The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-14

fabric. This has been torn from tndt ran.
IL is a part of the tapestry that once
decked the walls of this chamber. L am
disappointed again; thought to ind a mod
ern vesture, and am put OFF with ancient
tapestry"
He began to scrape the fabric with his
penknife
Il can detect some colored threads" he
went on. 1T is figured arras: but IL is i'm
possible at present TO make out what the
figures are. Here are some letters, TOO
can detect N and T. We must keep this
When cleaned it may prove 10 be an inter
esting 'hnd'-of a more ancient date. unless
my chronology be at fault, than the famous
Bayeux Tapestry. What puzzles me is.
why the man who carried off the rest OF
the ia pestry should leave this behind him
Probably because 1t is torn remnant"
But il would be a very simple matter
to sew it to the main piece again. Do you
notice how the rail is bent where the three
cornered bit is?"
Godfrey looked and saw that the rod
What inference do you draw from that?"
Idris asked.
THAT somebody must have been tug
ging heavily at the tapestry TO cause such
"A curvature"
Exactly But why should any one
wrench so violently at the tapestry. tapes
try that was evidently regarded as valua-
bic, otherwise IL would not have been car
ried on?"
Godfrey shrugged his shoulders at the
apparent irreleVancy of Idriss remarks.
Your question is not susceptible OF an
answer"
''True-at present. But an investigator
should take note of every circumstance,
however trifiing although at the time he
may fail to discern its true significance"
But seeing that the tapestry may have
been carried of centuries ago. il Is difficult
to discover the present application Of your
remark"
ION the other hand it may have been
carried off only recently: IL is these recent
traces that l wish TO find. Somehow, this
bent rod attracts me. All"
Whilst speaking thus he suddenly recalled
an incident that had occurred during his
previous exploration in the dark.
Godfrey, your divining rod. l am half
| a-believer in its power. At any rate 1
| am going to try an experiment"
Taking the hazel stick he walked to that
| part of the wall where the shred of tapes
try hung.
Either 1 am dreaming" he said. cor a
| singular experience befell me at this spot.
Standing in the same position as before
! he extended the stick horizontally. ex-
planning to Godfrey the reason for his
| act.
| But Solomon's saying. 1.-THE thing that
| hath been, 1t is that which shall be-" was
not verified on the present occasion.
| Though Idris waited patiently for several
minutes the rod manifested none of the
downward tendency that 1t had previously
| shown.
Godfrey himself took the stick and tried
| the experiment. but with no better result.
| He expressed his opinion that Idris must
have been the victim Of an Illusion: but to
this Idris would not assent.
The rod does not turn now, that's clear.
But that it did turn 1 am confident. 1t
was no fancy of mine"
Let US dig" said Godfrey, "and see
whether there is anything beneath the soil
that would have caused it,"
With these words he took up the spade
and began digging. Idrfs followed his ex-
ample, welding the pickaxe, but found,
after few strokes that some hard SUBJ
stance prevented the point of the imple-
ment from penetrating to a greater depth
| than three or four inches.
This earth is mere superficial deposit.
Expectations from the roof" said Idris.
There Is a stone flooring beneath"
| In a few moments they had cleared away
| the terrene deposit. discovering nothing
| however, except block OF smooth ma
sonry, at which ldris dealt few strokes
'Humph. seems solid enough. The dull
sound given forth is hardly suggestive of a
| der?''
Finding no answer to this question, he
1 turned reluctantly away, ana began to ex-
/ plore the other parts of the chamber. He
made a careful examination of its flooring,
/ allowing no part of ii to escape him. With
/ the spade he swept aside the black water
/ from the tiny hollows. and with the pick
axe ne probed the ground at various points,
/ discovering everywhere stone pavement be-
meath the superficial covering of earth.
The object that he was hoping to find-a
matchbox or a button bearing the makers
name; the dated sheet of newspaper; a
scrap OF handwriting: handkerchief,
marked with the owners initials: or some
/ article of like character-existed only in
his fancy. A thorough search on the part
of the two friends failed to bring anything
i to light, either on the surface of the floor,
/ or embedded Within the clay.
There nothing to indicate the date
at which the tumulus had been last en-
/ tered: whether ten, twenty or a hundred
years before. For all they could tell to the
/ contrary. many centuries might have passed
since its interior had been trodden by
/ human footsteps.
! Relnquishing at last his fruitless labors
ldris seated himself on the edge of the
Vikings tomb with disappointment writ
/ ten on his features.
Il have so long chung to the hope that
/ this place would afford clew to the finding
of my father. that l cannot give up the
notion even now. when it's futility seems
most apparent. You may think me fanci-
/ full. Godfrey. but something seems to whis-
per that there are traces of him here. If l
did but know where to look for them And
yet. l suppose. We have done all that it is
| possible TO do?"
He rose again from his seat and scruti-
| niZed the four walls of the chamber, sound
ing them with the pickaxe.
! There does not appear to be any cell or
| passage behind these" he muttered.
He turned his eyes upwards, and took
survey of the black tree trunks forming
the roof of the chamber: and finished his
| Investigations by probing the dust Of the
| Vikings tomb with the end OF the walking
| stick. but made no further discovery.
so end my hopes of finding my father"
he muttered sadly. my labor has been ex-
pended on a vain quest. Years of search
| throughout Europe: years of study over
/ ruEic letters, end ina dead mans bones.
How this old fellow grins, One would
| think he enjoys my discontinue. L shall
/ take his skull back with me-"
| ''Why, in heavens name?"
| "A within OF mine, nothing more. have
/ taken fancy for the skull. and the skull
! l will have. So old Orm," he continued
| stopping down and detaching the erisly
/ head-piece from the vertebral column,
prepare TO face the light of day after
sleep of centuries I'm darkness
| Put il back again. said Godfrey. What
| good can II do YOU? You can't possibly
/ put il TO any USE
THE skull of brave Viking is a trophy
! we'll worth preserving, a noble ornament
] for my sideboarG. And if you talk of USE
/ there are several uses to which / can put
| it, L may set il with silver. and convert il
/ into a drinking-cup, like that used by
| Byron. Or | may turn IL into pretty lamp
| TO write tragedy by. after the fashion OF
/ the poet Young. Or. initiating the old
ton to remind me of death. and of the
vanity OF all things human. The skull will
/ be a souvenir OF our expedition a memento
| of an experience unique. at least in my
/ life So hurrahi' he cried, holding the
| trophy aloft, "Hurrah for the Vikings
SKULL
Day was dawning when Idris and God
/ as lay in their power, the traces of their
| nights work. Beatrice, who had been sit
| ting up anXiously awaiting their return.
gave a little scream when she beheld their
| hlackened faces.
ssHeaVenst what has happened9.' she