Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-11-22

who robbed fathers bank, and the
money is buried here 1 saw him and
he told me. Get pick and shovel
and dig right here" indicating the
spot with her foot.
l never thought of doubling the truth
of her statement and, securing the
implements, set to work at what
proved to be an arduous task
There is large tin box about two
feet down. l saw it as in a passing
picture" said Dorothy.
My work verified her statements, as
the tin box was soon exposed to view.
| succeeded in raising it, although the
weight was almost : beyond my
strength. With Dorothy's assistance.
l brought it up into the sitting room.
1t was an ordinary cash box of large
size and bore the name of Dorothy's
father. Lacking a key, l pried it
open. Some old papers covered the
contents, which proved to be rolls and
rolls of money. Dorothy and / spent
considerable time in counting it, and
found that it contained s75,364 in gold
and United States notes.
When our excitement had somewhat
subsidized, Dorothy related the Incl
dent, as she had experienced it, which
had resulted in the finding of the tin
box.
LAS l sat reading" she said, Il felt
a peculiar sensation. 1t was not drow-
siness, for my mind was alert, but I
was sensible of a change of conditions,
| and a slow transference of conscious
ness. Just within the door appeared a
faint cloud or shadow, which gradually
| assumed the well-defined appearance Of
man. He spoke, but in voice to
which no physical ear is responsive.
He said that he was Fred Langton who
had robbed my fathers bank for re-
venge, after he had been discharged
| from his position as cashier. He had
| lost heavily through speculation, and
| he wished to retrieve his own fortunes,
and at the same time ruin my father,
| whom he believed to be responsible for
his discharge from the bank. He
| feared to draw suspicion upon himself
| by the free use of much money at a
| time when it was known that he was
| almost bankrupt, so he buried it, as
you see, trusting to the future for a
| favorable opportunity to use it.
Father was SO affected by the loss
| of the money and all the consequent
trouble that he suffered a stroke of
paralysis, from which he died.
| I,
vengeance did not bring any satisfac-
| ton. Fathers death added to his sense
| Of guilt, as he instinctively felt that
it was the result of his crime. He
knew, also, that thobank directors sus-
pected him, and they were conducting
| Investigations that might lead to his
| conviction. The existing conditions
and the possibilities of the future were
| SO appalling to him that he tried to
escape from the results of his wicked
ness by committing suicide. This cul-
minating act of folly left him hope
| lessly haunting the vicinity of the
buried treasure, the discovery OF which
was the dominating fear of his last
days. During all these years he had
been a bound soul. In the hope OF
freeing himself, he has been striving to
make known his presence to me and
reveal the buried treasure. After he
had guided me down the stairs, and
shown me where the treasure was con-
cealed, he vanished as mysteriously
and suddenly as he had appeared
1t would be useless for me to try
to describe the. effect that Dorothy's
strange. uncanny, but profitable expe-
rience had produced upon both of us.
| However, our fears and repugnance to
the haunted house was gone forever.
The old lawyer who had settled the
affairs of Dorothy's father, assured
lis that there were no claims against
the estate, and consequently the money
was rightly hers.
We subsequently bought the old
house, adding to it, and beautifyina
it, until it was one of the finest resi-
dences in the town. Two of our grand
children are romping in the big hall as
1 write, but our mysterious visitor has
never troubled us since the day we
found the tin boX.-Overland Monthly
| Ought to BE Grateful.