The Kendrick gazette., 1915-02-05

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. Emerg-
ing on the farther side they scrambled
up the other bank into thicker dark
ness, where Sedgwick, colliding with
gnarled tree trunk, stood lost and
waiting. A tiny bar Of light appeared.
1t came to 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 bade his fellow
toiler stop.
Mustn't wear ouselves out at the
start" he said. "Take five minutes
rest"
AT the end of three minutes Sedg-
wick was cropping for his spade. "Tve
got to go on, Chet," he gasped. "The
silence and idleness are too much for
me-
ITS just as WE'LL" assented his CON-
mander "The clouds are breaking.
worse luck. And some one might pos
sibly be up and about in the house.
Go to it!'
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.
Easy now." warned Kent, after he
judged it safe to continue. 81 thought
that Jim dug deeper than that. Spade
it out gently. And feel for the han
dies"
"T've 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 flood of radiance between the
tree trunks. Kent's face, as he raised
1t from the grave, stretching out his
hand for the cord, was ghastly, but his
lips smiled encouragement.
"All right! One minute. now, and
we're safe"
Safer repeated the other. with
that opened grave! l shall never feel
safe again."
From between the earthen walls
Kent's voice came, muff1ed. "Safe as a
10 l.,
ute that we have the coffin. Take this
end Of the rope. Got it? Now this
one. It's fast fore and aft. Here l
come"
With leap he clambered out Of the
excavation. He took one end of the
rope from Sedgwicks hand. "All ready
to haul?" he inquired in matter of fact
tones.
"Wait. What are we going to do
with this--this thing?" demanded his
cOlabOrer. I'VE can never get it to
the car"
A low chuckle sounded from the
shrubbery back of them. The resur,
rectionsts stood. stricken.
IAN OWL" whispered Sedgwick at
length.
mo" replied Kent in the same tone
Then in full voice and with vivid ur.
gency, "Haul"'
Up came the heavy casket, humping
and grating. Even through the rope
Sedgwick felt with horror the tum.
bling of the helpless sodden body with.
in. With powerful effort Kent swung
| h, h. l..
flashed. By its gleam Sedgwick saw
Kent striving to force his spade edge
under the coffin lid to pry it loose. The
} chuckle sounded again.
That's enough" said a heavy voice
with a suggestion of mirthful appreci
: alton.
Sheriff Len Schlager stepped from
behind tree. He held revolver on
Kent Sedgwick made a swift motion
and the muZzle swung accurately on
him.
STEADY. Frank" warned Kent anx
iously.
I'm steady enough" returned the
other What fool | was not to bring
a gum
ou. Tue SClcHllSL
"Of what use is my gun? We're in the
light, and he is in the shadow"
$50 you've got gun on you. ehr
) remarked the sheriff, his chuckle deep
ening.
. 81 didn't say So"
. mo, but you gave yourself away
Hands up, please. Both of you"
Four hands went up in the air
y Kent's face, in the light, was yer.
downcast, but from the far corner o
his mouth came the faintest ghost o
{ a whistled melody-all in minor key
= 1t died away on the night air and tn
musician spoke in rapid French.
r Attention! La ruse gagne. Quandj
lui donnerai lie coup de pied, battez-l
Q terre."
9 c'Listen! A trick wins. When
. kick him, strike him to the ground.')
- whats that gibberish?' demande,
= Schlager