ed, quite a procession, relying upon the lately frequented path to
save their garments from rents.

The new spot chosen for the little pit was only a few yards from the
original place, and seemed sunken for several feet in all directions--a
significant fact as it proved.

This time Charlie wielded the pick, and with such exaggerated force that
the earth was loosened for quite a space around the box. Some excitement
attended the rescue of the precious casket from fancied peril, and the
dense bower resounded with an animated discussion of late events.

Warned by the lengthening shadows they turned to depart when a bystander
suddenly peering forward, said: "Look there, Lee. What is that? There,
close to the tree. Temple, do you see?"

"The root of a tree, I think," replied Lawrence, stooping down to
examine a dark object that jutted out of the newly opened pit.

Clearing the earth away with his hands he discovered, not a root, but
what seemed to be the corner of an iron box. Richard, who was beside
him, fell to work, and a further exploration revealed a band of some
metal, probably brass. Intense curiosity now prevailed.

"Charlie, go to the house and bring some torches," said his master. Then
to Richard: "We must get at the bottom of this. The ladies had better
go--it is nearly night."

But the ladies would do nothing of the kind. Here was something that
promised to be a mystery indeed. They remained till an iron, brass-bound
box, not large but heavy, had been disinterred and with difficulty
lifted to the surface. With still more difficulty it was conveyed to the
villa, where the expectant group waited for a smith to come and open it.

When the rusty lock was made to unclasp, the top was raised, and there,
in numerous rouleaux, was gold coin to the amount of thousands of
dollars. Excitement was now but a faint term for the sensation.

The young men were congratulated upon their find till their hands were
sore from pressure, and the ladies were embraced in proportion by
enthusiastic friends.

How came it there? Who had buried it and when? There was a legend in
those parts that four wealthy Spaniards had been pursued and butchered
by the Indians in the early days, and that they had, while fleeing away,
buried the gold in an Alabama wild. Another tradition was, that during
the siege of New Orleans, some French settlers had run the blockade and
penetrated far into the country with vast wealth that was never traced