Year: 1879

Iie burning mass.


But presently, amid the roar Of flames
there came dull, heavy rumble for a
moment, and then with tremendous
crash the roof fell in. With it of course,
went the fragments and framework of
the glass case and the now charred and
blackened chest itself l had my eyes
upon it at the moment, and down it
went deep into the utter obscurity of
the dense smoke and steam which al
ways succeeds to this climax of a con-
fagration. For several minutes nothing
was to be discerned through the over
whelming wreaths of black-gray fumes.
But presently, though the light from the
fire had been quenched, there began to
be visible, by the aid of the increasing
light of the morning, the depths of this
pit # Archeron. Yet it was not so
very deep after all, for the fire having
originated on the second floor, the fall.
ing roof had only crashed down as yet
as far as the drawing room, and there,
when my eyes had become accustomed
to the spectacle of the indescribable de-
bris, plainly beheId resting slantwise
across stubborn remnant of wall what
had been the white chest; it was now
split and smashed, and its contents were
revealed.


Good heavens What was it that [
looked down upon? l turned my face
away for moment with shudder, for
there, protruding through the splintered
fragments of its once creamy-white wood
en- case, was huge leaden coffin, which
in its turn melting and bursting with
the heat, displayed within the unmis-
taxable form OF a shrouded corpse. [
was in the act Of drawing my compan-
ions attention to it in horror, when
suddenly there flew up around it with
redoubled fury, such mass of fame and
smoke that it was entirely hidden, and
soon the fire had so spread and burst
out again that the horrible spectacle of
this unintentional incremation was shut
from sight, and the house was finally
burned to the ground


I pass over what Immediately follow
ed after had made my way back to
the friendly abode where the members of
my family were sheltered. In a few days
they were snugly settled again in anoth-
er home, fortunately not very much the


a IL A---:LI-


In due course the time arrived for
looking into my losses, and while l was
doing so | received a letter from Mr..
Gayling, who had come to town request
ing an interview. l was glad of this,
for I foresaw that it must lead to some
explanation of the strange circumstances
surrounding the agreement had signed.
My curiosity as to the contents of the
white chest had been rudely satisfied, il
was true. but what lad been the reason
for placing such an object in such a
place? and this l was determined tc
find out. Unexpectedly Mr.. Gayling
disclosed it to me Immediately after We
met.


81 have asked for this interview, sir,
he said abruptly, because l am ruin
ed man."


"But', l interposed, 81 am told yol
were fully insured"


THAT has nothing to do with it. hi
answered "no insurance can restore th,


three thousand a year which 1 lose b.


what has happened. am simply goins


to tell you certain facts, because, whel


you have heard them. shall put it t


you whether you will not out of you


ample means feel that some compensa


tion is due to me. The fact is that i


has been during your tenancy of m,


house, and through accident or negli


gence on the part of some one for WHOM


you are responsible, that my ruin ha


been brought about


Il don't understand you"


''Listcn, sir" he went on, ''and yo


will. was brought up to the sea an
followed it till mid. life, for I was en-


tirely dependent on my own earning
My only relative at this time was a
old uncle, also a sailor, and a most et
. centric man, as you will presently SCI
Fifteen years ago he suddenly came int


large sum of money; [ never kne
how, but he retired and took that hous
He had only been in it three years whe
: a mortal sickness overlook him; he sci
: for me.


s Tom, said he, 4 am dying, and
e don't like it 1 am terrified, not so mut
r at the thought of death as at the thougl
q of burial; a sailors grave I would n
: mind, but to be boxed up and thru
l into the earth-no, Tom, won't star
: it. l look to you to see that it doesr
d happen. I've made my will, Tom, l.
J, left you all | possess, but on one como
e ton, and that is, that you are my he


SO long as | am we'll above ground, al
d no longer-mark the words, we'll abo
it ground. Directly if l am buried,
h my remains are allowed to mingle wi