Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-12-04
CHAPTER VII.
The Buried Paper.

fever still continued to hold the strang-
er prisoner.
Richard Burt was in and out as he
had been, treating Kate precisely as
though he had never made declara-
ton, and succeeding in making her
feel more at ease with him than ever
before.
Ralph Caryl was very circumspect,
and had called but twice. though he
had managed to meet Kate, apparent
ly by accident, several times in tho
course of the seven days.
When he had been told the sick
mans name, if he had felt any sur
prise, Caryl did not show it in the
least, and Kate almost began to think
that the words the stranger had ut
tered concerning Caryl were the result
of feverish fancies.
Vance Rothesay," Caryl had repeat
edits a very good name. 1t seems
to me l have known people of all
sorts of cognomen's. but l believe
never knew Rothesay, did you?"
looking up at PURCELL
And so keenly was Kate watching
him that she fancied the look he gave
her father was one of more curiosity
than the question warranted; but she
was not sure even of that, and she
wondered, silently, about the matter,
scarcely hearing the discussion con-
corning the Scotch name of Rothesay.
There were but two regular sleeping
rooms in the little house, and now that
Kates'was occupied, her father insist
ed upon giving up his own to his
daughter, and himself occupying the
lounge in the front room below stairs.
He liked the arrangement, for it en-
abled him to leave and enter the house
with less noise than if he had to as
cend the stairs, and he felt the desire
for prospecting for treasure strong up
on him again.
He had not yet looked at the papers
he had found il. that chest; he had re-
with sort of boarding feeling, as one
thinks of something precious that is
hid away.
He had not the slightest reason for
feeling thus. 1t would have been more
just had he thought only with a shud-
der of that paper which he had taken
from its dreadful resting place.
But. slowly and surely, Charles Pur-
cells mind was growing weak, and he
had still a strange notion that near the
spot where the skeleton of the child
had been found the buried treasure
was hidden from sight, and he had a
vague idea that some hint of use might
be found in the paper.
1t was after II O'clock and Kate had
gone to bed, leaving her father sitting
up reading.
He had seemed uneasy and restless,
frequently asking why she did not re-
tire, until she had left him, refraining
from expressing any anxiety, for she
knew such expressions annoyed him.
AS soon as she had mounted the
stairs, Purcell went to cupboard and
withdrew from it an oaken box, care
fully locked.
1t was in this he kept his drawings
and plans concerning the piratical
treasure of which he dreamed day and
night He would not allow even Dick
Burt to take them.
He spread them before him beneath
the light of the lamp, and his anxious
face Frightened as he examined them.
"They are title deeds TO fortune" he
muttered. Its fact that gold is hid
den here, and l have only to find it, l
can have missed it but by few feet.
Only let me have patience! l begin
to wish Burt was not connected with
me in this business. When find the
money | can pay him what owe him,
and have done with him. He seems to
have given up'the notion about Kate,
and l am glad of it. l do not know
how could refuse him if he persisted;
hut 'twould be hard to compel Kate in
a matter like that. Just let me pay all
the obligation I'm under to Burt, and
then I'm free man again."
While he was murmuring thus to
himself he was laying out the papers
before him on the table, arranging and
rearranging them.
Among them was the Anticipated vel
low book, which had pointed out, as he
believed, the spot, near Gun Rock,
where he and Burt had found the chest
and its strange contents.
At length he took up the paper,
blackened by the moisture of many
years-the paper which had rested be-
meath the bones of that mysteriously-
buried child.
LII oplLe VI MS preOCcupled mind,
Purcell could not repress shudder as
he unfolded the manuscript. The
touch of it reminded him too strongly
of the feeling of horror and disappoint-
ment which had come over him when,
expecting TO see piles of gold, he had
found but the withered body of an in.
FAINT
He was surprised to find so few writ
ten lines, for the paper seemed a sheet
of foolscap folded three times; he lad
thought to see page, at least of some
thing, either of print or writing. In
stead, there were only few lines, and
1t was not easily that he deciphered
them, so cramped were the words and
SO tlme-stained and blackcned the pa
per on which they were. But he read
them at last
Il am not used to defeat, and defy
late to count me its slave. This child
was in my way, and here it is. shall
never be found out and laugh at what
men call justice. If am ever such a
fool as to ne discovered. then let me
suffer the fate of fool"
Purcell read the words again and
again, for their dreadful bravado was
q no n IsF F~rx