The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-12-11
MI i s g g III q n 9 O u S .
THE HIDDEN TREASURE.

At fort in Florida, during the Seminole
war, man named Richard Blount lay
wounded and dying. A keen observer
might have discerned in the emaciated fea-
lures, well covered by an iron-gray untrim-
med beard, traces ofrefinement-almostc f-
faced, it is true, by the unmistakable marks
of a turbulent, and perhaps criminal ca
| reer.
The surgeon in charge Of the stockade
seemed man of warm heart and tender
sympathies, which had not been blunted
by familiarity with suffering. He careful
ly tended the dying soldier, doing all in
his power by words and actions, to soothe
his last hours. This kindness was not
without results. Impressed by attentions
Richard Blount-taciturn and reserved by
habit, if not by nature-grew more com
municative, and, at last, made certain reve-
lations concerning transactions of which
no other living man had any knowledge.
One afternoon, as the sun was setting
rcd and broad in burning haze behind
the motionless palmettoes, and the mock
ing.bird was pouring forth his wealth of
music by the still bayous where the alliga-
tor basked unmolested, Richard, who was
feeling stronger than usual, after period
of silence and mental struggle with him
self, said:
"Doctor, you've been mighty good to me.
You are the first person who has spoken a
kind word to me for many years. I've led
a hard life of it, and very likely don't de-
serve any better than I've received, yet
can't forget that was once II better man
and used to kind words from these who
loved me. And now, although l am both
poor and forsakcn, yet believe me when |
say that it is in my power to make you as
wealthy as your widest tancies could de-
sire"
81 was born in England; lave not a
single relation now living, and to you it
can be of no consequence what were the
early circumstances ofmy life. 1t is enough
to say that was the younger son OF a good
family, and was destined to the church, for
which was totally untitled. | was sent
to Oxford, but an Unsuitable Thirst for adj
venture caused me to run away. After va
rious fortunes in many parts of the world
| in which the car,,s were generally against
me, it was at last my luck to find myself
shipped with the crew of pirate schooner,
and a motley set we were-Spaniards, Eng
lishmen, Frenchmen, Italians, Yankees
Greeks-men of all races. Two or three
years sailed in her, boarding and burn
ing vessels in the Spanish main. At length
a rumor reached the nest of pirates to which
belonged that the English government
was about to take vigorous measures to
capture our vessels and destroy our ren-
devious. AS we had for long time been
very successful, without any serious moles
tation, there was all the more reason to he
lieve the report. A council of war was call
ed, in which words ran high. But it was
decided that, as our rendezvous was wei
known and would most likely he attacked
first, and we should be unable to defenC
ourselves successfully against such torce
as could be sent against US, we ought a
once to remove our possessions and con
ceal them for awhile in some unknown
hiding place. With us to decide was t.
act, and without further delay the treasure
which was enormous, being the accumulat
ed spoil of many hard fights and scuttlet
ships, was slowed in the holds of our yes
sells. CA little water, surgeon, if you'll b
so good)
80 immense" continued Richard, afte
a moment, twas the stock of dollars an,
doubloons and jewelry that no other bal
last was needed for the schooners. Whe
everything was on board we set fire to tb
cabins on shore, and by the glare of til
burning houses dropped down the laGoo
and made an offing. We headed for til
coast of Florida, and the moon being at til
full showed the schooners into an inlt
whose whereabouts was known to one
our captains, native of Florida, borne {
Key West son of a wrecker, l think.
was very quiet part of the country, will
out so many people as there are about
now; and they aren't over thick even nov
We had sent some men ashore in boat
the morning to find the exact entrance, an
after dark they lit a fire on the beach; s
we knew just where to put the schooner
At daylight we sailed a long way up IL
bayou, winding about from bend to ben,
. with sweeps, or lacking along the shore, an
/ blazing the trees as we went along, unit
r we came to clearing in the woods, whe
the trees seemed to have been felled by
hurricane. 1t was gloomy and silel