Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-03


vanishing amid the cloud of smoke which
he elected, there is about as much chance
OF our finding the long-lost derelict as there
Is of discovering the proverbiai needle IN
the much-abused stack of hay. The records
of the photographic office have demonstrate
ed repeatedly that earth, nor sky, nor sea,
possesses a more errauc or unstable GUAM
tity than the wandering derelict OF the
South Atlantic ocean"
VERY true responded the captains WIS.,
Avis, whose personal appearance AFFORDED
instant evidence of what he was, retired
capitalist, not yet past the prime or NE
who had attained the portly physique, pie
thorfc pocket book. placid countenance ana
easy conscience of the successful and not
overscrupulous business man. His dignity
never deserted him. and yet 1t was always
that easy dignity which is frequently mis-
taken for cordially, but which is never
really more than diplomacy. Very true.
he repeated, after a moments pause;
nevertheless, facts are facts, and the in
formation that l possess is one that has
frequently been re-estabushed by those
same Official photographic reports. The
dereiict did exist up to date not yet SIX
months old, for she was at that time sight
ed, ider titled and reported. Prior to that
time she had not been reported for almost
a year, which is circumstantial evidence
that she may De presumed 10 De IN EXIST
ence yet If she is in existence, I believe
that you can find her. If you discover her
the SS.e90.9o0 which she contains belongs
to US. One-fifth to you and the balance to
me- because undertake to meet the entire
expense of the expedition, beside paying
you a competent salary for your services.
/ cannot understand why you hesitate,
when you have everything to gain and
nothing to lose, and where even the element
Of personal danger need not be taken into
consideration, for / cannot see that there Is
any involved OF course, l shall accompany
you on the voyage"
of the chair In which he had been half
buried. and, striking q quarterback atti.
tude before his companion, with MS 1eet
wide apart as If to resist the lurchtng Of
rolling ship, with his thumbs In the arm
holes of his waistcoat, and with his pipe
held firmly between his white and even
teeth, said, deliberately, but firmly:
will tell you in one sentence why hesf-
tate. 1t is because you have not told me
half the story. When was in the navy
always left port with sealed orders which
could not open until ] was far at sea. l
am no longer In the navy, and l Will not
again, for you or any man, begin voyage
In that way If you are willing to tell me
all there is to tell 1 will listen and doubt
less accept the commission YOU offer me-
Unless you are willing TO DO so let US
change the subject
There are others, Capt. Darlington, who
might not be SO arbitrary" said the capt.
talist, coldly.
Then apply to them responded Oar
rington- LAS for me. will have none OF
It upon any other conditions than those
have named and the stern ex-naval officer
relaxed the attitude he had taken and re-
seated himself in the chair.
For several moments Mr.. Gregory was
silent His brows were knitted IN deep
Thought and he druInDed the ends of his
with q low, tuneless whistling which es-
capped his lips
impulse. you shall have the story as 1
know 1t Afterward. If you viii go to my
house with me, you shall see the proofs OF
its verify: ali this however, with the I'M
Outstanding that you accept the commis-
sion, and we sail within the week or as
soon as our preparations can be completed"
Darlington made no reply, and Gregory,
accepting the silence as implied consent
continued:
You are aware. Capt. Darlington. that
until a little more than year ago was
engaged In the South American trade; and
you should know. II you do not that my
success In that business was due almost
entirely to the influence that 1 possessed
with the foremost men Of those revolution
airy countries with which did business. II
there was a concession to be obtained l
could always secure 1t against every COM
petitor. Even the private affairs of many
Of The great men Of those revolutionary
countries frequently came under my per-
sonal care Such men as Blanco. Crespos
Ezeta- Balmaceda, Acosta Of Peru and
others who wore their political opponents
and enemies consulted me, or left their pri-
yate fortunes IN my hands for safe-keeping
or distribution when about to organize
fresh revolution. They knew by their own
experience and by the experience of others
before them that the trust would be full
filed. 1t Is in such manner as this that
became Possessed OF the knowledge of the
existence OF the fortune IN gold that is now
floating aimlessly about the southern cur
rents Of the Atlantic ocean, concealed in
the hold OF a water-logged dere;ct, and
without a human being, save myself land
you. now that l have told you of it,, aware
of its existence
he paused. as If expecting some comment
from his companion. but there was none;
and presently he went on again:
1T IS not necessary that l should men,
ton the names of those who were original
ly interested in this fortune. Suffice it to
say that there ts no person now alive who
possesses or who may possess any legal
stores in ten different compartments Of
the wandering derelict- The compartments
were prepared expressly for what they now
contain. and $500. 1000 was slowed in each
one Of them I have in my possession a
set of blueprint tracings of the vessel,
showing where each Of these compartments
Is located and how they may be discovered
and made to disgorge their treasures These
blue prints came into my possession in a
perfectly natural way, but were delayed
In transmission nearly three years. so that
WuSQ OlQ receive lnelQ IHeEe renamed no
possibility of fulfilling the trust that had
been imposed upon me. and, besides. there
was a saving clause among the documents
which bestowed the wealth absolutely upon
me In the event of certain contingencies
happening. Every one OF those contingent
cies had arisen before / received the docu-
ments and tracings. and. in addition to
that. the vessel which contained the treasure
had never been spoken or heard from since
she started on her voyage to New York
I say never heard from; that Is however
not strictly true. since part of her crew
were picked up and saved by a trann
steamer bound for China. These men re-
ported the total wreck of their vessel. the
loss Of their officers and half the crew
and their own narrow escape from death
1t was with great difficulty that got trace
OF them. and subsequently became con-
WINGED that the treasure ship had gone to
the bottom.
Not very long ago 1t happened by acct
dent that / examined one Of the official
photographic reports. and there | saw the
name Of this very vessel as describing one
OF the hundreds of dereiicts which are
floating about the seas as constant mem
aces to navigation"
You have thus far neglected to mention
the name Of this derelict," interposed bar
rngton. quietly. but not without irony.
BE patient. was the quick RESPONSE
"for since l have chosen to relate the
story ! viii tell It all. She was called the
Saihe johnson OF Yarmouth. When she en-