by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER XV THE BLACK BOX
Past the ghostly figures the three girls made their way, nervous shiversrunning up and down their spines in spite of the fact that they knewthese figures would not harm them.
As they threw the rays from their lights on the rear wall of the room, JoAnn suddenly halted. "This wall's different from the others," sheannounced. "It looks as if it's made of stone panels."
"It certainly does," agreed Florence.
Eagerly Jo Ann began examining one of the panels, testing it to see if itwould move. Following her example, Peggy and Florence began trying tomove the ones nearest them. Each panel, they discovered, had a slightdepression carved in the top, which served as a fingerhold.
After they had worked for several minutes without success, Peggy saiddisgustedly, "Let's stop this foolishness and get out of this awful room.These panels look like vaults or tombs--like the ones we saw in that oldSt. Roch's Cemetery in New Orleans. I've seen enough spooks and familyskeletons to do me for ages." She tugged at Jo Ann's arm impatiently.
Almost simultaneously Jo Ann exclaimed, "Oh, I've found a panel thatmoves! Shine your light this way, Peg, while Florence helps me to shoveit up."
Together Jo Ann and Florence pushed vigorously on the panel.
"Fine! It's moving!" ejaculated Jo Ann finally. "Once more,Florence--hard, now!"
Peggy threw the rays from her flashlight directly into the narrow cracknow appearing below the stone. "Oh, I see something--something white!Push the stone up a little higher, can't you?" Turning suddenly toFlorence, she ordered, "You hold the light and let me push. I'm strongerthan you."
In a few more moments there was a loud grating sound as the stone moved,and the crack below widened several inches.
"There's something in there, all right," agreed Florence. "If you promisenot to let that stone drop on my hand, I'll reach in and get it. Can youhold it?"
"Let's get a better hold first!" cried Jo Ann. "My hand's slipping. Now,are you ready, Peg?"
"Okay."
Quickly Florence reached through the crack. "Feels like a box!" sheexclaimed excitedly. "But I can't get it out. There's a roll of paper orsomething, too."
"We'll push a little harder," said Jo Ann. "Push, Peg--with all yourmight. Now--can you--get hold--of them?"
"I've got them!" Florence's voice was triumphant. "Hold it just anothersecond so I can see if there's anything else." She flashed the light intothe opening again.
"Hurry!" cut in Peggy. "We can't--hold this thing--much longer. It weighsa ton."
"I can't see anything else," Florence said a moment later. "Let it go."
With sighs of relief Jo Ann and Peggy let the slab drop into place.
"Whew--that stone was heavy!" gasped Peggy. She glanced disappointedly atthe small black box and roll of paper which Florence held in her hand."And all that hard work for nothing but a little insignificant-lookingbox and a piece of paper! I told you these were nothing but grave vaults.Let's get out of this cemetery."
After one last glance around the room Jo Ann followed Peggy and Florenceto the door.
"I'm glad the door's not stuck this time," she remarked as she pulled itshut.
As she turned to join the girls Florence called, "Look right down thispassage, Jo. There's another cave-in."
Flashing her light in that direction, Jo Ann exclaimed, "You'reright--that is a cave-in. There've been steps there, too. This must'vebeen the passage leading up into the church. It looks as if the wholeside of the building has fallen down."
"I know where we are, then," Florence put in. "We're right under thatsection of the church that's partly in ruins. That's the reason no one'sbeen down here in years and years."
Now that her curiosity was satisfied about the passage to the church, JoAnn turned to Florence. "You still have the box and the paper you tookout of that vault, haven't you?"
"Yes, but they don't look at all interesting or valuable."
With one glance at the dull black box Jo Ann reached out and took theroll of papers from Florence.
"Oh dear," she sighed a moment later, "they're all in Spanish, of course.This is the queerest writing--all fancy flourishes and curly-cues. Ican't make anything out of it, can you, Florence?"
Florence looked down at the papers a moment, then shook her head. "Allthat I can make out of it is that it's some kind of old record."
"Let me have a look at the box, then. Maybe it'll explain something."
As Florence handed it to Jo Ann she remarked, "If you can find outanything from this old black box, you're a good one."
"I thoroughly agree with you. It doesn't look at all interesting." Jo Annturned the box from side to side. "It's unusually heavy, though, for sucha small box." She shook it vigorously. "Listen! There's something insidethat makes a little rattling noise."
"It can't be anything much--not in that small box," commented Peggy.
"I wish we could open it," said Jo Ann, studying the box while Florenceheld the light. "It must have a secret spring--there's no sign of akeyhole."
"A secret spring!" Peggy's interest was instantly aroused. "Let me seeit, will you?"
When Peggy reached out to take the box, its weight took her by surprise,and she let it slip out of her hands and fall crashing to the floor.
Dropping down on their knees, Jo Ann and Peggy reached for the box at thesame time.
"O--oh!" gasped Jo Ann, her voice quivering with excitement.
"O--oh!" echoed Peggy.
"What is it?" Florence asked quickly as she leaned over their shoulders.
Spellbound the three girls gazed before them. The insignificant black boxlay on its side, wide open, part of its contents spilled out on thefloor. There was the gleam of old gold and the brilliant sparkle andflash of fire. All the colors of the rainbow seemed reflected in thatcircle of light.
"How perfectly magnificent!" ejaculated Peggy in an awed voice.
"Wonderful! An old jewel case!" exclaimed Jo Ann, entranced by the beautybefore her.
"Gorgeous!" added Florence.
One by one, as though afraid of touching them, the girls picked up thejewels from the floor. Rings set with precious stones--diamonds, rubies,sapphires, opals gorgeous as the sunset--necklaces, earrings, and chainsof gold. Queer, antique-looking, all of them.
"Isn't this the loveliest thing you ever laid your eyes on!" cried Peggy,holding up a filigree necklace of such delicate workmanship that itresembled a piece of fine old lace.
"It's exquisite," agreed Florence.
"And look at this ring--isn't it the most beautiful one you ever saw?" JoAnn held up a ring that had one large exquisite opal circled by tinydiamonds. "I love opals. The opal's my birthstone. When my ship comesin--if it ever does--I'll try to buy me a ring just like this."
"It is lovely. They all are--the diamonds, rubies, all of them," addedFlorence. "They must be very valuable. I wonder why they were hiddenhere. Oh!" she cried suddenly, an expression of horror passing over herface. "These belong to the church. We can't take them--that'd bestealing. We must put them right back where we found them this minute."
"Not I," said Peggy emphatically.
"What would be the sense of leaving these things hidden for anothercentury or more?" put in Jo Ann quickly.
"I don't know, but I still feel that we'll be stealing if we take them,"insisted Florence.
"I know what we'd better do!" exclaimed Jo Ann as a sudden solution ofthe problem occurred to her. "We can take them to Senor Rodriguez and lethim dispose of them in the proper legal manner. Don't you think thatwould be best?"
"Yes--perhaps so," slowly agreed Florence. "He ought to know what wouldbe right."
While Florence and Jo Ann had been arguing about what to do with thepieces of jewelry, Peggy was putting them back in the black box.
"I can't get all these things back in this box," she sighed finally. "Howin the world did they ever get so much in such a small box?"
&nb
sp; "Wait! Don't close it. We might not be able to get it open again." Jo Annreached over and took the box. "Let me tie this string around it sonothing'll spill out."
In a few minutes the box was securely tied. Holding it tightly, Jo Annhastened back to the entrance to the tunnel, the other girls followingclosely.
