The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-03

peared to be solid. even upon the
closest inspection.
The hinges Of the lid were ingen-
iously concealed. The liue between
the two parts was invisible. and the
hiddcn lock was operated by secret
springs most cunnlngly devised. Nat
orally so strange an object was the
centerpiece Of many queer stories.
which were collected by one Of the
Olmsteads about sixty years ago and
set duWu by him in manuscript in
leather bound book originally Intended
to be ledger. At the end Of the book
Is very difficult cipher which con-
tains the directions for opening the
casket.
But for this cipher the secret would
have passed out Of the world. A few
months ago. when the present head
CT the family. Mr.. Stephen OlInstead.
stumbled upon the old book Of tradi-
tons, the casket itself had been for
gottea.
Stephen Olmstead found the casket
10 q sort Of vault in the wall Of the
country house which his father built
in Marchmont twenty years ago, and.
having solved the cipher after pro-
tracted struggle which nearly wreck
ed bis intellect (as he informed mel.
he opened the ebony box and was dis
appointed because there was nothing
In It He had no reason to expect any
discovery Of treasure. but he is not
the sort of man to be Indifferent to
the possibility.
He WAS engaged to Mrs. Clara Hol-
ton, rich and charming widow. with
a country house near the Oimstead
place. Mrs. Holton's lack Of enthu-
Giasm for jewels is conspicuous. She
has never been known TO wear an
expensive ornament Nevertheless
Oimstead had no sooner found the
casket than he waS possessed with
the idea Of buying something rare and
precious TO put into it. ostcnsibly as
wedding gift
Accordingly he appeared at his
Marchmont home one evening with
. dazzling diamond piece of historical
as well as intrinsic value. Il schumacher
that had Que. been worn by titled
lady Of the old world. Miss Sylvia
Olmstead. sister nf Stephen. iidicu!cd
this purchase when the Gcwgaw was
displayed to her aud told Stephen that
Clara Holtun would divorce him rath-
er than wear it,
Shell like the casket." said Sylvia
"Its quite In her line. How do you
opea it,"
The diamonds were already within
ard the I'd closed.
'Ceuldn't tell you.' said Stephen.
He put the casket away In the vault
and locked the door. Immediately
after this they heard some one on the
veranda. just outside the windows Of
the library where the conversation
which ! have tried to reproduce
from their recollection Of 1t occurred.
Both supposed that the person on the
vcranda was George Mcclellan. neigh
bor. and that he was coming to call
on Sylvia.
Neither Olmstead nor his sister spoke
Of hearing the footsteps. for Mrketlar
was a delicate subject with them.
Oinstead opposed him as s'litnr for
Sylvia's hand on the ground TINT he
was not financially sound. Mcclellan
had Inherited from his father Il bust
ness In a rather bad tan.lp. and he
was having a hard struggle with 1t.
They waited for Mcclellan To be an
nounCel, ard one Of them was disap-
pointed. willie the other was agrcesMy
surprised. Half an hour later Nc
KeIlar called Sylvia by telephone and
told her that he was occupied with
business affairs.
1t may have been about I o'clock