Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-06-15


hoped to do later on.
In return made one or two sugges-
tions that might be Of profit, casually
mentioning certain one in partiC ular.
There's a house that I've been look
ing a. for some time. l believe the old
mans got plenty of ducats hidden away.
It's queer old place; looks like 1t mlght
be haunted, but it would be the hnest
crib to crack / know of. Now there arc
only four people around the place, three
besides the old DOCTOR"
sold doctor!" he calculated.
"Why, yes, the proprietor of the house
that sets in the grounds, old DIR. Sea-
bury"
He gave quick start, and l heard him
utter a cry. >,
"Confusionl Joslyn, the devil himself
couldn't tempt me to enter that house
again. -
All! the secret was partly out lie
owned to having been there.
l repressed the exultation that very
naturally came to me, and played my
part.
eHallo! what do you know about the
house of DR.. Seabury, Colonel?"
IA good DEAL" he replied, COMPRISING
his lps, while frOwn appeared on his
forehead.
@Then you've been there?"
%Once too often"
WCome. Colonel, this knocks me. What's
to hinder our making the old Doctor tell
where he hides his gold"
"Dr. Seabury is dead"
gave signs Of intense surprise.
~Why. my plans have been arranged
, from away back, but that floors me COM
pletelv. knock under. DR.. Seabury
deadl why, l saw him only two days
ago, and he appeared in good health. |
called ON him in the guise of a gentleman
who invested property, and had quite
chat. during which l managed to pick up
several points that would have been val
liable had / been allowed to carry ont
nv plan. He must have been taken very
suddehly?"
"He was. Read the papers, Joslyn,
and you'll learn something about it, not
as much as l could tell you il L wanted
to, but enough to learn the story"
was very near the truth this time,
and resolved to make further effort ere
allowing it to slip from my grasp.
"The Doctor was rather queer In his
way, don't you think so, Colonel?"
| could see he was visibly worked up,
his face even showing alarm.
$50 they say" he answered, shortly.
Not batfled yet, returned to the at
tack.
81 can't understand how it was you
didn't make a haul. If | had ever got
ten into house it would be short work
with it.
The man looked at me with sudden
shrewdness.
"Did | say mad been in that housc?"
81 understood So"
"Then forget it, 1 deny anything of
the sort"
Here was dilemma.
had not expected him to get so sus-
picious or alarmed. He had suddenly
come to his senses, and bethought hlm-
self that the least said with regard TO
this matter the sooner mended
Whatever it might be that he knew
about the murder, it was quite evident
that he did not mean to confide 1t to me.
NV intention was strengthened by
defeat.
saw that it was worth while working
this mine. The truth would come out
at some time, and l believed that by
force or persuasion this man could be
made to tell all he knew.
One means had failcd-shOuld | bring
the other to bear upon him?
This was a sober question, and one
that did not care to decide without a
| further amount of reflection.
There seemed no other way of arrang'
ing the matter, however. and | was al
most ready to throw myself into the
breach when something occurred to
throw me off the track again for time.
The Colonel gave start, and sudden
ly blew out the candle.
"Why did you do that?" l asked.
"Unless my ears deceived me | heard
the iron gate clang to-" he replied.
"What am to understand from that?"
"Some one has entered the waled-in
cemetery. Perhaps they are bearing a
coffin in,"
We proceeded to investigate, and |
could not but believe something strange
was to happen.