The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-03-23

brushed the dirt from his clothes be
fore he answered: "'It's d darneo
good thing they missed you. Those
men on top of the boxes were there
to protect them. wonder what was
In them"
BARLEY was anxious to learn what
that truck was doing in the woods
and why the men on 1t were so deter
mined that no one should know what
they were carrying, that they were
willing to fire upon anyone who in
terfered. AS we followed the tracks
with the aid of Bartley's pocket torch
we saw that the wheels had sunk a
foot into the sod in places. and that
more than one heavily loaded truck
had passed this way.
We followed the road for about half
a mile before it ended in clearing
a quarter Of an acre square.
BARLEY examined the four sides OF
the clearing carefully before he came
back to us and said, in voice that
sounded strange in the darkness
1.-THE road ends here. have an idea
that this is where they got their load.n
Currie had been peering through
the darkness as the flashes of Bart.
ley's light shot between the trees. u
have fool idea, john" he said slow.
ly, shat know where we are
you do?" came the eager response
"Yes. If l am not mistaken, we are
within a hundred yards of the old
cemetery that Is on Sykes ground.
1t must be over hundred years old.
and was founded by the early settlers
Several years ago Slyke showed me
the place. We had the devil of a time
reaching it, for there was no path
to it. All there is left of it is an old
vault and half dozen stumbling
tOmbstones."
l was unable to see Bartley's face.
but his voice was eager.
IA vault! What kind?" he asked.
"Why," replied Currie "just a
vault. One of those things dug into
the side of hill where dead bodies
are placed. If am right, there is a
small hill only few yards from
here
BARLEY turned and. flashing his
light on the ground, moved it slowly
back and forth as he advanced. He
paused and bent to examine the
ground.
Il guess have It," he called TO us.
Here are footprints"
kN;%hn,,% ,vtv,;., 80 %;,,>r n
them, he went deeper into the woods.
and we followed Some fifty feet
from the clearing, the little path we
were on ended abruptly in small
mound
ITS your vault, Currie.' said Bart
ley.
His light rested on the massive
wooden door of an oId-fashioned
burial vault dug out of the hillside
and fastened securely by a large lock.
AS BARLEY examined it, he gave a
little whistle. WELL Currie, that may
be an old vault, and an old door, but
the lock on it is modern. 1t has been
placed there within a, short time.
am going to open it,"
With a thin piece of wire and bit
of steel BARLEY picked the lock. then
flung the door open and turned his
fiashlight into the darkness within.
think that Currie and myself both
held our breath as the light swept
back and forth over the walls and
floor. 1t disclosed nothing more STAR
Ting than number of boxes, similar,
to those we had seen on the truck
piled one on the other against the,
walls. 1t was plain enough where the
load had been gotten.
BARLEY led the way in and closed
the door behind us. Once more he
swept the vault with his torch, and
this time we noticed lantern on a
box and lit It,
The vault was about twenty-five
feet long and had .hcen dug into, the
side of the hill. but the sides ana
roof were of stone. Along the walls
were inches for collins, and these were
piled high, and the floor as well, with
hundreds of small boxes. The flame
of the lantern flickered in draft and
queer shadows danced on the walls,
while musty. earthly smell rose half
chOkingly. 1t was not the most pleas
ant place to be in.
But BARLEY did not seem to mind it.
He stood in the center Of the floor,
glancing around the vault with such
an amused smile that knew that
something had pleased him particu-
larly Suddenly he went to the near
est box, ripped off the cover, and drew
out bottle. We crowded around him
as he removed the paper and dis
closed the label of well-known
brand of imported whisky.
"That's what expected" BARLEY
commented. I'VE know now what was
on that truck. Captain Lowe won't
have to hunt any. longer for the place
where they hide struggled whisky"
currie cried, "Nhy, It's Sykes
chauffeurl"