The Coconino weekly sun., 1895-07-03

tore open Ine packaBe, uHu eaSAo A"J disclosed the bold brigand's staggering reply--a cardboard box containing mans ear packed in sawdust, and in- side the lid these words were scrawled: 'No less than four thousand. Part | of his excellency is sent free so that he may hear your decide which was final"
 In after years that day always re- mained impressed with startling vivid ness on his lordships memory. What with his wife's continual fainting fits; his three daughters in consecutive hys- terics, their conscious intervals being employed in upbraiding him in such severe terms that one would have thought that the poor man had himself cut his sons ear off; his own mental anguish as he remembered that the future head of his house would never be able to hear both sides; the horrid possibility of getting the wanderer back for nothing-a piece at time, and the fear that at that moment fur ther tortures might be in course of in- fliction-he often marveled, not only that he survived it, but that reason did not altogether forsake her tottering | throne.
 And the climax was reached when, in the softening shades of twilight Lady Methwick and her three daugh- ters, dressed in black, went in solemn procession to a distant part of the grounds, where, beside a rippling stream and beneath Q spreading tree, the gardener had already dug grave | There, with fresh bursts of tears and passionate sobs, the box of sewdust with its precious freight was solemnly buried, and cairn built over and about its resting place.
 The outgoing evening mail carried two letters, one to the brigands agree ing to their terms, the other to friend of the family, who happened to be a consul in the near neighborhood, in- closing a draft for four thousand pounds, and begging him to put him. self in instant communication with Giuseppe and obtain the captive's re- lease.
 The consul did as he was desired, and, in compliance with instructions from the robber band, who were evil dently taking every precaution against being trapped, proceeded alone one evening, carrying a parcel of four thousand sovereigns to an indicated spot on the outskirts of forest Here he was met by a sunburnt, black bearded giant, picturesquely attired in his native dSess, who carried rifle while a couple of revolvers and a poniard adorned his sash. Motioning to the consul to follow him. he proceeded but few paces into the forest, then halted and blew long, low, peculiar whistle on his fingers.
 App. oaching footsteps were immedi ately heard, and there emerged from among the trees the whilom prisoner alone As he ranged up to the side oi his deliverer, the gold was handed over, carefully counted, and then, witt low bow, the robber turned ou hi' heel, at once disappeared, without hay
 ing uttered word, and the consul anC
 his purchase were free to depart.
 Mcthwicls hall was ablaze with light
 on the evening of the heirs return tc
 his ancestral home. The female DOT tion of the family had spent the day
 in alternately laughing and crying fol
 joy, and were now in . state of intens,
 excitement, anxiously awaiting the re
 turn of the carriage from the station
 Presently the sound of wheels wa heard drawing up to the door, ant mother and sisters rushing out, fel upon Robert, hugged him and kissed him and half dragged, half carried
 him into the house, but it was not un til after they had been for some tim assembled in the library that ther flashed across their minds the remem
 brance of that horror that lay burie, 1 beside the stream. His mother frs made the discovery.
 Why, Robert, you have two ears! 1.-Two cars, mother! Have l net al ways had two?"
 But we buried one of them" Hon. Robert was evidently in tn dark, and when they explained he dc clared (truthfully) that he knew moth
 ing about it. As word-painter il proved decided failure, considerin Il I GhC' "hASh tApcCIt ' him to recount. He had nothing to re Q late, simply monotony waiting for tn ransom, and, no matter how they pile ii him with questions, he could tell ther Q nothing of the doings of the gang, fo d he said he never saw any of them e1 cept the one who had him in charge.
 A few days after his return, plead v ing the necessity of a visit to Wes f End tailor, he travelled to Londor v after receiving strict injunctions an 1 giving promise to shun his old haunt y and companions. Arrived in town, h
 at once proceeded to Tom Langton f chambers, and his first words to hi f chum were:
 "I say, Tom, what about that cal I and why wasn't told of it?" 8 Well, thought you might objec,
 and as it was desirable to bring thing Q to a climax, got it from the dissectin . room at the hospital through a stu A dent"
 : Tt took me quite by surprise whe l they accused me of having two ear: q and told me they had buried one C a them. But how about the money?"
 sST bora told fallo,yc WI