Evening star., 1898-04-02

stream, indeed; sheer fall Of many hun
| dred feet, as We now were able to see. The
farther shore We could not tell in that half
light-now II had become almost like early
/ twilight; but II seemed to me as broad as
the Hudson. Whence did II come and
whittier were those waters carried in their
mad wh:ri? But was interrupted by Dor
oens cry He was pointing toward pro-
1ectlng cliff, which hung out far oyer the
water. 1t Was approached by harrow
neck, so that il formed peninsula jutting
into the air above the roaring waters. The
space might have had diameter of fifty
feet. But what We saw astounded us even
| In our expectations, now raised by the sue
cess OF every step Of the search. On this
space were above a score of iron chests,
their lids all opened, revealing in the in
creaslng light the sheen of diamonds, the
blue and green of sapphres and the glow
of rubies. They lay there beckoning, as
Miguel Santos had left them. From many
of the chests was the absorbing yellow
glare OF golden COINS; so many thar in the
moment We could rot calculate their num-
ber. Yet we knew that here was wealth
such as Croesus' incalculable riches of gold
and precious stones. But why had they
been put on that jutting rock, 1 ques-
toned?
1 don't believe the others even questioned
Now that We could see quite plainly, Dor
den cast the candle down into the depths
and almost ran toward the treasure. L saw
him dizZily rushing along the narrow pas
sage, and kneeling before one of thu chests,
and crying out like a maniac. Fenton was
As L followed he picked from one of the
chests a piece of manuscript.
What is this?" he said, holding it up,
for the light now was strong enough for US
to read by it.
More of Santos words~ he added.
Look at the gold, lot papers, Dorden
cried But the instinct Of the scholar mas
tered Fenton even in that moment.
Miguel Santos writing" he said: and
slowly he rendered:
"Gold thou comest by dishonesty shalt
a " ST hs
ance. Fool, thou shalt perish with thy
gold and thy precious stones. The punish
ment of God on the miser is that he shall
not keep what he gloats on"
"Fool-' came Dorden's voice, kissing over
our shoulders. 1 looked at him almost fear
fully, for there was maddsh glare in his
self on us both. 1t shall be mine,'' hs
cried. only mine" The onslaught car
ried US al three near the edge, Fenton End
l struggling to hold him back. In some
wayoGod knows howl disentangled my
self. and turned just at the edge. My COM
panions were not there; but from afar was
little splash while voice cried out, in
horrid despair-it indeed may have been
my strained Imagination. and yet, indeed.
it may have been Dorden's:
Cursed! Cursed!' came that fearsome
cry. Fearsome, ! say, for / was fleeing. 1
was across the narrow passage. and 1
reached thu firmer earth / heard a great
crunching and crumbling behind. Awed
even in my fear l looked about. The air
seemed to be filled with flying coins and
jewels. sending out yellow and red, blue
and green flashes, and then the earth gave
away. that great crag sank, and a moment
yes. it might have been a moment, but IL
seemed to me tediously horrible day
there came a mighty splash, and a spray
struck my face, even where 1 stood, 30 far
above the surface of that great river which
begins and ends In the bowels Of the earth.
It's bottom at this point You may find.
should you examine, strewn with old Span
ish coins and Jewels and perhaps with the
bones of men. Yet most Of that great
wealth may have been carried by the force
full current of the river far On under the
earth, which gives and takes our riches, as
she gives and takes our bodies. As for me,
/ had then no desire to search, nor have
now. Then / turned and ran out OF that
accursed cave OF avarice. Outside the
warm Mexican sun beat on me. But did
not dare to return to Corpus Christi.
turned down the other side OF the noun
tain, thinking Of the soul Of Miguel Santos,
and those of my two late companions-God
help themi For me- in the few years left
there is pelance for my past. and so have
come back into the New England town
where my crime was done. As FOR the
riches of the cave of ayarice. would not
touch them. even for the comfort OF resti-
tuition to those robbed. Ths secret OF
Miguel Santos shall end with me, for the
way to the cave Is not az have described,
even should you chance In the village Of
hrsr f,, \ ~<,< A. ~