The tunes were Old Hundred, Peterboro', Hamburg, and others like them, which have since become familiar to me. They raised my soul from earth to heaven, and inspired me with new love and new hope. I had read some of the hymns they sang; but their musical interpretation gave them a purer and loftier sentiment than their words could convey. Ella sang a little song alone; and, as I listened to her sweet voice, I could hardly restrain my tears, the melody was so new and strange, and withal so heavenly. What would earth be if men and women could not sing!
It was a gloomy moment to me when the party separated. It was like coming down from heaven to earth when the music ceased, and I heard only the commonplace sounds which were familiar to me. I left the house with the two officers; but it was still early in the evening, and I invited Mr. Jackson, to whom I had become much attached, to go into the Castle with me. He had taken an interest in me and in my affairs, and I wanted to talk with him about the great world I had never seen. After the raptures of the evening, I could not help shuddering as I thought of the time when the Gracewoods would return to their old home in St. Louis. The thought of a separation was intolerable, and I resolved to abandon Field and Forest when they decided to go.
"Is that the chest of which you spoke, Phil?" said Mr. Jackson, as we entered the Castle, where a bright fire of pitch-wood was burning.
"Yes, sir; it has not been opened since Matt Rockwood was buried," I replied.
"Why don't you open it?" added the officer. "It may afford you some information in regard to yourself."
"I will do it now, if you please, for I don't like to open it alone."
"Very well; but are you sure there is no key to the chest?"
"I only know that Matt carried the key in his pocket, and I suppose it was buried with him."
"No, it wan't," said Kit Cruncher, walking in at the open door. "Not if you mean the key to that box."
"That is what we were speaking of, Kit," I replied. "I thought you had gone up to your cabin."
"I've been, and got back. 'Pears like them Injuns is comin' down agin. They've stole all my bacon."
"Probably they did that on their retreat," suggested the lieutenant. "They are short of food, and the wounded one told me they were going down to the buffalo country, after they had revenged themselves for the death of the chief."