The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-31


for buried treasure. aud ! am quite nj
a loss 10 lind safe place for our
heirlooms
"'April 22.-Such an excellent idea
| have just reeolerted that there is =
secret hiding place in Grandmother
Binpah's mahogany bedStead I will
conceal the jewels there and will lie
scribe their hiding place 80 that in
case anything happens to me one OF
our family may be able 10 recover
them. even If the bedStead should Ice
carried away.
First, one must observe the row
OF hideOuSly grinning faceS-'gar
goyles," grandfather called them that
outline the top of the hcadholrd. there
are twenty-five OF these gargoyies in
all. aud one must press the ri-ht eve
of the thirteenth gaySolle FROM either
end when the face viii swiae oui
wand. discussing Il cavity Into this
cavity | have dropped the leather ha1
containing The uu>ct gems Jlgey ara
worth many thousands uf do at> aud
| hope 10 recover them when the war
is over.
Armed with hammer and screw
driver. husband aud Ni.e repaired IL
the parlur and locked themselves with
in. greatly to the disgust of tho in
tercSled Nora. who awaited herself Of
the kcyhole as the only salyc To her
wounded self respect
My dear lirl. how 80 you thank I'm
going 10 handle tAiS thing alone: Ii
weighs ten. WHY wasn't II put IN
the guest ruom.
The instant saw il in the wagon
| knew il would never iii into that
roam 50 | told them to put It In here
We can remove il To the cellar after
ward-or store it"
1T fits in here" remarked Win
chester
Let us rip off the covering be-
lieve | know just where To place my
finger ON the spring! This is the head
board, of course, and here are the gar.
goyles!' cried Flora excitedly.
Winchester took out his knife and
lciSurely opened the blade He lifted
one corner of the bedStead. groaned
and dropped II heavily.
There was II straining and swapping
of cords Us lie applied his knife to the
wrappings.
"Oh. Oh. am just as nervous as
can be- cried Flora, regardless of her
husbands eroan as he dragged aside
the covering and disclosed the round
ed. polished top outlined 10y semi
circle of hideously carved faces.
'JoVe. what Il beauty" calculated
Winchester, yet With note Of re-
spcrt in his tone What night
mare. Fancy wishing guest pleas
ant dreams and then introducing him
To that couch! Whew Now. which
face, Flora. loNoy
Mrs Win hester triumphantly pro.
duoed the paper from her laccs nnl
read solcmlly: The thirteenth gar
goyle from either end.
"Ihc one II the middle, Of course
announced Winchester
"rrcss the right eye quoted Mrs
Winchester hreathlcssly. 81 shall have
them set in "a glorious pendant, Harry"
They hung .Npectantly over the bed
Now press" she whispered sibi
lantly.
Winchester pressed.
Nothing doing" he announced fatty
Press harder urged his wife The
secret spring has probably ustcd.
They do rust sometimes. don't theyf"
Il never heard of one doing so. They
always yield easily, and the door rolls
noiseessly aside and leaves an aper.
ture," said Winchester grimly.
We must get 1t openi" cried his wife
tearfuly Try some Of the other eyes.
Harry"
But why try the others. my dear?
II says the middle one"
There is there must lie spring.
retorted Mrs. Winchester. why should
Nancy have put 1t in her diary IL there
was notT'
II give ii up when you ask me to
explain the vagarcs of the female
mind began Winchester as he vi
ciousy iabbcd the eyes OF all the gar
goyles in turn without result.
Flora burst into tears
I Don't cry. my darling" comforted
her husband tcndcry "I'll find out
the truth If / have to chop the con
founded thing into kindings!
II wish | understood the meaning Of
1t anyway" said Winchester presently
when his wife had reached n degree of
tranquility where she could nbbe a
bonbon appreciatyely.
Again the tears flowed. Il might
just as well have had another thou.
sand dollars walled Flora
! Winchcstcr's elbow knocked small
package from the table to the floor.
What is thisf" he asked. picking
it up.
An express parcel that came this
afternoon haven't had time to look
at IT,"
lie ripped of the covers and looked
stupidity at a small leather volume In
bis hand
1.-The Diary of Nancy Gray" he ex-
claimed \ letter fell from the book.
and lac opened ii eagerly
READ itr' commanded Flora impa-
tiently And he read as follows: