years of sadness and poverty, and had
always shown the warmest, most devoted affection for him. He carefully
wrapped the body in a piece of fine, soft cloth, and waited, until
evening should come, to bury it himself; when he would be safe from
observation and possible ridicule. Accordingly, after nightfall, he took
a spade, a lantern, and poor Beelzebub's body, which was stiff and stark
by that time, and went down into the garden, where he set to work to
dig the grave, under the sacred eglantine, in what seemed to him like
hallowed ground. He wanted to make it deep enough to insure its
not being disturbed by any roaming beast of prey, and worked away
diligently, until his spade struck sharply against some hard substance,
that he at first thought must be a large stone, or piece of rock
perhaps. He attempted, in various ways, to dislodge it, but all in vain,
and it gave out such a peculiar, hollow sound at every blow, that
at last he threw down his spade and took the lantern to see what the
strange obstacle might be.

He was greatly surprised at finding the corner of a stout oaken chest,
strengthened with iron bands, much rusted, but still intact. He dug all
round it, and then, using his spade as a lever, succeeded in raising it,
though it was very heavy, to the edge of the hole, and sliding it out
on the grass beside it; then he put poor Beelzebub into the place it
had occupied, and filled up the grave. He carefully smoothed it over,
replaced the sod, and when all was finished to his satisfaction, went in
search of his faithful old Pierre, upon whose discretion and secrecy he
knew that he could rely. Together they carried the mysterious strong box
into the chateau, but not without great difficulty and frequent pauses
to rest, because of its immense weight. Pierre broke open the chest with
an axe, and the cover sprang back, disclosing to view a mass of gold
coins--all ancient, and many of them foreign. Upon examination, a
quantity of valuable jewelry, set with precious stones, was found
mingled with the gold, and, under all, a piece of parchment, with a huge
seal attached, bearing the three storks of the de Sigognacs, still in
a good state of preservation; but the writing was almost entirely
obliterated by dampness and mould. The signature, however, was still
visible, and letter by letter the baron spelled it out--"Raymond de
Sigognac." It was the name of one of his ancestors, who had gone to
serve his king and country i