How was
he to account for this great hole to his gardener on the following
morning? Then and there he made up his mind that he would not account
for it. The gardener, in common with the rest of the village, believed
that the place was haunted. Let him set down the hole to the "spooks"
and their spiritual activity.
Still he dug on at the grave for a little longer. It was by now
becoming a matter of exceeding labour to throw the shovelfuls of soil
clear of the hole. Then he determined to stop, and with this view
scrambled, not without difficulty, out of the amateur tomb. Once out,
his eyes fell on a stout iron crowbar which was standing among the
other tools, such an implement as is used to make holes in the earth
wherein to set hurdles and stakes. It occurred to him that it would
not be a bad idea to drive this crowbar into the bottom of the grave
which he had dug, in order to ascertain if there was anything within
its reach. So he once more descended into the hole and began to work
with the iron crow, driving it down with all his strength. When he had
got it almost as deep as it would go, that is about two feet, it
struck something--something hard--there was no doubt of it. He worked
away in great excitement, widening the hole as much as he could.
Pages:
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448