The Newtown bee., 1901-12-06

man began to use shovel, throwing out the loose earth. Nose drew nearer | till he feared that the beating of his heart was louder than any other sounds of the spade or of the woods.
 The m m resembled Andy Frazier
 What was he doing, after midnight, in this uncanny spot?
 a few yards only separated them. He crouched and lay flat behind two chest nut saplings, which were twined, and yet opened a little, their stalks parting to leave convenient peepho]e. Unseen he could watch every motion. Surely it Was'the blacksmith. What crime could he be guilty of? Now the man had ex- cavated a square hole suitable for his purpose. Thank heaven it is not a human grave
 The mysterious worker reached for short, square pieces of board, and placed them carefully in the bottom and on the sides of the excavation he had made. Then he sat down to rest. He lifted his coat from where he had thrown it on the ground, and from under it took box upon his knees This he opened.
 "Gracious Golly" exclaimed Nose involuntarily.
 The man seemed to look up, and Nose nearly groveled into and under the earth, to conceal himself. Q But the man went on counting half dollars. dollars, tve-dOllar pieces, notes bank-bills, two hundred, two hundred and fifty, three hundred, four hundred and fifty, five hundred. Nose was completely breathless. Had the misel grown crazy?
 Nose was mystihed. The appreciation of such wealth was slowly penetrating his mind. Five hundred dollars! It was for. tune.
 Annie said that if he had one hun dred dollars they might be happy. Here was many times that sum.
 Andy Frazier deemed his savings unsafe these troublous times and was for guarding against thieves or raiding soldiers. He seemed satisfied with his count, carefully replaced all in the box, deposited it in the receptable and began to shovel back the earth.
 This was long process, for he was most careful to obliterate all traces of disturbance of the ground. Nose lay quiet but, his spirit was troubled water. Dark thought entered his mind. At first he resisted them. He was on the point of rising, cOnfeSsing all to Andy, bidding him goOd-by, and making a clean breast.
 How easy to Strangle dark thoughts when they first emerge and glide into the fair virgin glades of the mind. The infant Hercules of the untempted soul seems very strong. Alas! the python grows more rapidly than the resisting hand.
 Nose lay like a guilty thing and his soul writhed, because into it came the serpent-that accursed one-with the face of a woman and the trail of a snake. He knew well the stOne-graven words:
 "Thou shalt not kill. Thou shall not steal"
 A sweet figure whispered them into his ear and faded vanishing gradually but surely further and further dis tance of mist and night.
 Andy Frazier was satisfied with his precautions, at length; he smoothed the earth with his foot, carefully placed back the square of messy mold he was thoughtful at first to remove with little breakage: made some ca balistic cuttings with his knife upon the beech tree near, and retired from the place.
 He walked closed to where Nose crouched. One leap, tiger spring, d wrestle, a fight to the death: and for tune was in the hand of the tempted.
 But was it necessary to commit mur- der? Andy had been kind to him. The body might be concealed, but blood stains will not out. Yet what must a soldier care for blood? Again, the sweet figure returned to his brain and changed into stern, awful lawgiver: thou shall not do any murder.
 Andy Frazier had gone with hls glim- mering lantern.
 But Nose was alone with another temptation.
 Next to pap and mother and Nose,