Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-08-22

70 lead the way, which he did with
due circumspectioc. What all this
underground space into which we We're
thus introduced nau ever ceen 1se2 Tor
it would be difficult to tell. AT present
it was mostly empty. After passing a
small collection of stores, wine cellar
the very door of which was unhinged
and lay across the cellar bottom, we
struck into a hollow void, in which
there was nothing worth an instant S
/ investigation save the earth under our
! feet.
This the two foremost detectives ex-
amined very carefully, OBTAINING us Of
ten longer thought, than Mr.. Gryce
desired or Lucetta had patience for But
| nothing was said in protest nor did the
, older detective give an order or mani.
fest any especial interest in the investi-
CATION till he saw the men in front stoop
and throw ont of the way coil of rope,
when he Immediately hurried forward
and called upon the party to stop.
The girls, who were on either side of
me- crossed glances at this command,
and Lucetta, who had been totter-
ing forward feebly for the last few
minutes, fell upon her knees and hid
her face in the hollow of her two hands.
Loreen came around and stood by her,
and do not know which presented the
most striking picture of despair, the
shrinking figure Of Lucetta or the
straight but quivering form Of Loreen
lifted to meet the shafts of fate with
out a droop of her eyelids or a murmur
from her lips. The light of the one lam
tern which Intentionally or uninten-
tionally was concentrated on this pa
thetic group made it stand out from the
midst Of the surrounding darkness in
way to draw the gaze of Mr.. Gryce up
on them. He looked, and his own brow
became overcast, Evidently we We're
not far from the cause of their fears
Ordering the candle lifted, he sur
veyed the ceiling above, at which Lo-
reen's lips opened slightly in secret
dread and amazement Then he COM
manded the men to move on slowly, 1
while he himself looked overhead rather
than underneath, which seemed to as
tonish his associates, who evidently had
heard nothing Of the hole which had
been cut in the floor of the flower parlor
Suddenly heard slight gasp from /
Lucetta, who had not moved forward .
with the rest Of us. Then her rushing I
figure flew by US and took up its stand
by Mr.. Gryce, who had himself paused
and was pointing with his imperious
forefnger to the ground under his feet.
You will dig here. - said he, not
needing her, though | am sure he was
as we'll acquainted with her proximity
as we.
dig" murmured Loreen in what
we all saw was final effort TO stave off
disgrace and misery.
My duty demands it, said he.
some one else has been digging here
within very few days, Miss knollys.
That is a. evident as is the fact that
has been made with thi,
place through an opening into the room
above See" And taking the lantern
from the man at his side he held it up
toward the ceiling.
There was no hole there now, but the
evidences of there having been one, and
that within a very short time, We're APP
parent to all. Loreen made no further {
attempt to stay him.
THE house is at Your disposal, - she
'epeated, but do not think she knew {
what she said. The man with the bun
lie in his arms was already unrolling
t on the cellar bottom. \ spade came :
o light, together with some other tools,
lifting the spade, he thrust it smartly
INTO the ground toward which Mr.
1ryce's inexorable finger still pointed.
1t the sight and the sound it made '
brill passed through Lucetta which ,
made her another creature. Dashing for
ward, she flung herself down upon the |
pot with lifted head and outstretched ,
rms. |
"Stop your Decorating handm she
ried. This is a grave-the grave, sirs,
+ our mother"