What was found in this garden.

Nick received Deever’s startling intelligence with every evidence of satisfaction.

“You are doing great work, Mr. Deever,” said he.  “We shall soon have this affair straightened out.”

As Nick pronounced these words he signaled to Chick in their sign language as follows: 

“What do you think of this witness?”

Chick promptly returned the answer: 

“He seems to be telling the truth.”

Then Deever turned toward the new witness.

“Mr. Haskell, Mr. Colton,” said he, in hasty introduction.  “Now, Haskell, tell what you know.”

“Wait,” said Nick, “who is this man?” And he pointed to Chick.

“He’s a fellow that knows my brother.  We met him just below, and brought him along to help in the identification.  There are two more coming.”

“Then you purpose to disinter your brother’s body at once?”

“Of course I do.”

“You have no tools.”

“The others will bring them.  That’s what they’re after.”

“Where is the place?”

“The hospital garden.  Haskell, tell your story.  But, no; I’ll tell it for you to save time.”

He took Nick by the arm and led him along the hospital wall on the southern side of the ground.  They followed the wall in the direction of the river, until they came to the corner.

Between them and the river was a large piece of ground nearly as wild in appearance as it was a hundred years ago.  Many trees and bushes grew upon it.

“This place,” said Deever, “is a sort of lovers’ walk.  Any pleasant evening in summer you can see dozens of couples walking down that path.

“Haskell was here Monday evening with a young lady.  They sat for a while on the trunk of a fallen tree, looking off toward the river.

“It was nearly eleven o’clock when Haskell walked home with her.  Then he discovered that he had lost his knife.  He had been whittling the tree-trunk with it.

“It was a good knife, and he thought it worth while to go back and try to find it.  He went back, and after quite a hunt, found it beside the tree.

“By this time it was after midnight.  On his way home he passed the spot where we are now standing.

“Just as he got here, he heard a peculiar noise on the other side of the wall.  It seemed strange that anybody should be at work in the garden at that hour, but the sound was as if somebody was using a shovel.

“Haskell has more curiosity than a woman.  He resolved to find out what was going on inside that garden.

“The wall here is pretty high, as you see, but with the help of a piece of board he climbed up so that he could look over.  Now, Haskell, tell us just what you saw.”

Chick and Haskell had come up just as Deever finished his introduction to the story.

“I saw Dr. Jarvis digging,” said Haskell.