ey there 's in
it, let us consider a bit where we 'll hide it."

"It sounds empty, anyhow," said the first, as the metal rang clearly
out under the hammer. Meanwhile Linton stood overwhelmed at the strange
connection between the dream and the discovery. "It is a box, and here's
the key fastened to it by a chain," cried the former speaker. He had
scarcely succeeded in removing the box from the wall, when Linton was
standing, unseen and noiseless, behind him.

"We 'll share it fair, whatever it is," said the second.

"Of course," said the other. "Let us see what there is to-share." And
so he threw back the lid, and beheld, to his great dismay, nothing but a
roll of parchment fastened by a strap of what had once been red leather,
but which crumbled away as he touched it.

"'T is Latin," said the first, who seemed the more intelligent of the
two, after a vain effort to decipher the heavily engrossed line at the
top.

"You are right," said Linton; and the two men started with terror on
seeing him so near. "It is Latin, boys; it was the custom of the
monks to bury their prayers in that way once, and to beg whoever might
discover the document to say so many masses for the writer's soul; and
Protestant though I be, I do not think badly of the practice. Let us
find out the name." And thus saying, he took up the roll and perused it
steadily. For a long time the evening darkness, the difficulty of the
letters, and the style of the record, impeded him; but as he read on,
the color came and went in his cheek, his hand trembled with agitation,
and had there been light enough to have noted him well, even the workmen
must have perceived the excitement under which he labored.

"Yes," said he, at last, "it is exactly as I said; it was written by a
monk. This was an old convent once, and Father Angelo asks our prayers
for his eternal repose, which assuredly he shall have, heretic that I
am! Here, boys, here's a pound-note for you; Father Rush will tell you
how to use it for the best. Get a light and go on with your work, and if
you don't like to spend the money in masses, say nothing about the box,
and I 'll not betray your secret."

[Illustration: 388]

A dry laugh and a significant leer of the eye showed that he had
accurately read his hearers' inmost thoughts, and Linton sat down as
if to await their return; but no sooner had they left the spot than he
hastened with all speed to the inn, to con over his newly discovered
treas