The news & observer., 1897-03-07

storey and | were going to charter a
schooner, put diving tackle ON board,
and come out here again by ourselves
We could weigh & gold IN a couple of
days, and | know ,u a market"
We'll, Storey vii never use limbs or
tongue again"
I'm sure OF it, Mac; YOU must take
hfs place. We two and one other c.m
work the schooner, and year from now
wen be rich men. Tank Of ii, lad-rich
beyond what you ever thought of Think
OF it-no more having to stand your
watch at sea; no more sea at all You
can stay IN England and marry ana Eve
Il decent life. Think Of it. Mac"
was thinking Of 1t. As | sat there
watching the heat lightning wink A.
mongst the black hills Of the island
was remembering that it was a chance
such as | had never had before i'm all mv
life, and one which would never come to
me again. I'd been kicked about the world
ever since | first went n wee bit wrong
in BalIindrochater, and I'd sworn never
to see the place more till I'd enough sill
YER to build q house there as big as the
manse itself. / hungered for the old
spot again, with its gray houses and the
was still there and poor. / could do a
power Of good in thep lace (the dell told
me them il | went back rich and en-
hghtened with all my store of foreign
travel But then what the captain had
said to me came back how he remind
ed me | had been born a gentleman, and
how he'd treat me as my fathers SON
and trust to my honor; and | stood to
my feet and swore.
I'm not a pr0fane man as a general
thing; it always seems to me there's
small profit to be got OUt of mere swear
ing; but 1 cursed then till Cameron
blenched before me, and the air ought to
have tasted sulphury.
Look here" | said to him. II give
you your cho:ce-those boxes are to be
taken back from the pit and slowed back
inside the Corinth tomorrow; then we'll
announce that we've dug away the mud
and can get at the strong ROOM and next
day we'll warp the Cleaner across, rig
a whip, and let her hoist them on board
one by one with her own winch. If
you'll do this, I'll work with you so
long as my arms will move; if you refuse
I'll go to the Old man now and tell him
what / know"
You are playing me a very dirty
game" said he
| stormed at him. 'Am IT, I cried.
Couldn't 1 get you into gaol? Couldn't
/ have put you in irons this moment as
a common thief? But | want to help you
ont Of your mess, because Of a reason
you know"
why in thunder, man, won't you help
yourself, too, and be rich|
Because of a reason you would not
understand"
at may be a dangerous deal for you
yet" he said grimly.
"Ah. there" said 1--WE insured my
self. I've thought that if an accident
happened to me below the water yonder,
you might forget to be honest. SO I've
written out an account of what know.
and sealed it; and if / don't turn up, the
envelope viii be opened"
You've pinned me?' he said
II think so.
He started at me queerly for a minute
and then he spoke again. DO you
know, Mac" said he, I'm not so sorry
for it as you might think / was led
into this precious scheme by some one
else. But I'm not going to blame any
body now that can't be here to speak
for himself. And besides, I'll freely adj
NIT that / was keen enough upon the
chance when it was put it was such a
thmlpsng big plum to go for. | guess
we've most of US kept honest through
fear of being found out
"And besides. things are not always
as safe as they look"
You're right, Mac; and I'll remember
that for the future; and | guess it'll
scare me into keeping straight"
'You's not a very healthy way of look
ing at it," said 1.
'Ill admit that" said he, ''but from
societyis point of view it's very useful
one. We're funny animals. l feel far
easier now than did an hour ago, and
| know some one else who'll be easier
too"
'gThat will be Miss Bradbury you're
speaking of?'
Maybe so, maybe no." said he. f'The
person / have in mind writes books, and
has a great liking for romance, and told
me almost as soon as we met that it was
pity the old days were gone when
there were pirates and all that sort of
stuff, and sea life was more exciting.
We got intimate, that writer and /, Mac,
and the tale of this game here with the
gold-boxes slipped out. | claimed there
was every hit as much romance in that as
there was in the old time buccanneer-
ing"
''And she agreed to let you go on with
it just because she loved you," said /,
and then ate her heart out with fear
lest you should get dropped upon. Man,
you need ma go further with the yarn.
It's been plain to the eyes of every one
that's watched the lassie about the decks
that she was just fretting herself to
a shadow about something"
"It's made me nearly cry to see her"
says he.
'Wel, man." said I, 'Tts over now,
and she can begin to put on flesh again
so soon as ever you choose to tell her
the new plan. If l mistake not, yon's
the fiutter of a dress in the companion
way this minute. I'll be away forrard
and turn in Maybe you'll have busi-
ness here you'd rather talk of out of
my hearing"