davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25
CHAPTER XIV.
AT LAST THE TREASURE.

Keeth viii never forget that race in
the dusk of the early morning. A
great mass of drab cloud obscuTed the
face of the lately risen sun, and the
fog still lay thick upon the valley
The damp mist wrapped them about
like a blanket and hid them from the
eyes Of the savages.
They met none Of their enemies dur
ing the flight down the valley. They
were all behind. But the loud notes
Of the brazen gongs rang in their ears
till they reached and entered the
tunnel.
Keeth was painting from exhaustiont
but he would not set Imozene down
until they were well into the subter-
ranean passage. Jose drew his MAJ en-
safe from a ragged pocket and lit enc
of the torches. With this flaming
over his head he led the way. The
American followed him. still bearing
most Of the girls weight upon his
arm.
My lord" she said. where are We
going?"
DO you fear to trust yourself to
me, Innocence" he asked.
She halted in the rough path and
cast her arms about his neck. Not
now. my lord, for I know thou lowest
me"
Not even if I tell thee thou wilt
never see ny people again 90
She shuddered. They are no longer
my people If I follow thee to the
abode of the gods, it were better"
Then thou shalt go to my people.
Imozene,' he said, and they went on
again, hand in hand.
Ford was waiting for them at the
entrance of the side passage. anxious
because of their long absence. When
he saw Imozene several different emo
tfons struggled for the mastery in his
face at once; but something in Keeth's
eye warned him to restrain his
natural impulse to chah. They all
four entered the inner chamber and
awoke Fitch. Before anything else
was done or. said Keeth briefly related
what had occurred in the town and
the circumstances which led to Irno-
zene's presence with them
Hand you did just right. Mr..
Keith" declared Fitch. Them bloody
devils Him only sorry Hi didn't get
shot at EN- myself. Dye think
there's benny likelihood of their at
lacking US here 90
i don't know" returned Keith.
we VIII not give them the chance"
said Jose We VIII stop up the en-
trance to thees place and then go on
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25

"Senors,' exclaimed Jose. waving
the torch around his head. feast your
eyes upon the treasures of the Incas,''
The walls were covered with rude
picture writing. But these attracted
no attention from his comrades. On
the floor were heaped hundreds Of
bars Of metal such as Jose had shown
them that day on the trail to Hualpa.
They were Of gold-puTe, virgin gold.
Fitch and Ford KInsaIe fairly cast
themselves upon the ground before
the treasure. But to Keeth the gold
seemed OF smaller moment now
Why, man. what ais you?" de-
manded Ford. looking up at him.
Don't you see were rich for life?"
Providing we can get away with
enough of hit interposed Fitch,
handling the bars almost caressingly.
I see" returned Keeth; but Imo-
zene here is laughing at you She
doesn't consider the stuff worth much,
and I don't know but she's more than
half right
'-FoI-de-rol, exclaimed Fitch.
When man has chance to make
his fortune in moment, he'll do it
even you, Mr. Keith"
For my part" said Ford. deter
minedIy, 4 shall take all the stuff
with me / can carry, and I advise
you to do the same"
You're right, Mr.. Kinsale," the
trader said. Hits crime to waste
a opportunity like this. Hi say"
And it was so. When they left the
treasure room the next morning every
man was loaded down with bars OF
gold, Keeth as heavily as the rest.
He remembered that money would be
a good thing, after all, if he was
going to take Imozene back to New
York with him. They found upon the
floor Of the chamber not a few valu-
able stones as well, and had not
prudence forbade their longer re-
naming, they would have explored
other portions of the labyrinth.
Near noon Of the second day they
emerged from a narrow defle, which
was a continuation of the main gal
Iery OF the cavern, and found them
selves upon the wooded, gently slop-
ing bank OF a river. The towering
cliffs and peaks were at their back.
and the low foothills to the east
scarcely obstructed their view of the
horizon. They had passed through
the mountains and were many and
many a league from Huaipa.
After careful discussion they decid-
ed that to try to reach the town as
Jose had would be a matter of great
difficulty, and at Keeth's suggestion
they constructed stout raft and set
sail upon it, suppOsing that the
tTeam would turn out to be a branch
of the HuaIlaga. and that they would
reach some settlement upon its banks
It proved, however, to be a branch
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25
TOP

