San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-13
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and heaYed the sinister freight over
board. 1t sa1fls ut once, and the black
slime closed over it. Keppel looked
down on the place where 1t had disap-
peared.
REST in peace" he muttered. He pad
died himself ashore, and returned to the
house with a feeling of relief.
1t remained to burn rae clothing and
bedding. He first placed quantity of
dry wood ON the hearth, then heaped the
clothing upon it and set fire to the pile.
Next he removed the bedding from the
bedstead The latter was nothing but
rough framework of planlis, apparently
taken frCm the barn and nailed together
in a careless fashion.
In taking off the mattress he saw in
the cavity beneath it a se.la,i oblong
chest. 1t looked shabby anu battered,
and was secured by double strap. with
a loop attached to fasten i: ON the shoul-
ders. 1t must be, Keppel supposed, the
box in which the dead man had kept
his wardrobe. 1t must so on the fire
with the rest.
He LAID hold Of the strap, to lift the
box out. 1t was unexpe ctediy heavy.
lie took both hands to 1t and ierked it
uD: IL came down on TIE floor with a
bang that Jared the house. What can
be in it," said Keppel, pGusing to take
breath. Then a thought came to him
that turned him pale and trembling.
What If this should be the chest that
contained tine treasure: He had taken
Il 50 for granted that the box was buried
outdoors that this possibility had not
at iirst occurred to him. But now that
it had occurred to him, it seemed quite
natural. A dying man could not put
DIS treasure in safer place than be-
meath his bed. AS long as he remained
alive he would know that it was safe.
Now that the critical moment had ar
rived Keppel felt an almost invincible
reluctance to take the next step. The
fear of disappointment, which had hith-
erto seemed insignificant, now dominat-
ed everything else, and Keppel doubted
whether he could endure to find it con-
irlned. On the other hand, the idea of
success was SO stupendous that he feared
that too.
But, after all, uncertainty was worst
of all.
With nervous hands he unbuckled the
strap. The key was in the lock and he
turned 1t. AS he lifted the lid he closed
bis eyes. ..
When he opened them he saw some
old flannel shirts, carelessly stuffed into
the box. He threw them out with
feverlsh impotence. What did he see?
A quantity of wax food arranged in
rows and layers. There were wax
peaches, plums, apples, pears. He thrust
his hand into them, cropping underneath.
There was nothing else but wax fruit in
| the box.
With cry of rage he grasped hand
full of the fruit and dashed it furiously
on the floor 1t broke in flashes and
CLEANS of rainbow light. Half dozen
immense diamonds, rubies and sapphires
lay sparkling on the bare boards. There
were scores of thousands of dollars
worth of precious stones in that one
handful.
Keppel, with a shrill ejaculation,
dropped on his knees on the floor and
picked up one of the gems. 1t was a
huge sapphire, and was still partly en-
bedded in the wax that had covered and
was a diamond. He reached over to the
box and pulled out an apricot. On
breaking it open there was revealed an
emerald as large as an acorn. He picked
M plum from the bottom of the box.
Within it was another diamond of the
finest water.
He passed his hand over his forehead.
Il am the richest man in the world" he
said in whisper; 1.-THE richest man in
the worldw
He rose to his feet and walked about
the room. He went outdoors and wan
dered about, staring at the sky, the
earth, the sea. The sun shone. The
air was soft and warm. He spoke his
own name aloud; he repeated parts of
the multiplication table; he recited
verses of poetry. 1t was no delusion; he
was in his right mind; he was awake.
He re-entered the house, and there was
the box, the wax fruit and the jewels,
Just as before. He examined them once
more. They were real there was no
mistake. From helpless vagabond and
outcast, an escaped convict, a man sup
posed to be dead, he had in a moment
become hundredfold millionaire. He
broke into frantic laugh; he stamped
about the room, tossing up his arms and
shouting. He flung himself down with
his head on the box and burst into sobs
and tears. When at length he arose
he was calm and pale.
Olympia, OlympiaT he said. The