Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-10-18

months I waited for an answer to these
questions, but none came tn me. To the
best of my knowledge, the nameless war
ship was never seen upon the high seas.
began to ask myself, if she existed, how
came it that a vessel, FURNISHED to the
beauty of gold, had been spoken OF none,
seen of none, reported in no harbor, men
toned in no dispatch? Yet in the month
when the cruiser quilted Spezia three
ocean-going steamers, each carrying specie
to the value of more than one hundred
thousand pounds, went down in fair
weather, and were paid for at Lloyds.
Il was much occupied making a list
as far as that were possible, OF all the
gems and baubles which the dead men
and women on the sunken steamers had
owned. This was a paltry record OF
bracelets, and rings, and tlaras, ana
clasps, such stuff as any fellow OF Jew
eler may sell unconvincing stuff, worth
no more than a near relation for purposes
of evidence. There was but Ole piece OF
the whole mass that did not come in my
Category great box with fine paint
ing by Jean Petitot upon its lid, and
curious circle of jasper all about the min
iatures. This was historic piece men
toned as having once been the property
of Necker, the French fnanciers then
lost by a New York dealer, who was TAX
ing it from Paris to Boston in the steam
ship Catalania the ship supposed to have
foundered, with the loss of all hands, off
the banks of Newfoundland sixteen days
after the nameless ship left Spezia. l
made a record Of this trife, and forgot it
lc+1 ixyatl
munication from the head of the New
York secret service told me that the man
I wanted was in London; that he was an
American millionaire, who owned house
on the banks of the Hudson river, who
had great influence in many cities, who
came to Europe to buy precious stones
and miniature paintings, man who was
considered eccentric by his friends.
took rooms in the hotel where Captain
Black was staying. Three days after l
was disguised as you have seen me, sell
ing him miniatures. Within a week, by
what steps | need not pause to say, l
knew that the jasper box, lost, by report,
in the steamer Catalania. was under lock
and key in his bedroom.
Il cannot tell you how that discovery
agitated me. Here, indeed, was my sec
ond direct link. The man had in his pos
session an historic and unmistakable cas-
ket, which all the world believed to be
lost in a steamer from which no soul had
escaped How | treasured that knowl
edge Three months the man remained in
London; during three months he was not
thirty hours out of my sight or knowl-
edge l resigned my work for the gov
eminent, and henceforth gave myself
heart and soul to the pursuit of the man.
| followed him to Paris, to st. Peters,
burg; | tracked him through France to
Marseilles l watched him embark, with
three of the rufians l had seen at Spezia,
in his yacht again: and within month
the yacht IS in harbor at Cowes with
out him Vile a steamer, bound from the
Cape to Cadiz, and known to have specie
aboard her, went out of knowledge as the
others had done. Then was l sure that I
alone shared with that man and his crew
one of the most CHASTITY secrets that the
deep has kept within her.
Il had positively to connect the man
Black with the nameless ship, for this 1
had only done so far by pure circum-
stance. For many months | have made
no gain in this attempt. Last year in
Liverpool I sketched in yet another point
in my picture. I received tidings of the
man in that city, and there l did trade
with him in my old disguise but he was
not alone-the crew of ruffians you have
known by this time kept company with
him. l kept vigil there a week, but lost
him at the end of that time When he
reappeared in the circles of civilization it
was in Paris, but two days ago, when I
asked you to accompany me. You know
that l attempted to sail with him on his
cruise, and your instinct tells you why.
If J could, by being two days af1oat in his
co,nyany, prove beyond doubt that he used
ms yacht as q pretense; if l could prove
that when he left port in her he sailed
some miles out to sea, and was picked up
by the nameless ship my chain was forg-
ed my book complete, and l had but to
call the government to the work
but l have failed, and the labor I
have set myself shall be done by others,
but chiefly, Mark Strong, by you. From
the valley of the dead soon | must look
back. You have youth, and money suffi-
cient for the enterprise; you will get
money in its pursuit. so my mantle falls
upon you. What information l have, you
have. The names of my friends in the
cities mentioned l have written down for
YOU; they will serve you for the memory
of my name : but be assured at the outset
that you will never take this man upon
the sea. And as for the money which is
rightly due to the one who rids humanity
of this pest. l say, go to the Admiralty in
London and lay so much of your knowl-
edge before them as shall prevent rob-
[ aIoir n o,,I
them and the steamship companies: and,
as your beginning, 60 now to the Hudson
river-I meant to go within a month
and learn there more of the man you seek
or, if the time be ripe. lay hands there
upon him. And may the spirit of dead
man breathe success upon you!"
| On the yacht Celsis. lying at Cotces,
1rritten in the month of august, for
Mark Strong.
When I had put down the papers, my
! eyes were tear-Stained with the effort of
reading. and the cabin lamp was nigh
| out. My interest in the writing had been
| so sustained that had not seen the march
! of daylight, now streaming through the
glass above. upon my bare cabin table.
! l went above, and saw that we were at
anchor in the SOlent, and that the whole
glory of a summers dawn lit the sleeping
| waters.
l stretched myself on a deck chair. l
slept and dreamt again of Hall, of Cap
tain Black, of the man "Four-Eyes, of
4 great holocaust on the sea. When 1
awoke, doctor from Southsea was writ
ing down the names of drugs upon paper;
and Mary was busy with ice They told
me l had slept for thirty hours, and that
they had feared brain fever. But the
sleep had saved me: and when Mary and
Roderick talked of the doctors order that
was to lie resting a week, | laughed
aloud.
Il start for London tonight" l said.
What! y they cried in one voice.
Exactly, and if Mary would not mind
running on deck for a minute, I'll tell you
why. Roderick."
She went at the word, casting one
pleading look with her eyes as she stood
at the door, but gave no sign, and she
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