Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10
Now, sir, what can IT mean except one

VI course, there ID 2tman in 1t. You
know how it Is in these South American
states, sir. A man may be president one
week and hunted like dog the next They
are forever flying for their lives My idea
who is armed and desperate. and who Will
fight to the death before he is taken"
But his food and drink"
TITS a roomy chest, sir. oan6 he may have
drink he had friend among the crew
upon the brig, who saw that he had what
he needed
You think, then, that'Sthe label asking
people not to open the obox was simply
written in his INTEREST,"
Yes, sir; that is my idea Have you any
other way Of explaining the facts?"
1 had to confess that had not
THE question is what are we to do?" I
asked.
1.-The mans a dangerous ruffian who
sticks at nothing. I'm thinking 1t wouldn't
be bad thing to put g. rope round the
Then We could open it at our ease. Or, II
we just tied the box up end kept him from
getting any water, maybe that would do
as WELL Or the carpenter could put a coat
Of varniSh over 1t and stop all the blow
holes"
Come Allardyce," said I, angrily; you
dent seriously mean to say that a whole
ships company are going to be terrorized
engage to fetch him out!' / went to my
room ana came back with my revolver in
my hand. Now, Allardyce." said I, do
you open the lock and I'll stand on guard"
For Gods sake, think what you are do
ing, SIR" cried the mate. Two men have
lost their lives over it, and the blood Of
one not yet dry upon the carpet"
venge him.
well. sir at least let me call the car
penter. Three are better than two. and he
is a good stout man. -.--..
He went off in search Of him, and I was
left alone with the striped chest in the
cabin. I don't think that I'm nervous
man, but I kept the table between me and
the growing light of morning the red and
white stripping was beginning to appear,
and the curious scrolls and wreaths of
metal and carving, which showed the low
pended upon it. Presently the carpenter
and the mate came back together. the
former with a hammer in his hand.
IT'S bad business this. SIR said he.
shaking his head as he looked at the body
of the mate. and you think there's some
enc hiding in the box?'
There's no doubt about it, said Altar
dyce picking up the screwdriver and set
ting his jaw like man who needs to brace
his courage. 'Ill drive the lock back If
you will both stand by. If he rises let him
have it on the head with your hammer,
carpenter Shoot at once, sir, if he raises
his hand Nowl'
He had knelt down in front of the striped
chest and passed the blade of the tool I'M
der the lid. With a sharp snick the lock
flew back. STAND by" yelled the mate,
and with heave he threw open the mas
sive top of the box. AS l swung it up we
all three sprang back. l. with my pistol
leveled. and the carpenter, with the ham
mer above his head. Then, as nothing hap
pened, we each took a step forward and
peeped in. The box was empty.
Not quite empty. either, for in one cor
ner was lying an old yellow candlestick,
deliberately engraved, which appeared to
be as old as the box itself. It's rich yell
low tone and artistic shape suggested that
it was an object of value. For the rest
there was nothing more weighty or valu-
able than dust in the old striped treasure
chest. ,, q. Q
staring blankly into it. f.'Where does the
weight come in. them"
look at the lid. Why it's'fffive inches
through; And see that great metal spring
across it, th
"Thats for holding the lid up said the
nate. You see 1t will only stand straight.
1t won't lean back What's that German
printing on the inside?' J
at means that it was made by Johann
Rothstein of Augsburg in 1906"
"And a solid bit of work, too. But 1t
doesn't throw much light on what has
passed. does 1t, Capt Barclay? That can
dlestick looks like gold. We shall have
something for our trouble aftep all"
He leaned forward to grasp it, and from
that moment I have never doubted as to
the reality of inspiration, fore on the in
slant 1 caught him by the collar and pulled
him straight again. 1t may have been some
story of the middle ages which had come
back to my mind, or it may have been that
my eye caught some red which was not
that Of rust upon the upper part Of the
lock, but to him and to me it will always
seem an inspiration, 30 prompt and sud-
den was my action. ,
"There's deviltry here" said 1. "Gfve me
the crooked stick from the corner"
1t was an ordinary walking cane with a
hooked top. l passed 1t over the candle
stick and gave 1t pull. With flash
row of polished steel fangs shot out from
below the upper lip, and the great striped
chest snapped at us like g. wild animal.
Clang came the huge lid into it's place, and
the glasses on the swinging rack sang and
tlnkled with the shock. The mate sat down
on the edge of the table and shivered like
q frightened horse. you've saved my life,
Capt. Barclay" said he.
So this was the secret of the striped
treasure chest of old Don Ramirez di Ley
ra, and this was how he preserved his ILL
gotten gains from the Terra Firma and the
province of Veraauas. Be the thief ever
SO cunning, he could not tell that golden
candlestick from the other articles of value
and the instant that he laid hand upon it
the terrible spring was Embossed and the
murderous steel spikes were driven into his
brain, while the shock of the blow sent the
victim backward and enabled the chest to
automatically close itself. How many,
wondered, had fallen victims to the tnge-
nuity of the mechanic Of Augsburg. And
as thought Of the possible history Of that
grim striped chest my resolution was very
quickly taken.
Carpenter, bring three men and carry
this on deck" .,,-
Going to throw 1t overheard. sir?"
Eyes. Mr.. Allardyce. I'm mot supersti-
tous. as a rule. but there are some things
which are more than a sailor can be called
Upon to stand.'
mo wonder that brig made heavy wealth.
or. Capt. Barclay, with such a thing on
board. The glass Is dropping FAST sir, and
we are only just in time"
80 we did not even walt for the three
sailors, but we carried 1t out, the mate,
the carpenter and l. and we pushed it with
our hands over the bulwarks. There was
white spout Of water, and 1t was gone.
There 1t lies, the striped chest. a thousand
fathoms deep, and II, as some say the sea
will some day be dry land, grieve for the
man who finds that old box and tries to
penetrate into its secret.
Picturesque African Expressions.
Africans writes a missionary, shave
some very striking expressions. showing
that they are full of poetical ideas. The
Moongues call thunder the sky's gum and
the morning is with them the days child
The Zulus call the twilight the eyelashes
of the sum- An African who came to Amer
mo- q to- .s1lh l~l