Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-01-11


These boxes and bales contain all man
ner of goods, now surely worthless. =
We had reached one end of the vault.
do you care to see the resting place
Of my ancestors: You must, as | de-
sire to be laid beside them.
He grasped lever sunk in the wall
and pulled, and sheet iron plate some
12 feet in length sank slowly into the
ground and revealed three stone steps,
which we 1nouisted and stood i'll room
of. 1 Judge, - feet square. I nearly
tainted. Tie don drew from his pocket
flask Of brandy. We took swallow
each, and it revived us.
There, extended on two sides of this
room were marble slabs, some 3
feet wide and elevated on stone
foundation about four feet from the
floor. On these giabs and side by side
lay long objects. l held my lantern
close. They were evidently bundles Of
some kind. Cloth or canvas was wrap
ped around them, and they had been
wrapped with care. OF some of them
there was evidently little substance left,
as the packages wore almost fat.
My ancestors, " said the don. 'No
coffin even confined their limbs. Each,
wrapped in oiled silk and canvas, has
there been laid at rest. father and son,
for generations back, except such as
lie beneath the ocean waves. This cne,
the last in this row, was my father.
Each Of these frames was once master
of Chanson and pirate chief. The
women of the race all lie in the Gene
terry at Coquombo, as does my own son.
I desire to be the last of my race to be
Ian here. When die, place me here.
next my father. Pedro will assist you.
He knows where the oiled silk and can
vas can be found Now for the treas
uFes.
Hestepped to the end Of the room, and
from underneath the marble slab pdlled
out another lever. A slab sank from
tho side OF the wall and disclosed a
small space Of 6 feet in length and per-
haps deep. There on the floor stood
q brass or iron bound box, and on it lay
a form similar to those on the marble
slabs.
"Old Martell," said the don. LET
us remove him.
+ We each seized ono end Of the lun-
de. \ handful of rotten canvas; moth
ing more. l set down my lantern and
took hold with both hands. The can.
vas and silk came away, and the dry
bones of old Martcll rolled from the cas-
ket, rafting as they struck the stone
floor The vertebra snapped asunder,
and the erinning head of the silent SEN
tinol rolled down the three stone steps.
Poor old 1IartelI" said the don. II
will soon keep you company"
Ho fitted a key to tho casllet, and we
soon had it open. The don removed
what, | Judge. was once pirate flag
from tie top, and / saw before me IN
told wealth -Giamonds, rubies. pearls,
gold coin Of every nation. / raised a
handful of tho jewels. How they spar
kled,
when I am dead" said tho don,
"remoyo thc,n. They are yours. No
crowned head OF Europo possesses their
value. Stay! Put these in your pocket.
that after you hayo slept this may not
seem a dream. And now bring lack
the head OF old Martell. It.was ever
a true one, and, old friend, we will
leave it with you
l did SO, and he closed the cas,;et.
We placed the skeleton again on its lid.
Now lnark my movements we'll, "
said tho don, rs he showed back the lev
er. The slab arose to its place. We
passed out Of the tomb, he pushed back
the lever, and naught but a wall con-
fronted us. Back through the vault,
another pushing back of a lever, and
the entrance was closed. We were soon
out Of the council room, The door loclS
ed, and back in the library.
Tho clock struck :. The don was
very pale.
Here, Claud, arc the keys. l never
desire TO see them again. You have OBJ
served all.
II have Observed all and can scarcely
believe what / have seen, but God grant
that it may be yet many years before
you are laid with your ancestors De
low
Promise me, Claud, to fulfill my
wishes.
II promise, - replied.
well, glass of brandy and good
night, or rather good morning, and
don t forget your promise.
went to the floor above tony sleep
inc Mifa and boy.