The Press., 1893-04-20


 "You scoundrelp' satd LegrGnd
 "Oh, my golly, Massa Will, ain't dis here my lef' eye for sartainw roared the terrified Jupiter. placing his hand upon his right organ of vision and holding it there with desperate pertinacity, as if in immediate dread of his masters at tempt at gouge.
 ''I thought sol knew it! Hurrah!'' vociferated Legrand, letting the negro go and executing a series of curvets and caracoles, much to the astonishment of his valet, who, arising from his knees, looked mutely from his master to myself and then from myself to his master.
 Come, we must go backv said the latter; ''the games not up yet" And he again led the way to the tulip tree.
 Jupiter" said he when we reached the foot, "come here! Was the skull nailed to the limb with the face out ward or with the face to the limb?''
 "De face was out, massa, so dat de crows could get at de eyes good widout any trouble"
 "Well, then, was it this eye or that through which you dropped the beetleg'' Here Legrand touched each of Jupi- ter's eyes. ~-s,
 "'Twas dis eye, massa-de lef' eye-jis' as you tell me-" and here it was his right eye that the negro indicated.
 ''That will do-we must try it again.
 Here my friend, about whose mad ness now saw, or fancied that saw, certain indications of method, removed the peg which marked the spot where the beetle fell, to spot about 8 inches to the westward of it's former position. Taking now the tape measure from the nearest point of the trunk to the peg, as before, and continuing the extension in 8 straight line to the distance of 30 feet, a spot was indicated, removed by several yards from the point at which we had been digging. t ---'
 Around the new position circle somewhat larger than in the former in- stance was now described, and we again set to work with the spades. I was dreadfully weary, but scarcely under standing what had occasioned the change in my thoughts I. felt no longer any great aversion from the labor imposed. had become most unaccountably in- terested-nay. even excited. Perhaps there was something amid all the ex- travagant demeanor of Legrand-some air of forethought or of deGberation- which impressed me. dug eagerly and now and then caught myself actually looking, with something that very much resembled expectation, for the fancied treasure, the vision of which had de mented my unfortunate companion.
 At period when such vagaries od thought most fully possessed me, and when we had been at work perhaps an hour and half, we were again inter- rupted by the violent howlings of the dog. His uneasiness in the first instance had been evidently but the result ol playfulness or caprice, but he now as. stunned bitter and serious tone. Upon Jupiter's again attempting to muzzle I him, he made furious resistance, and leaping into the hole tore up the mold frantically with his claws.
 In few seconds he had uncovered a mass of human bones, forming two com plete skeletons, intermingled with sev. eral buttons of metal, and what appeared to be the dust of decayed woolen. One or two strokes of spade upturned the blade of a large Spanish knife, and as we dug farther three or four loose pieces of gold and silver coin came to light. At sight of these the joy of Jupiter could scarcely be restrained, but the countenance of his master wore an air of extreme disappointment. He urged us, however, to continue our exertions, and the words were hardly uttered when stumbled and fell forward, having caught the toe of my boot in large ring of iron that lay half buried in the loose earth
 We now worked in earnest, and never did pass 10 minutes of more intense ex- citement. During this interval we had fairly unearthed an oblong chest of wood, which, from it's perfect preservation and wonderful hardness, had plainly been subjected to some mineralizing process perhaps that of the bichloride of mer- cury. This box was 31 feet long, feet broad and 2} feet deep. It was firmly se- cured by bands of wrought iron, riveted and forming kind of open trellis work over the whole. On each side of the chest near the top were three rings of iron six in all-by means of which firm hold could be obtained by six persons.
 Our utmost united endeavors served only to disturb the coffer very slightly ir it's bed. We at once saw the impossi bility of removing so great 8 weight Luckily the sole fastenings of the lid con sisted of two sliding bolts. These WI drew back, trembling and painting witf anxiety. In an instant a treasure of in calculable value lay gleaming before us As the rays of the lanterns fell within the pit there flashed upward glow ant glare from confused heap of gold ant of jewels that absolutely dazz1ed oul eyes.
 shall not pretend to describe the feel ings with which gazed. Amazemen was of course predominant. Legrant appeared exhausted with excitement ant spoke very few words. Jupiter's coun tenance wore for some minutes as dead | ly pallor as it is possible in the natur' of things for any negro's visage to as sume. He seemed stupefed- thunder stricken. Presently he fell upon hi knees in the pit, and burying his naked