Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-02-02
CHAPTER XII.
The End of the Instructions.


Nothing there?"
Nothing! See for yourself.
The old man stepped in, searched,
came out with drops OF sweat upon his
yellow forehead.
"Well?" exclaimed Capel, excitedly,
as the old man started in a dazed way.
1T is gone!" said the old lawyer in
hoarse voice that he vainly strove to
make firm, what have you to say?"
"To say?" said the old lawyer,
hastily
ooh, 1t is all cock-and-bull story"
cried Arts. There never was any
treasure"
Silence, sir!" cried the old lawyer,
recovering himself. How can you
speak like that in the presence of the
dead?"
BAH" cried Arts. Presence of the
dead, indeed! Presence of a mummy.
Would you have me pull a long face
as | went through the British Mu
seum?"
* would have you behave"
you look here" cried Arts, sharp
Iy. you are executor, and this treas
u1e, If there was one, lay in your
charge. It's nothing to me. 1t is
nothing to me. If it were, should call
In the police"
"Mr. Capel," cried the old lawyer,
excitedly, Il swear to you, sir, that the
money and jewels were there a fort
night ago. l came down here with
Ramo and there lay the two cases
with their contents"
We'll, said Capel, what then?'
I'VE carefully closed up the place.
"Then somebody must have been
down since and taken the treasure
away"
only two men could have done
this, sir, Ramo and myself.
THAT throws it on to you," said
Arts.
And my reputation, sir, will bear
me out when l proclaim my inno-
cence."
Il don't know" said Arts. Sud
den OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, and
that sort of thing"
The old lawyer turned his back.
"Mr. Gerard Arts, this is no time
for such remarks as these" said Capel,
Mr.. Critic, what have you to say?"
AT present, nothing, sir. am as
founded. You know we came down
on that dreadful morning and found
the chamber intact; besides, it could
not have been forced
"There were the keys" said Arts.
But they have never left my person.
There were but the two sets of keys
the colonel's and mine. Those were
the colonels set that we found upon
Ramo."
Rather strange that the colonel
should have given you set" said
Artis.
mo more strange than that a gen
tleman should trust a banker" said
Capel.
What! going to side with the law
yer?'
Tnpel made no reply, only gazed
sea. .hingly at the old executor.
There may have been other keys,
Mr.. Critic"
"Oh, no. The place was made some
years ago for u sarcophaguh, and the
makers never imagined that it would
DE used for a safe"
There was a dead silence.
1T is impossible" said the old law
| yer; and as they two passed into the
iron chamber Arts exchanged glance
| .x,ttl !, at, 81 70 ali
stood looking dazed.
You see" said Mr.. Critic, holding
down the light, there is nowhere for
the cases TO have slipped; all Is OF
plain solid steel, without a corner or
crack.
But underneath" said Capel
Underneath? Look for yourself,
said Mr.. Critic where there is not
solid steel there is solid iron, and be-
meath that massive stone. The treas
ure seems to have been spirited away
That's it." said Arts. THE old man
was not satisfied. and he got up out OF
bis coffin and hid it somewhere else"
Capel caught Arts by the collar.
Il will not" he began but master
ing his indignant anger, he let fall his
arm"
There is nothing here" he said, "let
us look about the outside"
That was the work of minute, fol-
on every hand there was the black
stone-wall. floor and roof, and the
exterior of the iron safe or tomb was
perfectly rectangular and smooth.
What was the size Of the cases?"
"One was about twelve inches by
night, and three or four inches deep;
and the other rather smaller" replied
the old lawyer; both too large for me
to have juggled them into my pockets
when opened the steel chest, Mr.
Arts"
You held the keys, and II yor
meant to take the treasure, YOU had Il
before"
Enough OF this cried Caoel. II
Is plain that the bequest has beer
taken away. Mr. Critic. we will fnist
at once fulfil my uncles commands
Come"
a. - ~