Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-28

For ten minutes heD toiled tnrctCdrded.
probably portion Of sacrament plate
from some wealthy abbey or perchance
the festival dish of some proud count
or baron.
To Desmond's mind rose quickly a
disjointed, half thought comparison Of
the gay banquets or solemn masses in
which this relic of a long forgotten
past had played n part, with its grim
unearthing now in the depths of the
silent forest from the bed Of pebbly
stream. He thought of the Joyous or
devout concourse that had formerly
surrounded 1t compared with the little
band of adventurers now dragging 1t
forth in haste and secrecy from its hid
ing place of centuries. From hand to
hand the salver passed, and greedy
fingers played about It's carvings. Then
1t was laid aside, and two fresh work
ers took the spades and flung the sand
aside from the place of its sepulture.
The hunt began to wax furious. At
first the treasure came up in single OBJ
iects, but, as the hole grew In size, in
heaps. The very heart Of the hoard
was laid bare. Great beakers there
were, with curious handles and gro-
tesque embossings; necklets of gold
and silver, with precious stones aglint
in them: cavern crosses and candle
sticks, the spoil of many sacked
monastery and convent; plate of all
conditions and descriptions from huge
wassail jugs Of gallon capacity to the
delicate flagons of the ladies' bower.
Money. too, was there in quantities.
old coins, in bandfuls, from which the
bags had perished by damp and decay;
strings of beads in amber and mother
of pearl, over which many finger
long dead had counted pious prayers;
Jumps of precious metal as yet un-
worked or molten down from other OH
jects for easier transport; uncut gems,
bracelets, tOrques, anklets. brooches
giant hoard of all the richest spoils
Of the day when civilization was not
and lust of gain was strong
They gathered up this harvest Of the
streamlet bed and bestowed it in the
coal bags they had brought. When the
burdens were arranged, each man
fairly staggered under his load of
treasure. Before they set out on their
homeward march they broke down the
dam of earth and let In the streamlet,
rejoicing, to Its natural bed. Then
each heaved up his appointed share
and. Pladja leading, began the weary
march back to the sea.
1t was no light task, that stumble
through the forest. For every mile
they had trodden before two seemed
to stretch out along their return. The
roughnesses of scrub and bowlder over
which they had stridden lightly in the
buoyancy of hope and in the promise
of adventure now seemed serried and
rampant against them as they stagger-
ed under their loads. They tripped
and slid they wearied utterly, they
grew numb to any chance Of discovery
and cursed aloud without regard.
Worn out, with the perspiration
standing in beads upon their fore
heads, with muscles stiff as wire ropes
and limbs that ached in every joint,
they reeled at last down the sands Of
the little rock rlnged bay and called
softly for their boat.
Then from behind each bowlder at
their back rose a gray coated man, and
with sudden and simultaneous action
they were seized about the arms and
flung face to earth. BY deft, sinuous
fingers were they bound and laid help
less on the sand
From the stern Of the yacht a torch
hared up, and line Of grinning faces
showed over the taffrail. Beside the
torch bearer stood gray uniformed
man and bowed in mockery toward the
colonel and his companions.
"Grecting, noble cousin" he called.
Correcting to my poor hospitality"
(To BE coNTiNuED.l