Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-08-31

had indeed thought that he had sue
cumbed to his torments there rather
than betray my whereabouts. ! sec
now it was only device of the enemy
to cause me pain. He says you are
sailing to his very home-to my own
estate, in fact, mine Mt least before 1t
was contiscatcd by the righteous OK
ecutive which denies rights of property
to those from whom it differs"
1--WE are certainly sailing for Skel-
ligen," said Desmond. urged thereto
by Pladia himself. He had promised
us possession of treasure which
now perceive belongs to you. How he
rcconcled 1t with his conscience to
give us knowledge of it | can't say.
Perhaps you'd better ask him"
The colonel turned to the Finn again,
and the talk went on. The expressions
of amusement, surprise and finally in
dignation that crossed his countcpance
rs his former forester explained him
self were varied. Suddenly his genial
face shut up hard and rigid. He glared
at the Finn. His words grew stern
and dashed out at the other, who, cring-
ing and grovelng turned to the lady
for support. Her face was as set as
her fathers and she repealed him with
n contemptuous gesture. He turned
eagerly, imploringly, from one to the
other, pouring out a flood of words as
evidently he strove to find excuse and
explanation for some part of his re-
,t,l f,t n,I .lnt rl,t hn
received only scorn and repulse. Final
ly, with n despairing countcnance, the
unfortunate man crept away forward,
while the colonel turned again to Des-
mond and began gravely to speak,
"While nothing can really excuse the
treachery which it is my painful duty
to detail to you, let me ask you to bear
in mind in extenuation the fervcnt
fcudal devotion which Firms as well
as Poles bear to their overload; also
| may plead their mastering patti
otiSm, which allows all methods to he
used which advance the cause of their
country. Lars has told to me his dis
covery of the treasure. He has also
had the assurance to explain to me
that he meant to use you as instru-
ments only in obtaining it. Aftcrward
he purposed frankly TO steal it and
bring it to the leaders of my party.
The dishonesty of this course of ac-
ton has simply never occurred to him.
| His moral horizon is bounded very
narrowly. He first regards things as
: they affect myself and family: second
| ly, Finland, and, thirdly, and solely on
my account, Poland. Your interests
| in the matter were outside cOnSid
| Grafton, as far as he Is concerned.
! have just tried to whip little sense
! of honor into him, but | fear he now
only regards me as an unjust and very
foolish old man, who has not the gooG
of the cause properly Mt heart. II
fact" and the colonel burst out laugh
ing. 81 believe he thinks me as entire
an idiot as he ever met. What are We
to do with such a creature?"
DO" cried Desmond. Tell hin
that he has a higher sense of homo
than | have, for one. owe YOU :
thousand apologies. 1t has only jus
struck me how extraordinary this coo
appropriation of search rights for an
others property appears. The posi-
bility of a lord of the soil never oc
Cured to me- We are apt to think o
| Finland as waste where buried spoil
would belong naturally to the finder
Accept my deepest penitence, sir, TO
this barefaced purpose of burglary OF
your estate. Now | shall have tn
happiness. hope, of assisting you t
your own"
Preobeslas waved his cigar deprecat
ingly and smiled. You forget, NJ
very dear friend, that the treasure i
question is the declared property O
the Russian government. They then
selves say so and ought TO know. Any
thing on the land which once was min
they pronounce themselves heir to-"
"Thcn it is our manifest duty
get it from them" said Desmond, IAN
if you will assist with your specif
knowledge ! can assure you | sha
account it an honor to convey 1t whel
it will best aid the cause of Poland"
"Ah, there you vanquish me. An!
thing for Poland, my friend-anythin
for my poor country. But how do 20
propose setting to work?'
LAS far as can make out frol
Pladja, the stream in question, whic
have no doubt still flows over III
treasure, is about five miles milan
and the same distance from Skelligcl
1t is in the heart of the pine forest an
near no ordinary pathway. He tall
also of small rock rnged bay on
deserted part of the coast where W
TO arrive at evening, obtain the trea
ure during the night and be off
dawn. What have you to sayT
Most eXcellently devised, but-thel
Is always n butt have knowleds
which complexities the question. NJ
cousin, whom you lately saw. is, as
say, government bailitf at Skelige
s He was put there to prevent the rur
population from showing in any su
n stantial manner its regard for NJ
! self My cousin, who has always bee
s my enemy, discovered that the bra
s villagers We're subscribing to my su
c port in secret and forwarding the pr
: ceeds abroad. Representations in Il
s proper quarter sent him down to Skel
gen to superintend operations TO pr
:, vent this He has done so most {
Y fectively by taxing the hapless pea
u ants beyond any chance of raisil
l. more than the bare necessaries of c