Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-06
WATERBURY EVENING DEMOCRAT SATURDAY, JANUARY

"Hurrah!' said Sheppard, his voice ricochettfng down the musty corridor.
 "Hush!" enjotned. Pull it open" The two tore back the cupboard door, and my lantern flashed on an appall- ing space of blackness.
 -There is nothing here," said Mont gomery.
 Were not finished, you duffer," said Sheppard eagerly. Feel along the back wall Here, let me. Oh, the devil! I'm too short!'
 Trusting the lantern into Sheppard's hands, sprang at the wall, and with leap seated myself on the floor of the cupboard.
 ''The back is wooden" I said. My fingers ran swiftly across the oaken surface and presently stopped. "The lantern called to him.
 Sheppard let the lantern fall in his excitement and in a moment we were plunged in darkness. At the same time there arose sound on the grim silence of the corridor. I drew in my breath, and think every one did the same. felt rather than heard Montgomery fumbling with his revolver. Ten, twen- ty, thirty seconds passed, and then Sheppard struck a match.
 "It's the internal wind," he ex- . claimed.
 the lantern. and I noticed that it was wild and burning. With tremulous fin gers he handed me the lantern. and the light shone on a bit of steel I held un- der my thumb. I pressed. and with jerk the oaken screen fell back. I put out hand and encountered nothing.
 I'm going through" said in whis- per Follow me. I'll leave the Ian tern here. Heaven knows what we shall find" ......
 let myself softly down below, and my feet struck the stone of the floor once more Sheppard and Montgom- cry followed We cast the light about us. We were in a dungeon closed with in absolutely blank walls. In the cor ner some rags and paper lay heaped. I pushed them aside, and they crum- bled at the touch of my foot.
 Its not here," said Sheppard. "Throw the light this way. Ah, thought sor'
 Ere he had finished he was halfway up flight of stone steps, and we fol- lowed pellmell. A door of heavy oak barred the way at the top.
 We wanted oil after all," said Shep- pard .impatiently. Montgomery flung his weight against it, and with crash it opened.
 Montgomery, overbalanced with his effort. staggered and fell upon the threshold, but Sheppard, who was next to him, paid no attention and turning, looked at me. The light made no way upon the great darkness.
 Do you know where we are?" whis- pered Sheppard. This is below the keep. Shall we go in?"
 Certainly" I said. 'get Montgom- cry up." He pulled the lad to his feet, and slowly we showed back the huge creaking door.
 ut luto "hlSh NC "CiC now come was small and square and, like that below, barred by solid mason " and unrelieved by window or grat- ing. I found later by calculation that this must be in the very heart of the keep itself and so wholly disparted from the rest of the castle that the noise of ordnance would scarce have penetrated its deep and dismal re- cesses My eyes were drawn as by a magnet to the farther corner of the barren cell, in which I could perceive some formidable shadows wavering be- meath the dull, uncertain light of my lantern.
 Sheppard also had deserted them and, plunging forward with cry, flung himself upon his knees.
 They are here right enough" he called. And at his words Montgom- cry and I approached him. I held the light above his head, throwing the faint beams across his shoulder. There were three large oaken cases standing upon legs and simply carved upon the ldCt. lHt uhSt lay uCSp oi lnchi, oc upon the floor of that interior dungeon. Sheppard brushed the dust away and seized the lock. The hinge fell back to his touch, and slowly he lifted the massive lid.
 The light shone still upon dark shad- ows. but, stopping little lower, I thrust it into the mouth of the aper- ture. and our noses hung over the sides of the box together.
 The treasure was there for certain. There it lay spread before our greedy faces. the gold and the silver and the precious stones that had been destined to save one king from death and aI-
 a Z zl