Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1889-01-30

! known. She had been n French trader
I from Mnrscilles, owned by her captain;
her crew had mutinicd in the Pacific,
I killed their officers and the only passenger
I tho owner of the cargo They had made
/ away with the cargo and treasure OF
/ nearly half n million OF Spanish gold for
trading purposes which belonged TO the
passenger. In course of time the ship
was sold for salvage and put into the
South American trade until the breaking
ont of the Californian gold excitement,
when she was sent with cargo to San
Francisco. That ship was the Pontiac
which your father bought"
! a slight shudder ran through the girls
frame. II wish-I wish you hadn't told
me-" she said. ~ shnll never close my
I eyes again comfortably on hoard of her, I
know"
II would say that you had purified her
of all stains of her past-but there may be
one that remains And that in most pco-
pies eyes would be no detraction. You
look puzzled Miss Nott-but am COM
ing To the explanation and the end OF my
story. A ship Of war was sent to the
island tn punish the mutineers and pirates,
for such they were, but they could not be
found. a private expedition was sent to
discover the treasure which they were
supposed TO have buried, but in win
About two months ago Mr.. Slcight told
me one Of his shipmasters had sent him q
Lascar sailor who had to dispose of n
valuable secret regarding the Pontiac for
II percentage. That secret was TINT the
treasure was never taken by the mutinccrs
out of the Pontiac. They were about to
lind and bury IL when we boarded them
They took advantage of their Imprisonment
under matches tn bury It in the ship. They
hid II In the hold 30 securely and safely
that IL was never detected by us or the
Callao authorities. WAS then asked, rs
ono who knew the vessel, to undertake a
| private examination Of her, with view
OF purchasing her from your father with
out awakening his suspicious. / nsscntcd.
You have my confession now, Miss Mott.
You know my crime. am Mt your mercy"
Rosey's arm only frightened around his
own. Her eyes sought his. "And you
didn't find nnythingr' she said
The question sounded so oddly like
Sicicht's, that Rcnshaw returned little
stiCly-
II didn't look"
"Whyi" asked Roscy simply.
Because" stammered Renshaw. with
an uneasy consciousness of having exagger-
ated his sentiment, lit didn't seem honor
able; IL didn't seem fair to YOU"
"Oh you silly. you might have locked
and told me-"
But" said Renshaw, ''lo you think
that would have been fair to Sleights'
AS fair to him rs to us. For, don't
You sec, il wouldn't belong to any OF us.
II would belong to the friends OF the fam
lily Of the man who lost it,"
''But there were no heirs" replied Rem
shaw. THAT was proved by some i'm
poster who pretended to be his brother,
and libclcd the Pontiac Mt Callao, but the
courts decided he was lunatic''
Then 1t belongs to the poor pirates
who risked their own lives for II, rather
than TO Sleight, who did nothing" She
was silent for q moment, and then re-
sumed with energy, ~ believe he was ut
the bottom Of that attack last night"
~ have thought 80, too" said Rem
shaw.
Then I must go back Mt once" she
continued, impulsively. Father must
not be left alone"
Nor must you," said Renshnw.
quickly. "Do let me return with you. and
share with you and your father the trouble
1 have brought upon you. Do not" he
added in n lower tone, deprive me of the
only chance Of expiating my ofrense, OF
making myself worthy your forgiveness"
II am sure" said Rosey, lowering her
lids and half withdrawing her arm, ''I am
sure have nothing to forgive. You did
~ h.lf
any moro than TO anybody else until you
know me-
THAT IL true" said the young man, at
tempting to take her hand.
81 mean" said Rosey, blushing and
showing distracting row Of little teeth I'm
one OF her infrequent laughs, 'soh, Won
know what ! mean" She withdrew her
arm gently, and became interested I'm the
selection of certain wayside bay leaves as
they passed along. "All the same. don't
believe In this treasure" she saId abruptly,
as IL TO change the subject 81 don't be-
lieve 1t ever was hidden inside the
Pontiac"
THAT can easily he nsccrtaine,! now,r
said Renshaw.
But it's pity you didn't find IL out
while you were about it, " said Rosey. at
would hive saved so much talk and
trouble"
81 have told you why didn't search
the ship, responded Renshaw, with some
bitterness. But IL seems could only
avoid being grent rascal 10y becoming a
great fool"
lyon never intended 20 be rascal"
said lfoscy. earnestly, ''nnd you couldn't
he fool, except In needing what silly
girl says. / only meant II you had taken
me into your confidence IL would have
been better"
Might I not say the same 20 you re
gnrding yOur friend. the old Frcnehmau'''
returned Renshnw. what IL I were 10
confess to You that I lately suspected him
Of knowing the secret and OF trying 20
I gain your nssistancerf
Instead q Indignantly repudlntlnQ the
suggestion, 70 the young MINIS great dis
eomnture, Rosey only knit her pretty
brows, md remained for some moments
slleDt Presently she asked tImldly-
"Do you think It wrong 10 tell another
I PERSONS secret for their own goOdf'
no, " said Reushaw, promptly.
Then I'll tell you Monsieur de Fer
Tiefes'i But only because I beIfeve from