The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-15
CHAPTER XVI.
Continued.


made them into a rough pillow with
his own coat over them, and kneeiing
beside her chafed her cold hands.
The other two men proceeded to
make a minute search round the hut,
out for a Ions time could discover
aothing. Suddenly Arthur caught
sight of some tiny g%litterirg spark
lpon the ground and pointed to it.
It was the diamond which had
iropped from Antcinette's hand when
the lost consciousness. He spoke in
low voice.
Look there, my friends he said.
1T is possible that in the ground it
self you may fine something to re-
ward your search"
The spirit of the chase was upon
hem now. They knelt down and
with fingers and rude pieces of wood
tore up the soil.
The earth yielded up her secret at
last. The fragment of wood with
which Tasset was digging hit upon
something hard. He renewed his ex-
ertions, and with both hands drew
10 the surface the black leather case
that Arthur Denstone knew SO well.
That is it," he said, quietly. you
nave discovered it. See, the lock is
broken"
The Bramah lock was torn open,
and the box was only fastened by a
leather strap. They loosened it and
raised the lid. Tasset put in his
hand, raised it, and let the contents
fall back into the case, a shower of
diamonds, shimmering and shining in
The laring light.
The looked at each other with
strange looks, and the Cure crossed
himself. For this an unhappy sin
ner has sold his immortal SOUL" he
murmured to himself. This is the
price of blood"
Il think it would be best to return
them to the same place of conceal
ment for the present" said Monsieur
Tasset to Arthur. What do you say,
Monsieur? Or do you think that we
are now at the end of the quest, and
may go home again."
Arthur shook his head; he looked
at his companions with despairing
eyes. "The task is not 'done,"" he
said. Heaven help her, the worst is
still to come. She would not have
entered upon the quest merely for
this" and he pointed to the treasure.
1T was to ave life and to fulfil the
ends of justice; to save from injus-
tice. You will, in my opinion, do
very wisely in burying them once
more. We do not know where we
may be led tonight. Let us not be
hampered by that treasure"
The Cure and Monsieur Tasset
agreed; in a few minutes they had
replaced the box and destroyed all
traces of the earth having been dis
turbed. There was nothing for it
now but to wait until Antoinette
awakened from her swoon. They sat
down, leaning against the rough
walls of the building. Arthur con-
tinued kneeling by her side. Grad
ually it seemed to him that the swoon
had passed into a deep sleep. The
other men slept also. There was a
profound silence. The hours rolled
on, and the first white streaks of
dawn appeared in the east, and a
slow gray twilight spread over the
sleeping world.
Then quietly. silently, Antoinette
opened her eyes. She sat up with q
strange bewildered look, and a start
of terror as she perceived her strange
surroundings. Arthur, bending for
ward eagerly, saw no sign of recog-
milton in her glance. At her slight
movement the other men awoke, rap
idly on the alert again.
Antoinette put out both hands,
CROPPED a little blindly till hey
reached the wand, then once more
the terrible Medusa look came back
to her face. She stopped suddenly,
and once more came from her lips
that awful sound of e%xuitation. She
had between her fingers now an old
torn glove. The three men glanced
at each other. 1t was a kid glove,
the glove of a gentleman.
Antoinette once more led on the
fearful pursuit. The grey light spread
upward and increased; an ice cold
wind rushed round them; the grass
under their feet cracked with an ear
ly frost. She led them straight back
across the forest and down the white
highroad, straight through Goucy
into the inn in which Arthur had
slept the night before, and, without
a moments pause, up into Paul Lee
dues bedroom.
She did not wait there; she went
all around the room, then turned to
go again.
But by this time, early as it was.
not five o'clock, a report that some
thing strange had transpired respect,
ing the murder Of Mon Repos had
got about; and a further rumo1
spread from mouth to mouth that the
English stranger had set a blood.
hound on the track Of the murderer,
The crowd began to gather round the
doors Of La Pie Blanche" a gaping
staring crowd, a~ugmenting every mo.
ment.
With a generous determination tt
afford all the protection in their pow
er, the Cure and the Mayor botl
pressed forward close 70 her as they
went out into the open street.
Arthur snatched up a shawl thai
lay on the staircase. Could he but
throw it round her, but veil her q
little from the crowd, he felt would