The Meeker herald., 1917-10-06

0lOlL8 pl4Co tO6 tueW. AUs
are digging up every inch Of ground
on the adjacent plantations searching
for buried treasure. and am quito q
q loss to find . safe place for car
heirlooms.
..April 22.-Such an excellent Neal
have lust recollected that there b Q
secret hiding place In Grandmothsr
Binpah's mahogany bedstead. VIII
conceal the jewels there and win d.
scribe their hiding place 70 that In
case anything happens to u,s one OF
our family may be able to recover
them, even II the bedstead should be
carried away.
"'First, one must observe the row
Of hideously grinning faces-'Gar-
goyles," grandfather called them-that
outline the top II the headboard; there
are twenty-five Of these gargoyles In
all, and ono must press the right eye
of the thirteenth sarGoyle from either
end. when the face will swing out
ward, disclosing u cavity. Into this
cavity have dropped tho leather bag
containing the unset gems-they are
worth many thousands Of dollars-and
i uOpG " tCSOVcE SAGhAA " AA0AA kA*O WeA
u over"
Armed with hammer and screw
driver, husband and wife repaired to
the parlor and locked themselves with
in, greatly to the disgust Of the In
terested Nora, who availed herself Of
the keyhole a. tho only salve to her
wounded self respect.
my dear girl, how do you think I'm
going to handle this thing alone1 1t
weighs ton! Why wasn't 1t put in
the guest room?"
THE instant saw 1t In the wagoa
knew 1t would never 1t into that
room. 30 told them to put 1t in here.
We can remove it to the cellar aftsr-
WARRIOR store IT.
ut dts In here" remarked WIN
chester.
Let us rip OF the covesing-I BE-
lieve l know just where to place my
finger on the spring! This II tho head
board, of course, and here are the Gar.
goylesv cried Flora excitedly.
Winchester took out his knife and
leisurely opened the blade. He uftsd
one corner Of the bedstead. groAned
and dropped 1t heavily.
There was straining and swapping
Of cords ~ be applied his knife to the
wrappingH No
ooh, oh! l am just a. nervous %
can ber' cried Flora. regardless Of her
husbands groan as he dragged aside
the covering aud disclosed the round
ed. polished top outlined by q semi.
circle Of hideously carved faces.
"Jove, what . beautyr' calculated
Winchester, yet with q note Of n
spect in his tone. What q night
mare! Fancy wishing q guest pleas
ant dreams and then Introducing him
to that couch! Whew! Now. which
face, Flora, lover"
Mrs. Winchester triumphantly pro-
ducesf the paper from her laces and
read solemnly: THE thirteenth gar.
goyle from either end"
THE one in the middle, Of COURSE
.announced Winchester.
pfess the right eye" quoted Nh.
Winchester breathlessly. '"I stax2 have
them set in glorious pendant, HaEyr'
They hung expectantly over the beA>
Now press" she whispered sibd-
lantly.
Winchester pressed.
Nothing doing" HI announced fatty.
Press harder" urged his wife. the
secret spring has. probably rustsd.
They do rust sometimes, don't theyf"
Il never heard Of one doing 20. They
always yield easily, and tho door rolls
nOiselessly aside and leaves an aper-
ture." said Winchester grimly.
I'VE must get 1t openw cried his wife
tearfully. '.Try some Of the other eyes,
Harry"
but why try tho others. my dearf
1t says the middle one."
There is-there' must be q springl"
retorted Mr.. Winchester. "why should
Nancy have put 1t In her diary II there
was notT'
II give It up when you ask me to
explain the vagaries Of the female
mind began Winchester an be vi.
ciously jabbed the eyes OF all the gar
goyles in turn without result.
Flora burst into tears.
Don't cry. my darling" comfofted
her husband tenderly. "I'll ind out
the truth If 1 have to chop the con.
founded thing Into kindlingsi
II wish understood the meaning e
1t anyway" said Winchester presently
when his wife had reached degree q
tranquility where she could nibbIs Q
bonbon appreciatively.
Again the tears flowed. II might
Just as well have had another thou-
sand dollarsw walled Flora.
Winchester's elbow knocked q small
package from the table to tho Aoof.
What Il thisf' he asked. pickins
It up.
"An express parcel that came this
afternoon. haven't had time to look
at ft.r
He ripped OF the covers and looked
stupidly At q small leather Yoluma IN