The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-19

hands, or becomes bone of conten-
ton among lawyers. Sometimes, -
and the old gentleman laughed,-"an
executor proves incompetent or dis
honest I was thoroughly fooled In
you, Pickering The money you owe
me IS a large sum: and you were so
delighted to hear Of my death that you
didn't even make sure l was really out
Of the way. You were perfectly will
ing TO accept Bates word for it; and
must say that Bates carried IT of
splendidly."
Pickering rose. the blood surging
again in his face. and screamed at
Bates, pointing a shaking finger at the
man.
You tmpostOr,-you perjurer! The
law will deal with your case"
To be sure, resumed my grand
father calmly; Bates did make false
afidavits about my death; but posi-
bly,"
Tt was in a Pickwickian sense, sir"
said Bates gravely.
And in a righteous cause" declared
my grandfather. 'T assure you. Pick
ering, that I have every intention Of
taking care of Bates. His weekly let
ters giving an account of the curious
manifestations of your devotion to
Jacks security and peace were alone
worth a goodly sum. But, Bates"
The old gentleman was enjoying him
self hugely He chuckled now, and
placed his hand on my shoulder.
Rates. 1t was too bad I got those
missives Of yours all in a bunch I
was in dahabiyeh on the Nile and
they don't have rural free delivery in
Egypt. Your cablegram called me
home before had finished reading the
letters. But thank God, Jack, you're
elive!"
There was real feeling in these last
words, and l think we were all
touched by them.
Amen to thatl" cried Bates.
And now, Pickering. before you go
l want to show you something. It's
about this mysterious treasure, that
has given you-and I hear, the whole
countryside-so much concern. I'm
disappointed in you, Jack, that you
couldn't find the hiding place 1 de-
signed that as a part OF your archItec-
tural education. Bates, give me a
chair"
The man gravely drew a chair out
of the wreckage and placed it upon
the hearth, My grandfather stepped
upon it, seized one of the bronze
sconces above the mantel and gave It
sharp turn. At the same moment.
Bates, upon another chair, grasped the
companion bronze and wrenched It
sharply. Instantly some mechanism
creaked in the great oak chimney
breast and the long oak panels swung
open, disclosing steel door with a
combination knob
Gentlemen, and my grandfather
turned with quaint touch of humor.
and a merry twinkle in his bright old
eyes gentlemen, behold the treas
ury! 1t has proved a better hiding
place than I ever imagined it would.
There's not much here, Jack, but
enough to keep you going for a while"
We were all staring. and the old
gentleman was unfeignedly enjoying
our mystifcation. 1t was an hour on
which he had evidently counted much:
1t was the triumph of his resurrection
and homecoming, and he chuckled as
he twirled the knob in the steel door.
Then Bates stepped forward and
helped him pull the door open, disclos-
ing a narrow steel chest, upright and
held in place by heavy bolts clamped
into the chimney. 1t was filed with
packets Of papers tied neatly with
tape
Jack" said my grandfather, shak-
ing his head, you wouldn't be an
architect, and you're not much of an
engineer. either, or you'd have seen
that that paneling was heavier than
was necessary. There's 100000 in
frst-rate securities. Bates and put
them there Just before l went to Yer
mont to die"
I've sounded those panels a dozen
times" protested.
"Of course you have. said my
grandfather, "but solid steel behind
wood is safe. I tested it carefully be-
fore / left"
He laughed and raped the floor
with his staff, and laughed with him.
But you found the Door of Bewilder-
ment and Pickering's notes, and that's
something"
NO; didn't even find that. Dono-
van deserves the credit. But how did
you ever come to build that tunnel, If
you don't mind telling me2"
He laughed gleefully.
That was originally a trench for
natural gas pipes. There was once a
large pumping station on the site of
this house, with big trunk main run
ming off across country to supply the
towns west Of here. The gas was ex-
hausted, and the pipes were taken up
before I began to build. I should
never have thought of that tunnel in
the world if the trench hadn't suggest
ed 1t. l merely deepened and widened
1t q little and pIae+arad II Nth chnap