The Press., 1893-04-13

branches, and if allowed to fall would have fallen at our feet. Legrand imme- diately took the scythe and cleared with it circular space three or four yards in diameter just beneath the insect, and having accomplished this ordered Jupi- ter to let go the string and come down from the tree.
 Driving a peg with great nicety into the ground at the precise spot where the beetle fell, my friend now produced from his pocket tape measure. Fas- tening one end of this at that point of the trunk of the tree which was nearest the peg, he unrolled it. till it reached the peg, and thence farther unrolled it in the direction already established by the two points of the tree and the peg for the distance of 90 feet, Jupiter clearing away the brambles with the scythe. At the spot thus attained second peg was driven, and about this as center rude circle about feet in diameter described.
 Taking now spade himself and giv- ing one to Jupiter and one to me, Le- grand begged us to set about digging as quickly as possible. To speak the truth, had no especial relish for such amusements at any time, and at that particular moment would most willingly have declined it. for the night was coming on and I felt much fa- tgued with the exercise already taken, but saw no mode of escape and was fearful of disturbing my poor friends equanimity by a refusal. Could I have depended, indeed, upon Jupiter's aid, I would have had no hesitation in attempt | ing to get the lunatic home by force, but was too well assured of the old negros | disposition to hope that he would assist me under any circumstances in per sonal contest with his master
 made no doubt that the latter had been infected with some of the innumer- able southern superstitions about money buried, and that his fantasy had received confirmation by the finding of the scara- beus, or perhaps by Jupiter's obstinacy in. maintaining it to be "a bug of real gold" A mind disposed to lunacy would readily be led away by such suggestions, especially if chiming in with favorite preconceived ideas, and then called to mind the poor fellows speech about the beetles being "the index of his fortune" :" Upon the whole was sadly vexed and puzzled, but at length concluded to make a virtue of necessity-to dig with a good will, and thus the sooner to con- vince the visionary by ocular demonstra- tion of the fallacy of the opinions he en- tertained.
 , The lanterns having been lit, we all fell to work with zeal worthy more rational cause. and as the glare fell up- on our persons and implements could not help thinking how picturesque a group we composed, and how strange and suspicious our labors must have ap- peared to any interloper who by chance might have stumbled pon our where abouts.
 | We dug very steadily for two hours. Little was said, and our chief embar- rassment lay in the yelpings of the dog, who took exceeding interest in our pro- ceedings. He at length became so ob, Streperous that we grew fearful of his giving the alarm to some stragglers in the vicinity, or rather this was the ap prehension of Legrand. For myself, should have rejoiced at any interruption which might have enabled me to get tn, wanderer home. The noise was a, length very effectually silenced by Ju piter, who, getting out of the hole witl a dogged air of deliberation, tied the brute's mouth up with one of his sus penders and then returned with a grave chuckle to his task.
 Il When the time mentioned had ex pired, we had reached depth of { feet, and yet no signs of any treasure be- | facf cps an. sued, and began to hope inst the fare, was at an end. Legrand, however, al though evidently much disconnected wiped his brow thoughtfully and re commenced. We had excavated the en tire circle of feet diameter, and nov we slightly enlarged the limit, and wen to the farther depth of 3 feet. Stil nothing appeared. The gold seeker whom sincerely pitied, at length clam bered from the pit, with the bitteres disappointment imprinted upon ever, feature, and proceeded slowly and re luctantly to put on his coat, which h had thrown off at the beginning of hi labor. In the meantime made no re mark. Jupiter, at signal from his mas ter, began to gather up his tools. Thi done, and the dog having been unmuz zled, we turned in profound silence to ward home.
 We had taken perhaps dozen step in this direction when, with loud oath Legrand strode up to Jupiter and seized him by the collar. The astonished negr, opened his eyes and mouth to the fulles extent, let fall the spades and fell upol his knees.