, 1898-07-29

taken being just--- rep 'iue-nc-.- =-:a
the tree. At first he had meditnted dig,
ging down through the floor one night,
but the chances of detection We're great
and he had given up the idea.
Years passed. The deacon had be-
come an iavniid, and Bill practically
managed bis business. He was an I'M
portant man ut the chapel, too, and was
often mtrusted with a collection box.
One day the deacon died. Soon after
ward it was known that having no near
relatives he had left his property to his
friend William Jones'"
Il see," l exclaimed. "Bill"-
BlancO Watson shook his head.
Chill was Bill no longer" he said.
"He had become a man of wealth. At
the X election of deacons he wa one
of the successful candidates. In future
we must refer to him as MI. Jones and
not as Bill.
MI Jon was y most energetic
deacon. He introduced new members,
and he persuaded old ones to attend
more regularly. He started a young
mems literary society and a series of
Saturday entertainments. He made the
chapel the most popular in the district,
and then, at a New Years business
meeting, he struck boldly for the jewels.
1.-THE chapel was too small, he said
in the course of an eloquent speech.
They must erect another on a larger
site. There was but one such site in the
neighborhood. They must secure it be-
fore others did. He himself would IN
dertake the building operations, charg-
ing only what they cost him. He would
also purchase the old chapel. The net
expenditure need not be very great.
"The proposal was well received, and
a committee, with Mr.. Jones as chair
man, was appointed to consider the de-
tails. Their report was very favorable,
and at another business meeting it was
decided to carry ont the proposal.
1.-THE necessary funds were subscribed
or guaranteed. Contracts We're made
with Mr.. Jones. In the spring of that
year the building operations We're COM
menced, and by the autumn they were
finished. The congregation removed to
the new chapel. Mr.. Jones purchased
the old II at a high price and entered
into possession.
"And then,"I said, 81 suppose he
got the jewels?"
Blanco Watson laughed.
mo" he said, che did not. He broke
up the floor himself, counted the steps
due north from the tree again and dug.
He did not find the jewels. He counted
the steps again and dug deeper. He did
not find them. Then he tried other
places; but, although he kept on until
he had tried everywhere beneath the
floor, he never found the jewels"
"Why, what had become of them?"
81 cannot say. 1t is possible that
when the foundation was being laid a
workman had discovered and appropri-
ated them. Again it is possible that
there were two trees of similarly curious
growth, and that the ono outside tho
chapel was not the one Mr.. Jones first
saw Again.
"And what has the story to do with
the public house? But 1 can guess"
"Of course you can. Mr.. Jones was
very angry with the chapel members.
He considered that by false pretenses
they had led him into buying tho old
chapel dearly and building the new one
cheaply. He resigned his ~deaconship
and then sought II way to be revcnged
on them. He found one. On the site of
the old chapel he built n public house
this public house in which we have sat
so long. Edgar Turner in Sketch.