in the moonlight Maynard's arm
was about her, her head on his
shoulder, her eyes looking up into
his as she told her story.
You did not know that I once had
a sister. She was older than [; she
is dead-died of shame. We lived in
the city then. Papa was struggling
to get along, and Bess helped him.
She was a clerk in one of the big
stores. at one of the counters where
men often came. And there was
one who bought things he really did
not need just to purchase them
from her; and one day he asked
her out TO drive with him. And he
sent her presents and made promises
which he never kept. And then she
died. Oh, Lorton, the misery OF It
the shame for rs all! Papa's heart
was broken, and ne thanked Heaven
that mamma had not been spared to
suffer this blow - this worse than
death. And then we came up here to
bury ourselves IN the country.
Now, have told you this, be-
cause 7 wanted you to know all about
me. and because I thought that per-
baps you would some day find the
man and make him suffer as ne has
made us His name, or the name he
gave Bess, was Laurence Morton
A cry as of mortal agony escaped
the lips that had been steadily grow
ing paIer as Maynard listened to a
story he knew only too we'll tt need
ed not the mention of his own nom
de guerre at the end TO assure him
that there could be no mistake-that
he held in his arms the sister of the
girl he had ruined
"Lorton. what is 80" exclaimed Ciau-
dine. starting up. Are you iu?''
BY powerful effort Maynard con-
trolIed himself.
1t is very strange" he said husk-
lily. Il never knew 1t TO happen be-
fore. It must
Let me go for something for you
I VIII BE- back in a moment. dear"
AS CIaudine disappeared through
the doorway Maynard sprang off the
piazza and strobe swiftly down the
road toward the bridge. The moon
light cleaned brightly on the foam
crested wafer as II brCLya over the
jagged rocks Maynard paused for
an instant. and, raising his eyes 10
heaven. mOaEed:
And just when my life is filed with
true happiness, But death Is setter
than a living lie. Oh. poor Clsudine,
I love you with all my heart, with all
the strength of my life! May God
comfort you and forgive you for ever
having loved mel"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25
Copyright by Frank A. Nunssy.
By MATTHEW WHITE. IR.

IN 10 tennis, no horseback, moth
N ing to excite you" Such
l were the words of Lorton
Maynard's physician when he sent
him off to EImtop for three months
in order that the young lawyer might
escape a complete breakdown. May
nard had been enormously successful
IN his practice, was extremely pop
uIar socially and had In consequence
burned the candle at both ends dur
Ing the previous Winter. BY mid
summer he narrowly escaped being
snuffed out himself
Rest and a complete change Of
scene are the only things that viii
set you on your feet again" said DR..
Briefly. You want to get complete
" away from your kird, from those
who remind you of what your life is
in its ordinary channels. I think I
know just the place for you. The
question is, VIII you go?"
Yes, as you say my life depends
upon it: though if I am driven to
suicide from boredom, fail to see
what has been gained"
At EImtop Maynard found board in
the house of the village doctor, where
the doors We're locked at ten every
night and breakfast was eaten each
morning at eleven.
Maynard was man of the world,
city bred and inclined to hold in con-
tempt sentimental fancies for grass
and flowers and birds. Nevertheless,
he soon found himself becoming con-
WINGED that no grass was so green as
that which grew in Elmtop. no flow
ers so fragrant as those that bIoomed
in the doctors garden, no music
swaeter than the songs Of the birds
that each morning woke him to a
new day Of existence in this quiet lit
tie town where ne was happier than
he had ever been before.
And if life was rose tinged for
him, what was it for her. whose whole
horizon hitherto had been bounded
by the affections of her father. and
the sweet content that comes from
duty done2 Maynard had been taken
captive on the very first night of his
arrival. as she sat opposite him at
table ana poured the tea IN her
daintiness, her freedom from all self
consciousness or thought of her own
attractiveness. there was for him all
the charm Of novelty. He could no
more have helped showing his ad-
miration FOR her in his eyes than he
could have stopped brea thing. and
when he sf,w that instead of her be
ing annoyed she was as frankly
pleased as a child, the conquest was
complete.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25

