
US to the old walled-in cemetery, and that
they wero advancing to seize their prey.
This thought gave mo shock Bc-
fore I could communicate the idea TO
Cain he had spoken again.
"By Jove! night burial, Joslyn."
"You don't moan it?"
swell, / got q glimpse inst then Of
men carrying coffin. Look!"
Sure enough; they were SO close now
that as tho view was no longer inter-
ruptod and the lantern held littlo
higher, we ccnld sec four nen following
tho leader, holding o coffin between
them.
@Arc they taking it to the edcad-house?"
I asked, quickly.
II don't think so. The place seemed
full. Besides. it don't lie in this direc-
tion." -
aThey are heading straight this way"
3That is true"
Colonel, what II they should intond to
put 1t in here?"
My low words startled him.
at can hardly be possiole?'
But IL we should find 1t 80 when It is
too late to run?"
Then we would have to hide"
BY crawling into the man-holes?"
3Great Caesar, no! By utilizing couple
of those boxes, and pulling the lids over
u.s."
"Well, 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 I believe you
arc 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 cume to the first box.
The lid of this was hastily whipped off.
"Into it, Joslyn," said the Colonel.
huskily
obeyed orders to the letter. This
was no time for squeamisnness.
"If by any chance they knock the lid
of play dead" with which remark he
clapped the rough pine lid over me.
l could hear him at the next box, foi
my hearing seemed to be prcternaturally
kccn. Possibly it was the popularity Of
my position that rendered it so.