The Spectator., 1915-06-25

HedTu a VOlce, ana TalSlng my nanQ we both halted suddenly. Someone is there," l whispered quickly. Behind that rock" She nodded in the affirmative, for she, too. had heard the voice.
 We listened, but the sound was not repeated. That someone was on the other side of the rock I knew, for in tree in the vicinity thrush was hop ping from twig to twig, sounding its alarm-cry and objecting to being dis turbed.
 Therefore we crept silently forward together to ascertain who were the in- truders. The only manner. however, in which to get view beyond the huge rock that, having fallen across the stream centuries ago, had diverted its channel, was to chamber up its messy sides to the summit. This we did ca gerly and breathlessly, without betray- ing our presence by the utterance of 1 a single word and laying ourselves fiat | as we came to its summit. Then together we peered over, just, however, in time to see two dark fig ures of men disappearing into the thicket on the opposite side of the glen.
 Who are they, I wonder?" I asked Do you recognize them?' No. They are entire strangers to me-" was her answer. But they seem fairly we'll dressed. Perhaps two l sportsmen from some shooting party in the neighborhood. They've lost their way most probably" But I don't think they carried guns, I said. One of them had something over his shoulder"
 Wasn't it gun? thought il was"
 No, he wasn't carrying it like he'd carry gun. It was short-and seemed more like a spade"
 "A spade!" she gasped quickly ir a low voice.
 At the moment my eye caught sigh, of portion of the ground below us at the base of the rock which had evi dently been recently disturbed.
 Tt is spade the man is carrying!' cried excitedly. Look down there They've just been burying something!
 Her quick eyes followed the direc tion l indicated. and she answered q really believe they have concealed something!"
 Then when we had allowed the mer to get beyond hearing. we both slipped down to the other side of the powder and there discovered many signs tha the earth had been hurriedly exca vated and only just replaced Quicker than 1t takes to describe tht exciting incident which followed, W, broke down the branch of tree anC with it commenced moving the freshl, disturbed earth, which was still sof and easily removed.
 Muriel found a dead branch in tn, vicinity, and both of us set to worl with will. eager to ascertain wha was hidden there. That somethin, had certainly been concealed was, tt us. quite evident, but what it reall, was we could not surmise.
 Digging with a piece of wood wa, hard and laborious work and it wa. long time before we removed suifi cient earth to make hole of any size But Muriel exerted all her energy. ant both of us worked on in dogged silene, full of wonder and anticipation. Witt a spade we should have soon been abl, to investigate. but the earth havin, apparently been stamped down hart prior to the last covering being pu upon it, our progress was very slow and difficult
 At last. a quarter of an hour or s, after we had commenced. Muriel standing in the hole and having du, her stake deeply into the ground. sud denly cried:
 Look. Look. MT. Gregg, Why whatever is that?"
 bent forward as she indicated. an, my eyes met an object so unexpecte, that l was held dumb and motionless
 The amazing enigma was surel, complete!
 |