ose, for there was no ghastly scene upon
which to gaze.

Then his spirits sank to zero again, for there was the oblong of the
inclosed bath occupying the left of the long, narrow place, and only
just leaving room for anyone to pass.

He shuddered, and at that moment the sergeant took hold of the edge of
the mahogany lid to raise it, but without success.

"Fast," muttered the latter; and he held the light to the glistening
French-polished mahogany cover, looking from place to place. "Here you
are, Jem," he said, in a low tone; "four more screws, and only just put
in."

The other man uttered a low growl, and entered with his screw-driver;
moistened his hands and the tool creaked on the top of a screw, and then
entered the cross slit with a loud snap. The next minute the first
screw was being withdrawn.

"Pretty badly put in," said the man. "Didn't have a carpenter here."

He worked away, making the old place vibrate a little with his efforts,
and to Guest the whole business was horribly suggestive of taking off
the lid from a coffin; but he was firmer now, as he stood behind
Stratton, who drew a deep breath, now and then like a heavy sigh, but
neither stirred from his position by the door they had entered, nor
spoke.

All at once there was a sharp rap on the lid of the bath, which acted
like a sounding-board, and the man at work started back in alarm.

"All right, Jem," said the sergeant; "you jarred it down from the
shelf."

As he spoke he snatched up what he evidently looked upon as evidence;
for it was a large gimlet, evidently quite new, and its long spiral
glistened in the light of the lantern.

"Thought somebody throwed it," growled the man, as he resumed his task
of withdrawing the screws till the last was out, and placed close to the
bath, on the floor.

"Sure that's all?" said the sergeant.

The man ran his finger along the edge of the bath lid, uttered a grunt,
and drew back toward the door by which he had entered.

"Lift up the lid, man--lift up the lid," said the sergeant, directing
the lantern so that the grain of the new-looking wood glistened and
seemed full of golden and ruddy brown depths of shadow, among which the
light seemed to play.

"Do you hear?" he said. "Lift up the lid."

The man made no answer, but ran his hand over his moist forehead, and
still backed toward the door, where Stratton and Guest were standing.
Then, as they drew aside to let him pass:

"Precious hot in th