Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-01-24
upon il Presently the carpenter and
the mate came back together, the for

the mate came BACK tORetner, the for
mer with hammer In his hand.
"It's bad business this, sir" said
he, shaking his head as he looked at the
body Of the mate. And you think
there's some one hiding in the box?'
"Tbere's no doubt about it," said
Allardyce, picking up the screwdriveI
and setting his jaw like man who
needs to brace his courage. "I'll drive
the lock back IL you will both stand by.
II be rises, Jet him have il TN the head
with your hammer. carpenter /! Shoot al
once, sir. il he raises his hand. NowP'
He had knelt down in front Of the
striped chest and passed the blade Of the
tool under the lid. With sharp snict
the lock flew back. "Stand by" yelled
the mate, and with o heave hs threw
open the massive top Of the box. As il
swung up we all three sprapg back.
with my pistol leveled aud the carpenter
with the hammer above his head. Then.
az nothing happened, we each took a
step forward and peeped in. The boz
was empty.
Not quite empty either, for in one
corner was lying an old yellow candle
stick, elaborateIy engraved, which ap-
peared to be as old ~ the box itself. Its
rich yellow tone and artistic shape sug-
gested that it was an object Of value.
For the rest there was nothing more
weighty or valuable than dust in the
old striped treasure chest.
well, I'm blessed" cried Allardyce.
staring blsnkly into it. Where does
the weight come in, them
Look at the thickness Of the sides
and look at the lid. Why. it's five
inches through. And Sec that great
metal spring across it,"
THAT'S for holding the lid up" sait
the mate. "You see il will only stant
straight. II won't lean back. What'i
that German printing on the insideF"
1T means that it was made by Jo
hann Rothstein Of Augsburg in 1906. "
"And solid BIT Of work too. But II
doesn't throw much light ON what ha'
passed, does il, Captain Barclayi Tha
candIatick looks like gold. We sbal
have something for our trouble aftel
all"
lie leaned forward to grasp IL, anC
from that moment have never doubted
a. to the reality Of inspiration, for on
the instan, | caught him by the collal
and pulled him straight again. Ii may
have been some story Of the middle
ages which had come back 10 my mind
OK il may have been that my eye caugh
some red which was not that OF rus
upon the upper part Of the lock. but Il
him and TO me il will always seem al
inspiration, so prompt and sudden wa
my action.
There's deviltry here" said l
"Give me the crooked stick from th'
corner.
II was an ordinary walking cane will
q hooked top. | passed 1t over the can
dlesiicls and gave it pull. With
fash n row Of polished steel fangs sho
ont from below the upper lip, and th'
great striped chest snapped at Us like
wild animal. CiaDg came the huge iit
into its place, and the glasses on th'
swinging rack sang and tinkled witt
the shock. The mate Eat down oil tn
edge Of the table and shiyered like
frightened horse. You've saved m.
4. hn
go this was the secret Of the STRIPED
treasure chest Of old Don Ramirez d
Leyra, and this was how he preserved
his Ill gotten gains from the Terr;
Firma and the province Of Veraluas
Be the thief ever so cunning, he coul'
not tell that golden candlestick from tia
other articles Of value, and the instan
that he laid hand upon II the terrible
spring was unloosed and the murderou
steel spikes were driven into his braii
while the shock Of the blow sent tn,
victim backward and enabled the ches
TO automatically olose itself. How
many. / wondered, had fallen victim
| 10 the ingenuity Of the mechanic q
Angsburgi And a. thought Of the pos
sible history Of that grim striped cbes
my resolution was very quickly taken
Carpenter, bring three men and car
~ this on deck.
"Going to throw it overheard, SIR"
eyes, Mr.. Allardyce. I'm not super
stitious rs "a rule, but there are SOM
things which are more than sailor Cal
be called upon to stand"
"No wonder that brig made heav.
weather, Captain Barclay, with such
thing on board. The glass is dropping
fast, sir. and we are only just IN time.
| So we did not even wait for the thre
| sailors, but we carried il out, the mate
the carpenter and |, and we pushed
with our own hands over the bulwarks
There was white spout OF water, AM
It was gone. There it lies, the stripes
chest, 1000 fathoms deep, and If, a
some say. the sea will some day be dr.
land. 1 grieve for the man who find
that old box aud tries TO penetrate int
its secret.