Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-12-26

guu - 49, ~ N-NS -
house next door is occupied by an old
sleepless asthmatic, who spends half
her nights in her window overlooking
the graves"
The car shot forward again. SIS
that ala" asked Kent
isn't it enough?"
Hardly. We're not going within
miles OF Annalakn."
"Then our nights work is not
Kent could feel his eompanlons revolt
at the unuttered word and supplied 1t
for him.
Grave robbery? 1t is"
"WhereY
I'm a private burying ground on the
Blairs' estate"
"wilfrid Blalr's grave? When was
the funeral?"
This morning. l was among those
present, though don't think my name
will be mentioned in the papers,"
why should you have been there|
"0h, set 1t down TO vulgar curiosity
said Kent
|. Probably you'd say the same If !
asked you the motive for this present
expedition. suppose you fully appre-
ciate the chance we are taking?"
Didn't tell you lhat it was rather
more than life and Death risk?"
Something cold touched Sedgwick's
! hand in the darkness. His fingers
closed around flask mo; no Dutch
courage for me. Where is this placer
"On Smdaymans creek, some four
teen miles from the Nook as the mo
torcar fles."
Fourteen miles" repeated Sedgwlck
musingly, following n train Of thought
that suddenly glowed, beacon light
Of hope And these Blairs have some
connection with the dead woman Of
the cove, the woman who wore her
Jewels" His fingers gripped and sank
into Kents hard tibered arm. "Chet
for the love OF heaven tell me! Is she
one Of these Blairs?"
NO, nonsense, Sedgwick," returned
the other sternly. You're to act-yes
and think under orders TIL the nights
Job is done"
There was silence for nearly half an
hour, while the car slipped, ghostike,
along the wet roadway Presently it
turned aside and stopped
"Footwork now" said Kent Take
the spades and follow
He himself, leading the way. carried
a coil Of rope on his shoulders. For
what Sedgwlck reckoned to be half
a mile they wallowed across soaked
meadows, until the whisper of rain
upon water came to his ears.
keep close, directed his guide and
preceded lin down steep bank
The stream was soon forded Emerg-
ing ON the farther side they scrambled
up the other bank into thicker dark.
ness where ScdgwIck coIidng with
a gnarcd tree trunk, stood lost and
waiting A tiny bar Of light appeared
1t came to rest upon fresh g0rish
ridge Of earth, all pasty aud yellow in
the rain, and abruptly died
"roo dangerous to use the lantern,
murmued Kent Take The near end
and dig"
Both men, fortunately were in hard
training The heavy soil Jew steadily
and fast soon they were waist deep.
Kent in a low voice bude his fellow
toier stop
Mustn't wear ouselyes out at the
start" be said Take five minutes
! rest"
At the end of three minutes Sedg-
wick was cropping for his spade, "lvt
sot to go on, Chet" he gasped. "The
p silence ana ldIeness are too much rOl
, ne"
ITS just as we'll" asscnted his com
? mander. "'rhe clouds are breaking
/ worse luck And some one might pos
I sibly be ~ and about in the house
S Go to it"
This time there was no respite until
'' with lhud which ran up his arm t
his heart. Kents iron struck upol
u NNhhs llbAH ulfl hlVNu lINHtu llll
c attitudes Of attention, No sound cam,
3. from the house.
Easy now warned Kent after b,
t Judged II safe to continue. 81 though
d that Jim dug deeper than that, Spad,
G Il out gently And feel for the han
n dies"
i "l've got one" whispered Sedgwicls
3 "Cllmb out, then. and pass me dow
the rope"
As Scdgwick gained the eurth's leye
the moon, sailing from behind n cloud
poured Il flood of radiance between th,
tree trunks. Kent's face, as he raseI
u 1t from the grave stretching out hi
q hand FOR the cord. wns ghastly, but hi
q llps smiled encouragement
e IAN right. one minute, now, an,
II we're safe"
Y "SufcY repeated the other "Wit
II that opened grave! shall never Fec
V safe aguin."
u From between the enrthen wall
Kents voice came mualed. safe as
% church" he averred, from the mir
u ute that we hiye the coffin. Take thi
end of the rope Cot ~ Now thl
:, one IT'S fOst fore ana aft Here
NJ como"
!. WlthN lcOp he cnmhered out OF III
n excavation lie took one end Of III