figure that looked most homogeneous
in that exquisite apartment. 1t was
the wreck of a man. He must once
have ben powerful and handsome.
but now his chest and cheeks We're
hollow ana his bony hands trembled-
He looked at Mrs. Preston with q
pitifuL feverish gaze, as a condemned
man might look at his judge. There
was something defiant in it. too. I ex-
pected TO hear her send for the coach
man TO have him put out 1 think
that was her first impulse. and then
her lips set together in a line I did
not know.
You may go" she said to the maid,
and then she turned 10 the man:
What do you WANT
He did not seem to notice me. and
she had forgotten me She was TAX
ing the chance. I saw presently, of
getting through before Edyth re
turned and she could not think Of
everything.
They say that meIodrama = unreal
and that genuine people do not show
their emotions in these days I wish
I could begin to forget what I saw
then. by believing it 10 be acting.
That awful. soaked. freezing wreck
fell upon his knees before that
woman.
Mary, Mary Re sobbed- Let me
see aer, just once-just once. 1 shan't
live long; I am dying You can see
that 1 am dying. They say that she
is going TO marry and go away, I
read il IN the paper. and where you
lived. ! couldn't keep away. Let her
speak to me once,"
His voice was hoarse and gasping.
It was horrible.
How dare you come here" she
said
4 must see her: Only once, She
is mine as wen as yours"
Yes yours that you deserted. as
you deserted her mother! 1t is not
your fault that she is not beggar,
as you rightly are You would have
put every penny out OF our hands.
You compelled meme, to be a thief.
a criminal to steal what was rightly
mine and hers-thc fortune you had
gathered up to take with you, 10
spend on that" Her voice was
getting beyond her control. and she
recovered herself. How dare you
come heren
Il swear you were mistaken!
meant to leave your share Of the
money" She sneered in his face. !
was fool-but I have suffered. I
ask-oh, God, Mary.-I ask only to
see Edyth for one momen -
TO soil her happinessl To show
her her mother as n liar and her IA
Their as an outgast, TO blast every
sweet belief of her youth To make
the good people who love her call US
adyenturesses, or at least look at ier
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25

Il THEN I was leaving san
Nv Francisco 10 come TO New
York my old friend Mr.
Murray. the lawyer gave me a letter
OF introduction TO Mrs Preston and
her daughter. who lived on Madison
square.
Il haven't seen Mary Preston for
fwenty. years" he said, but she was
the sweetest girl that ever IIved-a
little weak and yielding perhaps. I
like a woman with lots of snap. my
self, and Mary was too goody-goody.
She has d daughter who is grown up
now Nary was old Colonel Pitkin's
only child. and she married Preston
as fine fellow as ever Eved-before
she. had been out here from Virginia
six months. The Colonel and Preston
went into some Mexican scheme and
made money. but the climate down
there killed Pitkin. 7 suppose it was
that which warned Preston that
something might happen to him. He
put his whole fortune into interest
bearing securities. SO that when he
died, a short time after Mary had
only TO pick up q handful of papers
and her baby and come back home.
If II had been anybody but Mary.
she would have married again but
no. she was wrapped up in that child.
She took her off to Europe. ana they
have just returned. The baby is .
woman now. and if she's anything
ike her mother and father she ought
10 be a fine one, with beaux til she
cant rest"
/ found Mr.. Nur-ay-s prophecy cor
rect-except in one direction. Mrs.
Preston WAS less than forty, but her
hair was gray on her temples and she
carried a subdUed manner which add
ed ten years 10 her apparent age. By
the side of her tall splendid daugh-
ter she seemed very timid and fran.
and sweetly gentle.
The beaux tin she can't rest were
not there. After two years in New
York the Prestons knew almost no
body Quiet people Of refined tastes
may live for years in a great city
and make no friends.
E.dyth finally rode into society on
horseback. fancy that it was not
so much Of an accident as It looked,
when young Mr.. Dinwiddle's colt ran
away on the dirt road in the park
and crashed into Miss Preston's mare.
II was a reversal Of the usual order
Of things when she put cut her strong
young arm, gTasDed his horses bit
and held It until the rider controlled
The unbroken beast. Sir. Dinwiddir
was 2 fair ana gallant picture ia his
-idIns dress. pouring out his apollo
gies and thanks 10 Miss Preston. she
approved Of him from the crown Of
his shining head TO the tips Of his
russell boots.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25
WAS SHE JUSTIFIED?
How Paradise Was Regained and Lost.

