The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-04-01
CHAPTER TX.

had determined TO lose no time In
attempting 10 see the document in
Fray lgnacio's box, and, as it proved,
the dinner party helped me materially.
Bartolomeo and the other priests
dropped IN upon us before the close OF
the meal, and were prevailed upon TO
spend the evening. Whether my liking
for the sehorita had at that time awak-
ened reciprocal feeling. didn't
know; but she seemed aware OF my de-
sire to get the padres in a happy frame
Of mind, and aided me in every way she
could, ordering Pope 10 bring bottles,
and more bottles, for the delectation
of The company. Palm brandy, or
aguardiente. is the only brand known
in the Ladrones, and that seldom ap.
pears upon u gentleman's table. But
light wines, and, for stronger heads,
rum and water, are freely INDUCED in.
The result is rarely drunkenness; the
stuff doesn't act that way in warm eli
mates. But for early-drooping eyelids
and dreamless sleep that works like
anaesthetics, give me two bottles Of
Spanish wine that have made the voy-
age 10 Manila or Guajan. The padres
were built upon the cistern principle.
all Of them; but they were practically
asleep before IL, al which time they
accepted the colonel's hospitality and
fell TO snoring peacefully upon the
floor or the rattan sofas. wherever
they happened 10 drop.
1t was such perfect night that the
senorita strolled down TO the beach
with me before retiring. AID have a
hazy recollection OF kissing her.
Something Of the sort, anyway, for
she left her cool fingers in mine for
half minute before she disappeared.
This and her personal loneliness in
the moonlight, came near 10 Interior
ing with my progress; for upon reach
ing my room | took an easy chair out
upon the balcony and smoked fer over
an hour, thinking Of her. The windows
OF her room were diagonally opposite
my own, across the patio; and fancied
once or twice that | could detect her
figure among the shadows. After
awhile. however, IL struck me that IL
were really going TO doGny thing il was
about time TO get tit. So opened the
sea chest and took out the electric safe
ty lantern, then silently made my way
along the corridors and down 10 the
room where the padres were snoring.
! have been told by doctors that fat
men usually sleep more sound,y thnn
their skinny brethren. and my expert
ence that night seemed To cinch the as
sertion; for. though | had TO feel over
several square feet OF Bartolomco's an
atomy in my search for his bunch q
keys, he never even wigglcd. 1t would
have been possible. OF course, 20 force
The locks: but that was too risky an
operation when simpler methods were
available.
Stepping across the little square. the
air was so still that i could hear the
tapping OF the ripples on the beach,
quarter Of mile away; and ! seemed
10 be the only living creature awake.
had no difficulty in finding the key
which opened the postern door at The
rear OF the church, and easily stole
through the cloisters as far MS the pas
sage leading into the chamber OF hor-
rors. This was so pitchy dark Tint
turned on the current In my lamp and
was startled AT the brilliancy of the
light which shot from its lens. When IL
fell upon the CHASTITY figure with the
diseased wish-bone, cold chill started
the goose-flesh all over me; the con-
trast between the senorita's warm
breathing loneliness. OF which | had
been dreaming, and this semblance OF
rotting carrion. was something horri-
bic. ! had 10 take n good pull M my
flask before / could unlock the iron
trap and descend into the vaults
There Also the foul dampness and the
company Of real bodies. made my scalp
creep until II felt as though each in
diyidnal hair were Squirming.
When Bartolomeo introduced me To
the remains Of Fray lgnacio, that morn
ing. felt more or less Of n friendly i'm
terest In the old chap; we hadn't been
near enough 10 appreciate the ghastli-
ness OF the grinning skull, half hidden
10y its gray cowl. But now. when /
placed my light between his toes and
attempted gently 10 case his stomach
OF that heavy box. the bony fingers
chung 10 II with gruesome strengths;
the old bones cracked and wheezed ms
tugged at IL. How managed 10 keep
from fainting outright. never knew.
Ny efforts to remove the cheat from the
old fellows lap seemed 10 threaten n
disarrangement OF his skeleton so seri-
GUS that gave up the attempt and un-
locked IL where IL lay. To This he made
no objections: he even appeared to take
a mild interest in the proceedings, wng-
ging and wabbling his old skull, with
horrid whisperings and crcakings.
every time leened against him