Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-15

It finished only when they were at the door, which
yielded TO Coverton's push
oh, | say!" whispered Randolph when the
special object in the middle Of the nave was now
revealed to them both.
Coverton went straight to the coffin without a
word. Screwdriver and screws were on the pave
ment. 1t was so like Portugal in the wilds To
leave such trAes lying about
They don't always close them" said Coverton
I'VE might have a look at him"
The lid liftedp and there lay Pedro MARTINEZ
with an ashen smile on his bandaged face. He
was in ordinary PEASANTS clothes, his hands fold
ed on his breast, and seemed as if he had wasted
a long time ere dying
"That1l do" said Randolph, shuddering.
But in that moment evil took complete pos
session of Coverton Putting his hand on Ran
doph's shoulder, he said sternly;
'I want YOU to help me TO do something"
He stared into Randolph's eyes as never before.
"D-don't" Randolph almost sighed
eyes," whispered Coverton exertng all that
demoniacal force of which he was now so gloat-
inpv conscious. "vou are to help me-"
He made several passes before the others eyes,
and Randolph stood rigid, with the light of life, as
it were. gone from his face.
Pallid and ashen himself now as the corpse be-
fore him Coverton took up one Of the great lead.
en- sconces and it's candle. He went down the
nave first to bolt the door From the door he
proceeded into the south aisle. and eerie shadows
went with him along the wall. So to the east
end the north aisle and chapels and then back
apain to stone tran with rusty ring in it
which he had noticed behind the altar. There was
much wooden rubbish.
Yes it was as he supposed In other benighted
hooks Of the land he had found two or three such
charnel vaults to the churches as this trapdoor
indicated for Brancadilha also.
Having raised the stone, he the steps which
led to a grizzly hole, where the bones of many
generations of men and women piled like the
material in union stoneyard.
And then he retraced his steps, leaving the can
die in the vault
Others OF the candles he dispersed along the
nave and past the altar, so that there ave-
nue. of illumination for the work next to be done.
Last of all, he removed the lid of the coffin, and
turned to Randolph, who was like petrifed be-
ing.
Give me hand with this, and follow mel"
he said
All Randoph's individuality was submerged in
the flood of Coverton's dastardly will power.
Coverton himself lifted the dead mans head; and,
expressonless before being hidden, Randolph
took the dead feet And so, slowly they marched
with their burden past the arranged candles, and
with difficulty here-nto the crypt itself. When
no part of poor Pedro left visible he gave
the word to Randolph to return
"Go up" he said, and in grim procession they
returned to the empty coffin.
Again Randolph stood like senseless thing,
while -Coverton brought the candles nearer the
coffin again. This done, Coverton wiped his
face and glanced about him once more. He hesi-
tated before his crowning deed of infamy.
But having led him so far the devil in him was
not to be mocked by half-measures. Summoning
his strength for supreme effort, Coverton raised
Randolph at the legs and arms, and laid him
in the coffin. Then he replaced the lid and drove
in five six screws.