The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-05

through. Let 8 see II LH0fG- any C11n& in this old secretary" Blackie watched MT. Day calmly un- til he found the cunningly hidden com partment, and then he walked to the window and pulled the crumpled news 1 paper from it's broken pane as sig l nal, after which he busted himself 1 with a clumsy old washstand in the | opposite corner.
 Meanwhile MT. Day was excitedly 1 feastfng upon an acid yellowed old parchment. which read as follows: 1 To the heir of Zachariah Bunker, who finds this writing. The treasure of the unholy Dalton band, which cannot with safety put to any present public use. is l hid in the place which is told hereinafter. | With my dying breath charge whoever 1 finds this to exhume that treasure, which consists of some forty pounds, avoirdu- 1 pois, of melted gold, some fifty pounds. | more or less, of melted silver and many l jewels, Including above hundred dia- 1 n1onds, the value of which am unable to judge. not having any degree of expert 1 ness in such matters. but, whatever it's value. charge my descendants to turn this treasure into lawful money and de- l vote it to the chapel and the founding of ! a fund for the support of such an inskt- i tuition. The treasure is buried as folIows:, Thirty rods to the southeast of the spring | is a black bowlder with a rough cross l hacked on it's side. Measuring from this l cross Z
 What did you ind?'' asked Blackfe. suddenly turning.
 Nothing of any consequence.'' de clared Day. attempting to shove the parchment into his pocket But Blackie was too quick for him and opened the mouth of the bag peremp- 1 torily.
 1 With great reluctance MT. Day drop ped the parchment into the bag just l as heavy foot resounded in the hall 1 below.
 "Tn hide it in here,' whispered BIackie, and, hastily stufnng the bag | into closet, he locked the door and slipped the key into his pocket.
 Well, MT. Day. said Wallingford, entering the room, ''how do you like the furniture?"
 ttIt's pretty fair,'' acknowledged MT. Day, with feeting but intense glance at the third bedpost and a speculative one at the fourth. There were two other beds on that floor and vast virgin field in the attic. 'I've seen better furniture, but this might catch
 me, if you made the price right. I'd l be willing to give you pretty fair I figure for that bed, say.1 ''I11 not break the collection" :" decIar- ed Wallingford firmly. "I shall have one sale and be done with it. AS 3 matter of fact, Ifwou1d rather sell the entire estate just as it stands and give you the key.Y
 ''I'1I even dicker with you on that offered MT. Day, suppressing his eager | ness. How much do you want for the placer" -
 ssThirty-fve thousand dollars said Wallingford calmly.
 MT. Days one eye almost glazed. "Ilm talkin' sense,'' he protested.
 "So am I,'' insisted Wallingford. There are over forty pieces of furni- | ture here, and some of them are worth | over thousand dollars apiece Be I sides the furniture and the house and the farm, there's the chance that you
 might find some more money. That's | worth something
 Not much, reckon scorned MT. ! Day "You said yourself you didn't know where old Jonathan'd get it."
 That's true,'' admitted WaIlingford 'I don't think it's much of an induce ment, but the chance is there, just the l same What I'm really charging you for is the antique furniture, which bought from the heir of old Jonathan Bunker, and I'm told that it's worth the money"
 
 i suggested MT. Day, and he led the way by roundabout path to the spring.
 There, about thirty rods to the southeast, was a big black powder, upon the side of which was rudely | scratched cross.
 i Paul Pollet was waiting on the plat. i form of. the station when Wallingford 1 and Blackie and MT. Day came down ] to take the train. He sat on an up- 1 ended suit case. with a typewriter on 1 one side of him, hand bag on the other. l a trunk behind him and lunch basket 1 on his lap, prepared to remain right l there until sent for. He grinned cheer l fully when the trio approached, and 1 his first question. when Blackie drop I ped behind while WalIingford and Day i went in to buy the tickets, was:
 ''How much did you get?'
 "The first price, grinned BIackie. sWhy?''
 EsI'm trying to get a line on how much salary to hang you up for,'' ex- plained Paul. Have you got your money?'
 Mot yet. but soon.'' replied Blackie. Were going to the city on this train and rush to the bank before it closes and get ours and rush back through here on the return train. MT. Day, however, will get off at this stop. He wishes to be alone in his new house. 7 ITO hunt the rest of the 'salt?' 5 laughed Paul.
 Btackie looked at him in sorrow ''How foolish,'' he commented, and. Wallingford and the old furniture col lector returning just then, Blackie took the latter gentleman to one side. ''I'll eS