Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-11-11

promise not to sell any more in this
county, and I'll buy them"
A bargain was struck. The ped
dler walked on, laughing In his sleeve
over the fine sale. and Harold hurried
with his purchase to his sister. Their
tagging hopes and energies became
again buoyant.
AT all hours they could be seen, rods
in hand. walking with careful step and
bowed head around the plantation.
| II was strange, weird picture to see
the 1.-THE, slender woman and the tall,
gaunt form of her brother as they
pushed their way through the tangled
bracken, their eyes rivited on the
ground at their feet. Spectre-like they
traversed the summit Of the mound
and hill, stalking through field and
pasture, and crept in the silence and
shadows of the woodland. 1t was
sad sight to see the twain at nightfall,
exhausted with their ceaseless tramp,
sit down sullen, detected and disap-
pointed to their niggerly meal In the
gloom of the old house.
Intercourse with their neighbors had
almost ceased. and they were startled
one evening when they found them
selves face to face with one of their
fathers old friends. The presence
of any person in the house seemed al
most an apparition. The visit was
prompted by kindly feeling of in
terest, and their visitor protested
mildly but arnestly against their
course. He urged them to stop their
folly, refill the houses with tenants and
again cultivate their farms. Herold
listened respectfully, thanked his visi-
tor for the show of good will. but as
serted positively his intention of keep
ing up the search.
Not many days after the visit just
recorded Harold, while prospecting on
the top of hill, was sure his rod gave
indications of a mineral deposit. All
a-tremble he tried the spot second
time. Yes, he was sure. the rod dipped
to the earth. He marked the place and
crept stealthily away. Seeking his sis
ter he told her that the treasure was
! found At nightfall they would go
forth and bring it home.
Armed with pick and shovel. they
stole warily out through the darkness,
casting furtive chances about them to
make sure they were not watched. Al
, last they stood above the preciuos spot
, Harold pushed aside the dead leaves
and grass, and began to dig away the
mellow earth. Deeper and wider grew
the evcavation; fainter and fainter
throbbed their hopes; lower and lower
dnlVQrs
4 stood pale and faint in the gray OF
morn.
!, That evening Harold and his sister
sat moodily in the room in which theil
father had died They had Away:
: avoided the room. and now they won
dered at their presence in 1t. Some
strange fascination was upon them
They were growing morbidly supersti
tious of late. A candle sputtered on
o table between them, illuminating feeb
ly the darkness. The white covering
of the bed on which the miser diet
a doomed family in the shadows ant
looked not unlike a crouching ghos
e about to spring from the gloom. Har
e old gazed intently at the blurred drap
t cry until the whole scene flashed OF
s him again; he could see his father
y face distorted in death agony and hea
It the whispered words drop from hi
g lips. He sprang to his feet, exclaimin
Il harshly. ION, on" Then turning t
O his startled sister he asked:
r "Hettie, can't you think what fathe
would have said after on? See
: you can't; put your head to work. Thi
n is the point at which we should hav
q started long ago."
= After thinking, with knit brow, i
:. silence for a spell, he began: On, o
;. top-On, on, on-On, upon the o
% top of the On, on what, sister? o
the top of the what? We ought t
guess what would come next On, on :
le he looked searchingly about the ROOF
81 -" on the-the clock" he cried, spring
'e ing to his feet as his eyes stared int
u the face of an old, silent cuckoo cloc
Us i'm the corner. It's there, Hettie
U. don't YOU remember how father stare
a at the clock when he was dying? Ye
we'll find some clew on the clock.
lie have a presentiment that our disaI
e. pointing quest is at an end, he col
ut tinued. nervously mounting a chat
ed His sister stood at his side, holdin
ne aloft the Pickering candle. Harold We
n, feeling in the dust and cobwebs whe
y, the old clock gave groan, the cuckc
~ came to the door and repeated its no
he low note; there was a harsh screecl
ing, and the dilapidated timepie'
tumbled in heap. There was shriel
:, the candle fell suffering to the foo
~ and the two ran like guilty thinl
- from the room. They stood in the en-
~ pty hall for moment, painting vii
LIS fright and peering Iurtively into Il
at dark: then fastened to their apar
ments.
en- Morning was stealing gray and sha
ce owy through the quiet old buildii
,ly when Harold stole down the stairwi
a to where lay scattered the wreck OF G
rs. old clock. He searched amid the d
at bris, and brought to light bit of "
of low, time-stained paper He brush
It'll the dust from it and read, in cramp
es- handwriting. the words, ITO my wife
At last. There was no hurry no
ny, Harold was perfectly calm as
OIL pushed the paper in his pocket al
Ill stepped to the stairway to call his s.
ie- ter. She came down presently, b
ter heart all a-iutter with agitation.
,ut Harold, have you found it," s