The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-06

lie Will ICIld1I cilCI1dIilcu Will Xix
treasure" BY the light Of a Lantern
which they had brought with them
they groped their way through the
bushes and over fallen stones to the
door of a vault beneath the tower
With fear and trembling they descend
ed a flight Of steps cut in the rock
This led them to a dreary chamber.
from which another flight Of steps de-
scended into q second vault. In this
way they went down several flights OF
damp and moldy steps, into vault after
vault, until they must have been far,
far below the foundations Of the tower,
and found themselves in a cavern
from which they saw no egress except
by the way they had come. Just then
they heard the clock Of the watch
tower far above them strike midnight
and the Moor lighted the piece OF
and frankincense through h vault.
In a hurried voice the Moor began TO
read the writing on the scroll.
He had scarcely finished when there
was noise Of thunder, the earth shook
an dthe floor of the vault opened show
ing a flight Of steps. down which they
went tremblinsly. At the foot OF the
steps they found themselves in a vault
the sides Of which were covered with
Arabic inscriptions. In the centre
stood a great chest secured by seven
bands of steel and at each end OF the
chest sat a Moorish warrior, all in ar
NOR. but enchanted and .mOtiOnless as
a statue. being controlled by the power
Of the spell contained in the scroll.
Before the chest were several jars fill
ed with gold and precious stones.
They thrust their arms up to the
elbows into the largest Of these Jars,
hauling forth broad pieces Of Moorish
gold, bracelets and other ornaments Of
the same precious metal, necklaces of
Oriental pearls and many articles Set
with precious stones. They crammed
their pockets with the spoils, casting
fearful glances meanwhile at the en-
hanted Moors, who glared at them
with unwinking eyes, until at length
filed with a sudden alarm at some
fancied noise, they both rushed up the
stems out of the cave to the apartment
above. where they managed to acct
denta1ly extinguish the candle and the
pavement closed beneath them with a
thunderous sound.
They did not stop in their flight now
until they reached the open air and
saw the stars shining above them.
Then they threw themselves on the
ground to take breath. They divided
the plumber between them evenly and
to be content for this night
with the mere Swimming of the jars.
but promised themselves to return
some other night and drain them to
the bottom. To make sure Of the good
faith of each other they divided the
talsmans between them, one taking
the scroll and the other the taper.
Also they agreed that they must keep
for if an inkling Of it got to the ears
of the alcaide they were undone.
Friend Peregil." said the Moor SOL
EMMY, you are a discreet man-butl
you have a wife! She must not know
a word OF this Certainly not" cried
IlarorN d. O1oo 81 ,o ~oo- |
wherever We may be. how often have
you made a similar promise-made 1t
and then
Mighty WELL" cried Peregil's wife
her husband came home.
Mighty we'll that YOU should go ram
bling about all night enjoying yourself
and your wife and children starving.
I wonder you have not brought back
Moor with you. Unhappy
woman that ! am! What will become
of me? Oh. my children! What will
become of us? We shall have to beg
in the streets And she set up a howl
which set the children to bowling and
poor Peregil was SO distressed that he
whimpered also-his heart was as fun
IS is pocket and was not to be re-
strained.
He took out Of his pocket some
three or four BROAD. golden pieces and
handed them to his astonished wife.
he drew forth a golden chain
and dangled it before her eyes. Holy
Virgin protect u.s." cried the wife.
"Oh, Peregil. hast thou been commit
ting murder or robbery?" This idea
no sooner entered the head of the wo-
than she became possessed of il
and saw a vision of a g3llows with
bandy-legsed little Peregi1 dangling
it, and SO fell into violent hys-
terics. What could the poor man do?
He did Just what most husbands would
have DONE, swore his wife to secrecy
and then told her the whole story.
The next day Peregil tool one Of the
sold pieces to a jeweier in the Zacatin.
and, saying he had found it among the
ruins of the >Alhambra, sold it for
a third of what it was worth.
knowing it's value. Then he bought
new clothes for his children. all sorts
Of toys and an abundance of food
the family ~reioiced and made holiday.
The wife Of Peregil kept her secret .