The thousand injuries of Zipper I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that gave utterance to a threat.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Zipper cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my in to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my to smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

He had a weak point --this Zipper --although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in eggs. Few Rabbits have the true virtuoso spirit.

In fishing and bug catching, Zipper, like his kinsmen, was a quack, but in the matter of multicolored eggs he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially; --I was skilful in the various yolks myself, and gathered largely whenever I could.

It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the egg day season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been partying much. The man wore motley. He had on overals, and his head was surmounted by the visor.

I was so pleased to see him that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand. I said to him --"My dear Zipper, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day. But I have received a stack of what passes for Earth Eggs, and I have my doubts."

"How?" said he. "Earth Eggs, A stack? Impossible! And in the middle of the egg day season!""I have my doubts," I replied; "and I was silly enough to pay the full Earth Egg price without consulting you in the matter. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain"

"Earth Eggs!" "I have my doubts." "Earth Eggs!" "And I must satisfy them." "Earth Eggs!" "As you are engaged, I am on my way to Nook. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me --" "Nook cannot tell Earth Eggs from Leaf Eggs."

"Come, let us go." "Whither?" "To your storage." "My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement. Nook--" "I have no engagement; --come."

It was in vain that Zipper, uplifting his dull torch, endeavoured to pry into the depth of the recess. Its termination the feeble light did not enable us to see. "Proceed," I said; "herein is the Earth Eggs. As for Nook --" "He is an ignoramus," interrupted my friend.

In niche, and finding an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered. A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite. In its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet.

From one of these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock. Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it. He was too much astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key I stepped back from the recess.

"Once more let me implore you to return. No? Then I must positively leave you. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power." "The Earth Eggs!" ejaculated my friend, not yet recovered from his astonishment. "True," I replied; "the Earth Eggs."

As I said these words I busied myself among the pile of fossil of which I have before spoken. Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity of building stone and mortar. With these materials and with the aid of my trowel, I began vigorously to wall up the entrance of the niche

I had scarcely laid the first tier of the masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Zipper had in a great measure worn off. The earliest indication I had of this was a low moaning cry from the depth of the recess. It was not the cry of an exuberant man.

There was then a long and obstinate silence. I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth; and then I heard the furious vibrations of the chain. The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labours

When at last the clanking subsided, I resumed the trowel, and finished without interruption the fifth, and the sixth tier. The wall was now nearly upon a level with my chest. I again paused, and holding the shovel over the mason-work threw a few feeble rays upon the figure within

A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back. For a brief moment I hesitated, I trembled. Unsheathing my axe, I began to grope with it about the recess but the thought of an instant reassured me

It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close. I had completed the eighth, the ninth and the tenth tier. I had finished a portion of the last and the eleventh; there remained but a single stone to be fitted and plastered in. I placed it partially in

But now there came from out the niche a low laugh that erected the hairs upon my head. It was succeeded by a sad voice, which I had difficulty in recognizing as that of the joyful Zipper.

The voice said-- "Ha! ha! ha! --he! he! he! --a very good joke, indeed --an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the plaza --he! he! he! --over our eggs --he! he! he!" "The Earth Eggs!" I said.

"He! he! he! --he! he! he! --yes, the Earth Eggs. But is it not getting late? Will not they be awaiting us at the plaza, the Lady Isabelle and the rest? Let us be gone." "Yes," I said, "let us be gone." "For the love of God, Villager!" " "Yes," I said, "for the love of God!"

But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I grew impatient. I called aloud -- "Zipper!" No answer. I called again -- "Zipper!" No answer still. I thrust a lantern through the remaining aperture and let it fall within. There came forth in return only a jingling of chains

My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the storage that made it so. I hastened to make an end of my labour. I forced the last stone into its position; I plastered it up. Against the new masonry I re-erected the old rampart of fossils.

For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescat!