The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-10-02

| the coal room ana was humping me
| floor with 1t even while Pepperton tried
to discourage her further investiga-
lions. We were all ranged about her
with our candles, and these, with the
others l hud thrust into the corners.
lighted the room we'll.
"I'm afraid you've seen the whole Of
II, Miss HOLSTER" said Pepperton.
"The old house was built after the
Revolution, 1 Judge, but your British
soldier was probably left hanging to a
tree and never buried at ALL
Miss Octavia had been over the floors
Of the two rooms twice and was about
to desist. She made her last stand In the
corner of the smaller room, and as we
all stood holding our lights we were
conscious that the dull. monotonOus
thump suddenly changed its tone.
do you hear that, gentlemen
She subdue1 her giatilcaIon in the
rebuking glance she gave US. Calm
and unhurried, she rested moment on
her stick, with the candles soft glow
about her. a smile ineffably sweet on
her face.
1.-The timbers may have rotted away
underneath. We didn't raise these
hoors," said Pepperton, but we both
dropped to our knees and brought all
the candle light to bear upon the floor
ing. Dust and mortar. shaken loose In
the destruction Of the house, filled the
cracks. Pepperton, deeply absorbed.
continued to sound the corner with bis
knuckles.
1T really looks as though these
boards had been cut for some purpose"
he said, whipping out his knife.
l ran to the kindling room and found
Z Ratchet. and when returned he had
dug the dirt out of the edges of the
door planks.
II beg Of you to exercise the great
est care. gentlemen. II bones are In
TERED here we must do them no sacri.
lege," warned Miss Octavia.
BY this time we all, think, began to
believe that the flooring might really
have been cut in this corner Of the old
room to permit the hiding of some
thing. The old planks chung stub
bornly to their joists. but after |
had loosened one the others came up
quickly, and the smell Of dry earth
filed the room. Pepperton had. at Miss
Octavia's direction, brought a chisel
and crowbar from the toolroom in the
cellar, and he stood ready with these
when l tore up the last board. disclos-
ing an oblong space about five feet
long and slightly over three feet wide.
We were all excited now. The edge
of the bar struck repeatedly against
something that resisted sharply. 1t
might have been root. but when Pep
perton shifted the point Of attack the
same booming sound answered to the
prodding. Pepperton now thought 1t
might be only an empty cask or box
Of no interest whatever, but Miss Octa-
via. lowering close with a candle. en-
couraged Us to 20 on.
We worked on silently, Pepperton
loosening the soil. with the bar while !
shoveled 1t out In half an hour we had
revealed a long. fat wooden surface.
which to our anxious imaginations was
the lid of some sort Of box.
It must have been nearly 6 O'Clock
when we dragged out into that candle
lighted chamber stout. well fashion
ed box. The earth chung to its sides
jealousy. and it was bound with strips
Of brass that shone brightly where the
scraping of our tools had FURNISHED It.
We pried of the heavy lock with a
good deal of difficulty. and when 1t
was free Miss Octavia asserted her
right to the treasure trove with much
calmness.
II should never forgive myself II !
allowed this opportunity to pass. You
must permit me to have the first look."
The Ghost Of Adoniram Caldwell.
1VYE gathered close about her
wv as she knelt beside the box.
W MY hand shook as held
my candle. and I think Miss