Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-11-11
1su l need the moner.v

| because / need the money!
While Ersklpe was talking. a pecu.
liar smile hafl come to Gordon's lips.
He walked home very thoughtfully
THAI night In the morning he called
on Old Kenticgy and unfolded to him
a plan which made sam show his
toothless guns in great wonder, and,
after some persuasion, nod his silvery
head in assent
II was d few days after this secret
conference that Washington came to
Erskine, and with very mysterious
air showed him an old rusty dagger.
Erskine's curiosity was aroused; he
asked the darky where he had found
il. And then Sam, in low and hush
| ed voice, as il fearing 20 be overheard.
confided how on the day before he had
taken a stroll out along the beach.
Getting tired. he had seated himself
on one of the sandhills and there ir
the shrubbery had found the antique
weapon.
But what makes you think il is
Lafitte's dagger?' Erskine asked. in
some wonder at the darkys acumen.
/ The latter grinned. Their pointed to
\ the initials u l." on the blade Frs
kline was convinced. 1t was clear
4 case. he thought. and visions Of
wealth began TO pass in review before
! him. He warned Sam not to say
I word to anybody about it. especially
/ not to Bruce. Then he went to the
4 hardware store and bought a regular
I miners outfit.
That night about II o'clock typi.
/ cal farmers wagon might have been
observed hurrying along the wet beach.
1 In the wagon were Erskine, his dog.
/ Sam Houston, and Old Kentucky. 1t
was typical Southern summer night
Far up in the dark blue sky the full
moon was lighting up the barren land
I scape and converting the small rows
of rumbling waves in the Gulf into
mass of ripping silver.
After two hours ride the treasure
hunters finally reached cir destina-
ton. 1t was the most mis- srable place
on tie island nothing 1T sand and
/ shrubbery. fed on SAT breezes. Frs
/ kline felt a sensation of uneasIness
creep over him as he crawled out of
the wagon, laden with the mining i'm
plements.
You had better keep lookout here
on the beach, he said to Sam, while
do the digging"
And then :rksine set to work. For
! an hour he toiled as he had never
toiled before or after Meantime. Sam.
with chuckle, was teginning to fall
asleep when an exclamation of tri-
umph suddenly aroused him.
'Oh. Kentucky" he herd Erskine's
excited voice call out, in a suppressed
sort of way. Il have it, Look"
And John Erskine pointed to the
bottom of the deep hole his industry
had created
Sure enough. There, deep down,
Wondering in the n DIST ana, reposed
4 by 6 iron box suc.A as a pirate
might have used in which to preserve
his predatory wealth. Erskine's face
was study. He trembled, as if con-
yulsed with fever. Then he took the
spade and began to pound the box.
! Suddenly with bang, the lid opened
and revealed a pile Of rocks, scraps of
iron and pieces of metal On top of
all was sheet of paper. With an
oath Erskine seized 1t and read:
Gentlemen: l am sorry that have
to disappoint you. Yes, it is true. l
buried my treasure here when called
away Last night, however, there was
big poker game down in Hades. Ju-
/ Illus Caesar. Alexander the Great. my
old friend Nap, and your obedient con-
stituted the party. You Will remem-
Der the three first mentioned individ-
uals were considered pretty slick in
their days. Well, | can inform you
that they have not forgotten them as
yet. Result, I went broke, and as the
do not accept checks here it became
necessary for me to collect my old
treasure. Hoping that by this | did
not inconvenience you. remain, yours
| truly, Jean Aafitte."
1t would be impossible to describe
the emotions of John Ersline. He
seemed for a moment Dereft of rea-
| son. When he recovered and he and
! Sam were entering the wagon. another
/ thing occurred The little figure of
I Gordon became suddenly silhouetted
by the moon, as he emerCed from some
mysterious hiding place, his face con-
vulsed with laughter. His appearance
caused light TO dawn upon Erskine
that did not tend to mollify him. But
since that memorable night Bruce
Gordon has been the undIsputed lead.
er of the Sons of Rest.-New York
Sun.