Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-02-09

4ACtC was CfAAChAly FSAJ
point for the earl and countess In he
fact that two lackeys possessed their
secret. Martin wondered why they
had trusted any one but themselves
There were several explanations.
First, these lackeys might be paid n
good sum for holding their tongues
second, the countess might have seen
at the last moment the improperly OF
trusting them and concluded to bury
the body where they would know moth
ing about it.
Martin waited till one morning he
saw a little boy in the grounds of his
brother in charge of a Nurse. Then he
was sure that a substitute for the legit-
innate heir had been found, who would
eventually claim the estate. Then Mar
tin laid his plans. His first move
would be to learn whether the lackeys-
knew of the burial place. If they did
his mex would be to learn If they
could be bribed to reveal 1t. But the
earl had doubtless paid them well or
had, more likely, promised them In
stallments. to be paid over a term Of
years SC long as they would keep the
secret. If either of them were dis
honest he might be successfully bribed,
but the matter would be difficult
However, Martin could see no other"
way to proceed, and he must do so.
on those lines.
He learned that the two lackeys In
the secret were the only ones at the
time of the burial In the a n house,
the other servants being women. He
found a means of communication with
them In one Higgins, who kept a pub
lie house.
One day James Healey, one of the
lackeys, went to Lady Riyersham and
confded to her the fact that he had
been offered ESQ If he would reveal the
burial place of the box he had carried
out and brought back ON the occasion
described. He wished to be informed
whether she would object to his earn
ing the money.
The countess was puzzled. She ask
ed the man many questions, but could
not learn from him who desired the in
formation or why it would be worth
ESQ. Healey told her that Higgins had
offered him the bride, but the countess.
did not believe that Higgins was act
ing for himself. She told Healey to-
put off Higgins for awhile and she
would think the matter over. She be-
lieved that her brother7in-law was up
to some detiltry, but she could not im-'
agine what it might be.
The next day she told Healey that.
he might accept the bride, provided
he took whoever paid it to the grave
himself and informed her when he was
to do so. But she advised him to.
stand out for a larger sum. Healey
was quite up to this work and told
Higgins that he had been paid f1OO'
to keep the secret. Nothing less than
1900 would tempt him to divulge it..
This being reported to Martin he went
to London and put a mortgage on his:
house as security for the money.
The loan agent happened to inspect
the property while Lady Rivershama
was about to enter her place in her
carriage. The man asked her some.
questions about Martins property and
revealed the fact that it was to be-
mortgaged. Then she slipped a FIVE
pound note into the mans hand and
asked him to send her the name and
address of the mortgage. Within O.
few days she had bought the mortgage.
paying a bonus
Healey having been offered the
amount he claimed for his secret, in
structed by the countess, agreed to,
pilot the briber himself and no other
to the burial place at midnight on a.
certain date. Before the grave was.
opened Healey was to be paid the,
f200. His terms were accepted, the
going to the grave at night being espe-
cially agreeable to Martin, who desired
to make his investigation unseen.
The appointed night proved to be.
very dark. A few minutes before mid
night Healey and Martin met at an
angle of the Riversham estate. Mar
tin had a dark lantern, which he hid
under his coat, and a spade, which he.
held in his hand. Healey piloted him
to a sort of bower a few hundred yards.
from the manor house, a vacant space.
shut in by trees Oh all sides. Martin.
knew the place well. 1t had been a.
favorite spot with him when a boy.
In its center the ground was heaped,
indicating that a grave was beneath.
Healey demanded his n and
Martin counted it out to him, Healey
holding the lantern directed upon the.
bills. After counting the bills Healey
took the spade and began to dig. The
box had not been deposited far below
the surface and was soon reached
Martin took from his pocket a screw
driver and as soon as the box had,
been lifted from the grave began to,
loosen the cover. Then he removed
the lid and, taking up the lantern,
brought it to bear on the contents.
There lay the body of the dog Mar
tin had seen driving with the oountess.