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"It was the end of Novearden had disappeared, the trees were nothingbony arravel under ree as I approached the thicket, that I took a pistol from my pocket and arure of the Corsican between the branches I examined the thicket with my dark lantern; it was empty I looked carefully around; I was indeed alone,--no noise disturbed the silence but the ohose piercing cry seeht I tied my lantern to a forked branch I had noticed a year before at the precise spot where I stopped to dig the hole

"The grass had grown very thickly there during the summer, and when autumn arrived no one had been there to rass was thin attracted round I went to work The hour, then, for which I had been waiting during the last year had at length arrived Hoorked, how I hoped, how I struck every piece of turf, thinking to find soh I had ht I had been deceived--had mistaken the spot I turned around, I looked at the trees, I tried to recall the details which had struck h the leafless branches, and yet the drops fell from my forehead I recollected that I was stabbed just as I was tra so I had leaned against a laburnum; behind -place for persons walking in the garden; in falling,its hold of the laburnuht I saw the tree, behind me the rock I stood in the saan digging and enlarging the hole; still I found nothing, nothing--the chest was no longer there!"

"The chest no longer there?"with fear

"Think not I contented myself with this one effort," continued Villefort "No; I searched the whole thicket I thought the assassin, having discovered the chest, and supposing it to be a treasure, had intended carrying it off, but, perceiving his error, had dug another hole, and deposited it there; but I could find nothing Then the idea struck me that he had not taken these precautions, and had simply thrown it in a corner In the last case I ht to renew my search I remained in the room and waited"