Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1905-12-23

cenled himself behind his paper. In an
other minute the train was Off. Ar
rived at his destination, Harvey pro-
cured some candles and after a
desultory chat with the landlord on
fishing prospects, slipped In a question
about the mill house. Yes. II was still
uninhabited, ruin, half mile or 30
away.
1t was Just eleven o'clock when
Harvey, candle In hand, alighted on
the mill house floor. having wrencnea
off shutter. There was no souhu
beyond the gurgle Of the water. lie
pulled out his diagram and the situa-
ton was now clear to him. 1t repre-
sented the opening mentioned ana a
cross set In the center of the fourth
board on the left hand side admitted
of no doubt as to the position of the
iron bar.
He lit second candle. crossed the
floor with delicate tread. and found
himself at the edge Of large square
opening.
The Clean of Dark Waters.
Below, he could Just catch the CLEAN
Of dark. swift water. Across the
opening at depth of some six feet ran
two parallel beams, Shiny and rotten
with age. To get at the bar he must
lower himself on to one Of these. Set
ting the candle on the edge of the OPEN
ing. he cautiously dropped down. The
next second he was standing firmly,
peering into the space. With quick
impulse and feeling of disgust that
he was about to be disappointed, he
selected the fourth board on the left
side. as directed. and attacked It with
his knife. 1t yielded at the first touch
and fell with a splash into the dark
water below, disclosing to view n
rusty iron bar. from which depended a
thin, rotten-loOking line. He caught
hold Of it and pulled in terror. lest II
should snap in his grasp. There was
weight at the end. Finally. inch nv
inch, he cOaxed it upward and hauled
1t in. apparently a bundle OF weeds.
However. by the feel of the thing
there was something in the midst of
it, and with trembling fingers he dis
closed small. dripping black bundle
a bag-sodden, and nearly rotted to
pieces.
Ransom for a King.
A slash OF his knife laid the bag
open. disclosing to view a hoard OF
small. gritty-looking pebbles Of vary
ing Zes-rubies-wealth untold. He
picked out some Of the largest and
endeavOred to clean them on his coat
sleeve. Two needed washing before
he could make anything Of them, and
he slipped them into his pocket. The
largest of all was less begrimed. and
taking it gingerly between his finger
and thumb. he raised it toward the
light There he held it in blank
amazement. for peering over the edge
of the opening. his face twitching with
excitement. was the man. Vyse, carry
ing in his hand with obvious fear, q
chean, nickle- plated revolver.
"Oh." said Harvey. $50 you're there?
How about the police"
The little man lifted the revolver
with shaking hands.
"Give'em to me, give'em to me. curse
you. they're NINE"
"You Internal little shyster," cried
Harvey. "put that gun down. Put 1t
down, tell you, or | will wiring your
scraggy neck" And with a quick
movement he reached upward to seize
the weapon.
Vyse started in terror. The next IN
slant there was q flash and a report
and the bullet scared Harvey's fore
arm He struck with his other hand,
but lost his balance, slipped. and fell.
Mr.. Vyse shrieked with fright and
lay grovelllng on the floor, as Harvey
sank into the water with dull splash.
The bag of jewels, already open, fol-
lowed him. emitting a tinkling sound,
as one by one the famous RAYMOND
rubies sank toward the soft, black ooze
of the river bed.
When he recovered his senses,
matter of probably some five seconds,
Harvey was swimming mechanically
i'm the calm back-water with the mill
house behind him. He still held the
big ruby tightly pressed between his
first and second fingers.
CHANGING about him, he struck out
for the nearest bank, and then began
to swear vehemently. His arm hurt
him for one thing and he yearned for
the blood of Vyse with most unholy
longing. His hand instinctively sought
his pocket with the idea of finding a
handkerchief to wipe the water from
his face. He did not find It, but in
stead he found the two other large
rubies which he had placed there not
five minutes before. Then he stopped
swearing and began to laugh. After
all, three immense rubies were not so
bad. They would bring him a figure
well into the thousands, very good
nights work-further his keen sense
Of humor cOnjured up a vivid picture
of little, ferrity man. running, terror
stricken, through the dark night,
quivering with guilty remorse for
murder which he had never intended
and never committed.-London Mail.