Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-09-09
THE SECRET OF LONESOME COVE.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE THREE

connection with the dead woman Of
the Cove, the woman who wore her
Jewels" His fingers gripped and sank
into Kent's hard fbered arm. "Chet.
Tor the love Of heaven tell mel Is she
one Of these Blairs?"
NO, nonsense. Sedgwfck," returned
the other sternly. You're to act-yes,
and th1nk-under orders till the nights
job is done'
There was silence for nearly half an
hour. while the car slipped, ghostlike,
along the wet roadway. Presently 1t
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 Sedgwick reckoned to be half
mile they wallowed across soaked
meadows, until the whisper Of rain
upon water came to his ears.
Keep close" directed his guide and
preceded him down a steep bank.
The stream was soon forded. Emery
ing on the farther side they scrambled
up the other bank into thicker dark
ness, where Sedgwtck. colliding with
a gnarled tree trunk, stood lost and
waiting. A tiny bar Of light appeared
1t came to a rest upon a fresh garish
ridge Of earth. all pasty and yellow in
the rain, and abruptly died.
Too dangerous to use the lantern
murmured Kent. Take the near end
and dig"
Both men, fortunately, were in hard
training. The heavy soil few steadily
and fast Soon they were waist deep.
Kent in a low voice babe bis fellow
toiler stop.
Mustn't wear ouselves out at the
startc he said Take five minutes
rest" 80
At the end Of three minutes Sedg-
wick was cropping for his spade i've
got to go on, Chet," he gasped. "The
silence and idleness are too much for
me-,
It's just as WE'LL" assented his COM
mander. 1.-THE clouds are breaking,
worse luck. And some one might pos
sibly be up and about in the house.
Go to it!'' r,rrzls-s5=sz. ps=fss,ga~
This time there was no respite until,
with thud WHICH ran up his arm to
his heart, Kent's iron Struck upon
wood. Both men stood frozen into
attitudes Of attention. No sound came
from. the house. sl--- =zz1ii.- & g.
"Easy now" warned Kent, after be
judged it safe to continue. 81 thought
that Jim dug deeper than that Spade
it out gently. And feel for the han
dies" ~ s-.---
1--WE got one," whispered Sedgwick.
Climb out, then, and pass me down
the rope"
AS SedgWick gained the earth's level
the moon, sailing from behind a cloud
poured a flood Of radiance between the
tree trunks, Kent's face, as he raised
it from the grave, stretching out bis
hand for the cord, was CHASTITY, but his
lips smiled encouragement
All right. One minute. now, an(
we're SAFE
Safer repeated the other. with
that opened grave. l shall never fee
safe again"
From between the earthen wall:
Kent's voice came, muffled. Safe as {
church," he averred, from the min
ute that we have the coffin. Take thi!
end Of the rope. Got it? Now thi.
one. It's fast fore and aft. Here
cOme''
With a leap he clambered out Of tn,
excavation. He took one end Of thu
rope from Sedgwick's hand. "All read,
to haul?" be inquired In matter Of fac
tones.
Wait. What are we going to d,
with this-this thing?" demanded hi
colaborer. We can never get it t.
the car"
low chuckle sounded from tn
shrubbery back of them. The resur
rectionists stood. stricken.
An OWL" whispered Sedgwick a
length.
No. replied Kent in the same tone
Then in full voice and with vivid III
gency, "Haulr'
Up came the heavy casket. bumpin
and grating. Even through the rop
Sedgwick felt with horror the tun
bling Of the helpless sOdden body will
In. With powerful effort Kent SWIM
his end up on the mound The lanter
flashed. By it's gleam Sedgwick sa
Kent striving to force his spade edg
under the coffin lid to pry it loose. TT
rhuckle sounded again.
That's enough" said heavy voit
with a suggestion Of mirthful appreo
alton.
Sheriff Len Schlager stepped fro
behind tree. He held revolver {
Kent Sedgwick made swift motto
and the muzzle swung accurately {
him.
STEADY, Frank" warned Kent an
iously.
I'm steady enough" returned Il
other What fool was not to bril-
gum
"Oh, no." contradicted the scienti
"Of what use is my gum We're In t