Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-01-20
CHAPTER XIV.

ular and inexplicable thing happened
ay, two singular things-the full mean
lg Of which | did not comprehend until
ccident put the solution into my hands.
left Sidcote at eight before the
morning freshness was quite gone from
he air, and followed the road which
eads to Widdicombe. After Heytree,
he road runs for the best part OF mile
ver the open down where Mr.. Leighan
net his accident.
soon had the whole of the great fat
idge to myself as left Kings Tor and
walked briskly southwark Half way
dong this upland plain there stands an
Ipright stone Of gray granite, six feet
Ugh. Beside II lies a small fat stone;
t is called the Gray Wether. Who put
t up, and why 1t was put up, not the
ldest inhabitant can tell.
What happened was this. Between
he upright stone and the fat stone the
dyes of the latter being irregular, there
5, at a certain place, an aperture or re-
ess.
carried with me a stick, on which |
vas leaning. Now, by this kind OF
nance which we call accident, In chang
ng my position | stuck the point OF the
tick into the aperture thing OF which
me would have been hardly conscious
,ut for an unmistakable clicking which
ollowed, as of coins. The opening, |
ound, was too small for a mans hand.
rhe fiat stone was immOvable. Perhaps
with the stick | could at least feel the
coins? Yes, made them rattle
Now, when | took out the stick again
4 bit Of yellow leather showed for a mo-
nent just hooked up by the ferule a.
FAR as the light penetrated. The sight
# the leather inspired me with faint
rope. reversed the stick and hshed
With the handle, to such good purpose
hat in very few moments | had the
Gather thong In my fingers and hauled
il out.
The thong tied up the mouth of =
small brown canvas bag. The bag was
modern bank bag and its treasure was
a collection of twenty coins.
Twenty sovereigns In a bag, a modern
brown canvas bag. Who could have
climbed up Hamil Down In order to hid
twenty pounds In a little hole like this
l put the gold into the bag, tied It UP
again, and put 1t into my own pocket
Then walked on, meditating.
While | was thinking, a figure, which
began dimly to perceive through the
nebulous veil Of thought, was working
his way slowly down the hillside opposite
by nearly the same way as | had MI
self picked among the powders. He
came plodding along with the heavy ste ?
and rolling shoulders of one who wall 9
much over ploughed fields and heavf
land
He stopped finally. Then he locke
around him quickly, as II to assure him
self that no one was present to observs
him; | wonder he did not see me. Thei
he stopped down, reached within SOM
cavity and drew out something.
1t was In a big blue bag. l coul
plainly see that the blue bag, like M
canvas bag. was weather-stained. II,
laid the bag upon a stone. and proceede
to draw out its contents, consisting ct
a single box. Ii was a box about tws
feet long and eighteen inches wide, an
two or three inches deep. 1t was a ii
box. What had David got In his boIs
for the man was David. | might havl
walked down the hill and asked him tina
question. but one was naturally soms
what ashamed to confess to looking on q
what was intended for a profound So.
cret.
David was so anxious to keep the 8,
cret that he actually took of his jacket
wrapped it round the bag, and tied 1t Sc
curely with string. Then, without look
ing about him any more. he turned ant
walked back slowly and deliberately a.
he had come, carrying the treasure under
his arm. As soon as his figure had SUI
mounted the brow Of the hill and had dif
appeared, | got up and sought the hiding
place. 1t really was a place into which
nobody would think Of looking for any
thing. The top stone sloped downwars
over the mouth, so as almost to hide II
In this cluster of four great stones M
one would have dreamed Of finding o.
of looking for anything. David's hidinr
place was well chosen.
Then / followed walking slowly, s.
that | might not catch him up on hi
way home with his tin box full Of Quee-
things from the Southern Seas, l SUP
posed.
In the evening told George all tina
had happened, and produced the browl
canvas bag. George took the bag, locke
at it, opened il. poured out the cole,
counted 1t, held II In his hand and weigh
ed it; looked at it again. put it into thI
bag, and laid the bag on the table
1T Is weather-stained old man." l.,
said, "and smells Of the mold. | shout
think it had been there some time" II,
took 1t up again and turned II roun
Look" he said, "here are initials; the,
are nearly faded, but they are certainly
initials. make out an A-no. a b; 81
is Il Dl-and an L. Certainly an j.
b. l.. or ID. l.. which Is itr'
Looks TO me-" said. turning the b.,
about in the light, "looks like b. A.; b.
II may be ID. l."
"wnl," he cried. II believe you ha-,
really found something important Sd
years ago, when Daniel Leighan fell +
his pony. he always declared that he les
twenty pounds in gold. II was tied dp
he always says, in a canvas bag. Tbh
must be his bag and these must be N
initials. | am quite sure Of IT,"
Very odd. II II is so. Why should
man steal bag of money only to pi
it-money and all-into hole and thsi
20 away and leave i'll"
"Well, | take 1t that the thief put th'
bag there meaning to return for 1t. bs
forgot where he put IT,"
You can't forget the Gray Weth /,
Stone. George. There is only one Grs.
Wether Stone on Hamil Down. and VIII
In the world would go all up Hamil u
purpose to hide a bag Of money whsl
there are hiding places In every ston
wall about the feldsr
Take II to Daniel tomorrow sts
show II to him, VIII. He always de
clares that he was robbed Of this none.