Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-10-26

yourself"
SO NJ. Villebois, without further hest
tatlon, seized the profiered pen and
signed the two documents which related
respectively to the assignment of half the
fortune. and to the sale of the chateau
for the sum of one hundred thousand
pounds, payable twelve hours after pos
session.
Very good" exclaimed NJ Latour,
placing the documents in his coat pocket.
THE Chateau BriancCurt is my prop
erty from this moment" Then whisper
ing in the ear of NJ. Villebois, he con
tinued: '"The secret I sell to you only,
you understand. You must find a pre-
text to send away that servant OF yours
till tomorrow morning. | will be here
at o'clock this evening. BE alone and
ready with pick, Il shovel, Il lantern
and a stout rope
Then with q lordly flourish of his left
hand the new owner of Chateau Brian
court babe adieu to the bewildered M.
Villebois and departed.
jeanette was pleased to hear that she
could go to visit some of her relations
about four miles away and return the
next day. Principally at the appointed
hour NJ. Latour tapped at the door, which
was opened by M. Villebois, whose fea-
lures betrayed his mental agitation.
IS all ready?" inquired NJ. Latour,
gaily.
yes, [ have everything here" rejoined
M. Nillebois.
Follow me. then, TO the Kitchen" said
NJ. Latour, leading the way. Il have the
whole plan of the place in my minds
eye"
Taking the pick in hand, he wrenched
up the wooden flooring, under which lay
stone slab with an iron ring in it. On
raising the slab flight of narrow stone
steps was discovered. Down went NJ.
'Villebois with the lantern, followed by
NJ. Latour, carrying the tools.
"One-tWo-tlree PAGES to the right Of
the bottom step" said NJ. Latour, as he
strobe forward and suddenly stopped.
This IS the spot-just here. Now we
shall have to raise these bricks
Then the two men set to work hack
ing out the bricks and the earth below
them TO a depth of four feet, when the
pick struck something very hard.
Its the chest!" murmured NJ. Latour,
in suppressed tone, as if he were afraid
the very walls might hear MIN. chats
right, shovel out the earth. Here, give
me the rope. As soon as we get down
to the handles [ will slip it through them
and pull up while you loosen the earth
around with the pick"
With feverish excitement NJ. Villehois
seized the pick and labored with all his
feeble force to remove the surrounding
earth.
There, I've got the rope through one
handle,'' said NJ. Latom, as he crouched
down to draw the end over to the other
side
But how shall we open the chest
when we'got it up?" gasped NJ. Villebois.
"Oh, leave that to me. All the needful
for that little job is in my pocket"
So they picked and shoveled until the
second handle was free for the rope to
pass through it. Then a knot was adj
justed, so that both the men could pull
on to q single line to raise the chest to
the surface.
It's coming! It's coming! By heaven,
the million at last" cried the excited NJ
Villebois.
But NJ Latour kept a cool head, and,
kneeling down, he placed the shovel in a
manner to prevent the chest slipping
back
Pulling with all their might, Mr. La
tour at the pits mouth and NJ Vile
bois just behind him, the chest was slow
ly drawn to the surface, and NJ. Latour
knelt again to detach the rope, whilst
NJ. Villebois seized the pick. and raising
it high III the air, Glove the hairless skull
Of his partner.
Hurting aside the lifeless mass, with
the implements found in his victims
pocket he labored with almost super
human force to break in the chest And
when, at the end of an hour, the lid gave
way, exposing the contents, he took off
his coat to make a bundle of them, and
carried them UP the steps away to the
dining room, where he spread them out
on the table
What q treasure to behold! Instead
of gold, it consisted of million pounds
IN notes issued by banks which existed
before the Revolution, before the re-
stored monarchy, and before the first
and second empires! Alas! where was
the coveted fortune now? Irretrievably
lost in the bygone struggles for national
liberty
jeanette returned, and when, after
four hours knocking in vain, she called
the villagers to smash in the door of the
chateau, forsooth they found a mad
mon sitting at the table, his arms
sprawled aimlessly over it, with crumpled
bank notes in his frenzied grasp, as he
moaned:
IT'S mine! IT'S all mine! A million!
My heritage!"-J Forkman in New
York Daily News.