When the Dinwiddie mother and
sisters called 10 thank her for "rescu-
ing Tom" they approved Of her and
her belongings. They looked about
the little drawing room hung with
ivory brocade and furnished in gobe-
lin They saw the good water coIors
on the walls. the pink roses in the
tan vases and the friendly wood fire,
and they decided that the Prestons
were nice"
They found out that every record
behind the Prestons was nice" Here
were dignity, breeding. beauty and
money In two months Edyth Pres
ton and Tom Dinwiddie were engag ed
and the whole town was saying pleas
ant things.
Dear Edyth IS so young and has
been so devoted to her charming
mother that she has never been prop
erIy presented to society" Mrs Din
widdie told everybody
All the men slapped Tom on the
shoulder. wished him joy and asked
him how he had done it. The two
people most interested were proud Of
each other and as perfectly happy as
two people could be.
The week before Edyth was mar
ried was the coolest, snowiesJ season
Of the whole Winter. Mrs Preston
had asked me to come and stay until
Edyth came back from the wedding
journey. She was so timid she dis
liked STAYING alone, she said.
"Mamsie needs q prop" Edyth said,
holding her thin shoulders and suiI-
ing fondIy into her mothers eyes.
When we went out into the nall to-
gether afterward she turned 70 ne
and added seriously:
Il believe mother misses my father
as much to-day as the day he died.
I have seen her look at the door as
though she expected him 10 walk in.
I just remember Ein-such a glorious
big man as N was"
Edyth was 10 be married on Tues
day morning and after an informal
reception to q few old friends of the
Dinwiddies, who were Edyth's new
ones, they were TO start for Florida.
On Saturday Edyth went down to
spend the day with Toms married
sister on Long Island. The elder AR.
DinwidJie was TO take her.
They had started off in a gale Of
merTiuenr in the morning and Edwin
was to come home TO dinner. It was
a little past the hour and her mother
and I were waiting for her. with only
one gas jet and the cheerful logs to
give Us light. when we heard the bell
1TreCJ ones dog.
%That is EdyJh now" 1 said. and
then there were sounds OF an alterca-
ton III the han. Some one was in
sistng upon seeing Mrs. Preston. We
both arose. The portieres We're put
aside and there stood before them a
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25
THE TRAGEDY OF ELM
A Tale of a Broken Melody.


That was the beginning. The days
and weeks that followed were hal
cyon ones to each Of them. Some
times Maynard Looked back upon his
past life. and was amazed at him
self. For his crop of wild oats had
been no small one, and he had left
off sowing it not so many years
back. He was now nearer forty than
thirty Quite time for me to settle
down" he told himself
He wondered what Claudine would
think if she knew his past. Pure as
the unsuIlied snow herself, he felt in
stinctiveIy that she would be among
those who stand out vigorously for
the one standard of honor for men
and women.
SO the Summer drifted on, bearing
these two on the tide of love And
one August afternoon Maynard de-
cided he would speak The doctor
had gone on a long ride to see a
patient over the mountain. Claudine
and Maynard were sitting under the
trees behind the house.
Claude Maynard began, shall
you miss me after I go away next
month o.
She looked up-the expression of
her eyes giving him an answer that
made his heart beat East.
And l shall miss you. little one"
he went on softly. But why should
it be necessary that either OF Us ever
miss the other?"
DO you mean" faItered on her
lips
II mean that I want you to be my
wife. You know that I love you. that
I would give my life for yours. Am
too old for you to trust your hap
piness to my keeping"
To whose keeping should I trust
it but that of the man I love. Lor-
TONI" she whispered.
Such a cOZy tea as these TWO had
together. It was the first time they
had eaten alone. Maynard laugh
ingIy observed that they might al
most imagine themselves married,
CIaudine laughed, too. but suddenly
grew grave.
-LovtOn." she said. after a little
he tation. will you mind if I speak
anaJt something sad? I would not do
=. only it seems cruel in me to be so
fulI of joy when there is such a mem
DRY in my life. And besides, 1 have
always promised myself that if ever
a man told me that he loved me. I
would make him sharer in my
secret.
Your secret, love-" exclaimed
Maynard. Surely you can have no
secret"
They were sitting on the veranda
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25
WHAT OF THE SHIP
Copyright by FRANK a. Munsey.


NEA GULL. sea gull, over the rip,
The rip where the breakers
- throng;
Sea gull, sea gull, what of the ship
I've waited for so long?
Sea gull. sea gull. 1.-THE her spars,
White as your wings each sail;
And never soldier rode to the wars
As she TO the shrieking gale.
Sea gull. sea gull, clear his brow.
Keen as your own his sight,
As he lays her true on her course-I
trow
You've INST him IN your flight
Sea gull, sea gull, here I wait.
Had he ne'er 4 word for me?
Sea gull, sea guII. wha of his fate
Since last he put to sea?
Sea gull, sea gun. shrilI your cry.
Poised on the Autumn air
What do yo'Ir piercing eyes descry
Deep in he sea out there?
Sea gun. sea gun. over the rip,
The rip where the breakers throng.
Sea gun. sea gulI. what of the ship
I've waited Cor so long?
GUSTAV kobe.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25

