“Will I not be? Try me. I shall like the fun, I assure you.”
“Then we will go at once. I will get a spade as we go along. Are you afraid of haunts?”
“Not I. And it is moonlight and not midnight, so I fancy we are safe from evil charms.”
“Perhaps you have a rabbit foot.”
“No; nor any charm, except such as is possessed by my companion, whose youth and beauty should be sufficient to protect me from all malign influences.” They sauntered down the moonlit garden path. Sweet clove pinks and August lilies freighted the air with their heavy perfume. Lettice remembered that night, not so long ago, when she and Robert had felt the spell of the moonlight, and when she had almost—She drew a sigh which her companion noted. “Does anything trouble you?” he asked gently.
“No; it was only that I suddenly remembered something. See, here by this footstone is the place. The soil is light, and the box is not very deeply placed. I think we can soon reach it.” She knelt down on the grass and began to brush away some of the loose leaves and sticks.
Mr. Baldwin struck his spade into the dry soil, throwing out the earth deftly and easily. He had been digging for some minutes when Lettice exclaimed: “Surely, that should be far enough. Haven’t you struck the box yet?”
“No; I seem to come upon nothing harder than the earth.”
She peered over into the hole, resting one hand upon the footstone. Then she exclaimed in an agitated tone, “That is much deeper than I dug, and nothing is there!”
“Are you quite sure this is the exact spot?”