Evening star., 1923-01-28

the young people were long time
finding the treasure pool in the midst
of the tangle. 1t was black as ink.
and to less healthy imaginations must
have suggested all kinds of reptilian
horrors and surprises. But Miss
Gardner was not afraid even to be
left alone while Chiffon went with
the lamp to find the faucet which
drained the pool. He was gone long
time, and then she heard him call
from far of.
"Is the water running out?"
And then she saw that the level Of
the pool was really lower. and SO told
him. And he rejoined her presently.
gIeeful with excitement, wonderfully
tall, shouldering through the box.
"It wasn't a faucet at ALL" he said.
"but a four-inch pipe with a valve.
Lcok, I'm drenched. The water jump
ed out at me like at wildcat"
He knelt by the pool and lowered
the lamp to the full length of his arm
Already the surface Of the water had
the passageway Of which DR.. Mulhol-
land had spoken began to be discov-
cred. Miss Gardner knelt by Chiffon
and they did not speak.
An owl swinging close to their heads
gave a loud and sudden hoot- Chill
ton let 60 OF the lamp and 1t was ex-
tinguished with a wet and savage
hiss. First he turned to Miss Gardner
and told her In carefully chosen
words what he thought of himself. and
then he left her while he fetched the
other sidelight from the car. But
when he was out Of sight and hear
ing he jumped furiously up and down
and swung his arms with much vio-
lence, for he was blue with the cold.
AS for her, she sat in the moonlight
by the empty pool, and wondered il
himself to propose to a girl who had
plenty OF money. or course, she
thought, there isn't any treasure, and
IL one person has told me that he has
two coats to his back q dozen have
done so. But suppose there was treas
ure, suppose he asked her to marry
him. would she say, yes? All that
suESlNCO lh hCL Va SouSAoNo AVG" Lib
land ancestry said, ION a three days
acquaintance? Not you! What per-
feet tommy-rot! You know him as
little as he knows you. And just be-
cause his Domingo mahogany-oolored
hair and exceptional length and his
pale gray eyes with the ring of SCOT
around the colored part have disturb
ed your equilibrium. why! Now
really, my dear child-believe US!
Treasure or no treasure. do your
hunting nearer home!> why, nobody
remotely connected with this young
fellow ever so much as burnt a witch
not even a little bit of witch. Go
to! Marry! Eve mean don't marry
Come upw
At this point Chiffon returned with
the lamp.
Haven you heard anything-seen
anything?" he asked in whisper.
She shook her head.
Why"
And he shook his head: but stood
awhile gazing gravely and searching
ly here and there into the surround
ing shrubbery.
1.-THE water has all run OUT. she
said. except for trickle that prob
ably keeps the thing full"
"If you hear anything" he said,
suspicious, promise to call to me, so
that I must here"
He slid his long legs over the edge
of the now emptied pool and dropped
into the Shiny, dripping. musty-smell-
ing depths.
She leaned over and looked down.
holding the lamp at arms length.
How are you going to get out
again?" she asked.
'If there is a snake down here" he
answered, nobody will ever know;
the act will be too swift to-be fol-
lowed by the human eye. Thanks"
He had taken the lamp from her
hand, and then bending double he
had entered the passageway that
opened off the pool and disappeared.
X X
LIE was not gone long. She heard
i i him laugh before she saw him.
handle as a traveller carries valise,
a compact little chest that appeared
to be reinforced by bands Of metal.
I'm laughing" he said, because
they've even left the key in the lock-"
"Oh, open it," she cried.
THAT Is to be your privilege" he
said.
But" said she, suppose something
should pop out of 1t, a 1umping-3ack
or something. don't want to die
of fright"
'It isn't very heavy" he said. "Do
you think you could"
She could-and did-using only one
hand.
"And now the lamp"
She set It on the brick curb OF the
pool.
"And now you. Mr.. Chiffon"
Extended to almost his full length.
Chiiton's hands pressed fat on the
curb. He steadied himself--shot sud
denly upward and was kneeiing at
her feet, the chest between them.
Great work" she said, being
good Judge OF form. Tim too ex-
cited to think. Must we open It now.
I'm afraid"
"Afraid-you" -
Her heart was beating with great
rapidity, and she said:
"Yes-afraid--afraid we are going
to be disappointed. Let's-let's pre-
tend tonight, and not really ind out
till tomorrow"
- .