The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-09-03

consul at Leghorn? l am anxious for
that, in order that we may commence
inquiries in London"
1.-THE day after tomorrow. hope.
He will certainly reply at once, pro-
viding the dead mans father can still
be found"
At that moment a tall. thin man, who
proved to be Detective Campbell, en-.
tered, and five minutes later we were
all three driving over the uneven cob.
bles OF Dumfries and out in the dark
ness towards Rannoch. When we
reached the wood we all descended
and, with Mackenzie and Campbell
carrying lanterns, walked on carefully,
keeping straight on in the direction OF
the nm, and hating every now and
then ID listen for the ripping of the
stream
At last after some difficulty, we dis.
covered 1t, and searching along the
bank with our three powerful light, l
presently detected the huge moss
grown bowlder wherein l. had stood
when the pair of fugitives had disap-
peared.
Look" | cried. There's the spot"
And quickly We clambered down the
steep bank, lowering ourselves by the
branches of the trees until we came
to the water into which waded, be-
ing followed closely by my two com
panions.
On gaining the opposite side clam
bered up to the base of the bowlder and
lowered my lantern to reveal to them
the gruesome evidence Of the second
crime, but the next instant ! cried:
why! It's gone!"
"Gone!" gasped the two men.
Eyes. 1t was here. Look! this is the
hole where they buried it! But they
evidently returned, and finding 1t ex
humed, they've retaken possession Of
1t and carried 1t away!'
AS we stood there dumfounded al
the disappearance of the body, the
Highlander's quick glance caught
something, and stopping he picked II
up and examined the little object by
the aid of his lantern
Within his palm I saw lying tiny
little gold cross, about an inch long
enameled in red, while in the center
was circular miniature Of kneeline
saint, an elegant and beautifully exc
cuted little trinket which might have
adorned lady's bracelet.
This is a pretty little thing!" re
marked the detective. ut may posi-
bly, lead us to something. But. Mr.
Gregg" he added, turning to me, "art
you quite certain you left the bod!
here?"
"Certain?" echoed. why, look a
the hole l made. You don't think
have any interest in leading you here
on FOOLS errand, do you?"
"Not at ALL" he said alphabetically
"Only the whole affair seems so YER!
inconceivable-I mean that the men
having once got rid of the evidence o
their crime, would hardly return to tn
spot and reobtain possession of it.
Unless they watched me exhume 1t
and feared the consequences if it fel
into your hands" l suggested.
"Of course they might have watched
you from behind the trees, and whel
you had gone they came and carries
it away somewhere else" he remarked
obviously; "but even if they did. |
must be in this wood. They woul'
never risk carrying a body very far
and here is surely the best place o
concealment in the whole country"
1.-THE only thing remaining is tt
| search the wood at daylight" l sug
| gested. If the two men came bacl
here during my absence they may still
be on the watch in the vicinity"
Most probably they are. We mus
take every precaution," he said dec
sive!y.
At dawn Mackenzie. with four Of hi