We shall be discovered, senior. -
whispered Jose.
Not yet"
The light Of the torches which at
tendants held upon either hand fell
full upon the noble figure of the young
Indian. Massive gold bands covered
his arms and great bars Of gold hung
from his ears. The cloak which pit
the steps behind him flashed a dozen
lovely shades. It was made Of the
brilliant pIumage of the paroquet and
a chain of dull gold links held it upon
his shoulders.
After standing a moment in silence
the prince began to speak. His pow
erfuI voice penetrated to the farthest
side of the plaza and every word was
easily distinguished by Keeth. His
first few sentences held the fugitive
enthraHed. GonnatzI was arraigning
the Princess Imozere for the escape
Of the three white men!
Keeth could hear murmurings Of
anger break out among the assembly
as the willy GonnatzI went on. The
man accused her of forsaking her own
people for the love of one Of the
white prisoners. Keeth's face burned
and his hand clutched the butt OF MS
pistol as he listened to the foul &C
ousations. He blamed himself now
oh, how bitterIy!-for leaving the girl
to the mercy of her people. Yet, at
the time, he had believed he was do
ing right
Suddenly a rosy beam Of light FL
tered through the fog. The sun was
rising. At a motion from Gonnatzl the
torches were extinguished and the
people commenced a wild, fierce chant.
The crowd of priests above MIN ssDa-
rated and a slight, shrinking figure
was pushed forward. It was Imo-
zene!
The high priest seized her by the
shoulder and dragged her forward 10
/ the altar. Her wrists We're knotted to-
gether behind her back and her cloth
/ ing had been half torn from her body.
With a quick twist of hie muscular
arm GonnatzI threw her back upon
the altar. and just as the first beam
Of the sun struck full upon him Re
| poised the huge sacrifice knife above
her barred breast.
He drew back the knife for the qw-
full stroke. The assembly was hushed
again.
Suddenly the crack of a pistol shat
tered the silence. a tiny red mark
appeared in the center Of the high
priests forehead and he staggered
back a step. The knife fell cIatter-
/ ing TO the pavement, and swinging
around with blindly cropping hands
Gonnatzl dropped at fun length b.
side the altar.
The awed hush was broken by
frightened screams of women and the
hoarse cries Of men. Several Of the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25

priests rushed forward to tneiT fallen
leader; but again the crack of the re-
volver rose above the tumuIt. One
and then another fell, OF staggered
back in agony as the leaden messen-
gers reached their marks, The fusil-
Iade continued. They could see moth
ing-not even the smoke Of the dis
charge. Simply the whiplike crack
Of the weapon and the dropping of
those about the altar-that was ali.
The cries of the assembly rose 10 a
terrified Shrek. They scattered
through the lanes and alleys of the
town. The priests darted back into
the temple, leaving their dead and
wounded companions heaped about
the altar.
Suddenly a figure Ieaped out from
the shelter of a house and ran across
the deserted court. It was Keeth: but
the fusfIlade of pistol shots did not
cease. for Joe stood ct the corner of
the building and fired at the last dis
appearing Indians.
The American reached the altar in
an instant He whipped out his knife
and cut the bonds of the victim
Of the Indians fanaticaI rage. He
raised her in his arms and turned TO
fly. But the girls eyes were closed
and she lay a dead weight against his
breast.
Was she dead? Had the horror Of
the awful experience through which
she had passed snapped the frail
thread of life? Keith tried to feel If
her heart beat, but in his horror he
was unable to discover the faintest
futter.
My God! she is dead he thought,
and staggered down from the altar.
She is dead he repeated. and press
ed his1 lips to the closed lids and palIid
cheeks.
And then, as thcugr mis- touch had
called her back to life, the eyes open
ed and she gazed into his own.
My lord" she whispered, in Won
der. is it thou?"
Suddenly Jose's voice rang out
across the plaza.
Como. senior! Que desea?* They
are coming back. Queek,"
Aroused by these words Keeth
recrossed the court and joined his
comrade.
we hat not a moment to LOSE
cried Jose What do you wit the
senorita?"
she goes with US" replied Keith.
between his teeth. IF I cannot es-
cape with her. III not escape at ALL
They ran toward the edge of the
town. but before they reached the
open country the brazen gongs of the
temple changed forth a summons for
the re-gathering of the populace. Soon
Come senior, What do you want?'