Part 18 (1/2)
He tried to reach the catch by using his stick, but that was also a failure.
”Wonder if I can't find a bit of wire, or something?” he mused, and struck a match he had in his pocket.
Now it chanced that the widow who had given the new vault to the cemetery a.s.sociation had a horror of allowing supposed dead folks to be buried alive. As a consequence she had had the vault furnished with an electric b.u.t.ton which opened the door from the inside. It had been stipulated that a light should be placed close to the b.u.t.ton, but as yet this was not in place.
By the light of the match Lew Flapp saw the b.u.t.ton, and these words over it:
To Open the Door and Ring the Bell Push This b.u.t.ton.
”Good! that just suits me,” he chuckled to himself, but immediately had something of a chill, thinking that the b.u.t.ton might not yet be fixed to work.
With nervous fingers he pushed upon the object. There was a slight click, and he saw the big iron door of the vault spring ajar.
”The trick is done, and I am free!” he murmured, and sprang to the door. But here he paused again, to gaze through the grating. Sam was out of sight and not another soul could be seen. The coast was clear.
”Now good-bye to Oak Run,” he muttered to himself. ”I was a fool to come here in the first place, even to meet that Dan Baxter!”
In a moment more he was out of the vault and running to the rear of the cemetery as fast as his legs would carry him.
In the meantime Sam made his way as quickly as possible to a house situated at the front corner of the cemetery, where the keeper of the place resided.
A knock on the door brought the keeper's daughter. She knew Sam and smiled.
”What can I do for you, Sam?” she asked.
”Where is your father, Jennie?”
”He just went down to the village to buy a new spade.”
”Oh, pshaw! that's too bad.”
”What is the matter? I hope you're not going to have a funeral in your family.”
”No funeral in this, Jennie. I met a thief in Oak Run and tried to have him arrested. He ran into the cemetery and hid in the new vault and I locked the door on him. Now I want your father or somebody else to help me take him to the lock-up.”
”A thief! What did he steal?”
”Some jewelry. It's a long story. Do you know where I can find somebody else?”
”Jack Sooker is working over to the other end of the cemetery--cutting down an old tree. You might get him.”
”Where?”
”I'll show you.”
Jennie ran to get her hat. She was just putting it on when a bell began to ring in the hall of the cottage.
”Gracious me!” gasped the girl.
”What's the matter now?”