The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1906-02-12
HIDDEN GOLD OF THE
HITTING SANDS

staring stupidity At the Ellttsring
heap ~ yellow sand In my open
palm. asking myself II were
dreaming Ounces OF pure, bright
gold / laughed aloud moving from
jar 20 Jar All told the same btory
save two. gold. and full almost 10
tho brimi Gold enough for kinF y
ransom. and all mine for tha taking
4 vas rich nov. but. o God, Of
what USE With the irony OF nn
accurasf fiund. fortune had walt
II uniii Naa ruady 20 die. until ny
hopes we're already dead. and then
uycrw hsimed mo With her golden
shower. / ravcd and cursed. Pres
entity I EreW eaimer Riches meant
power and revenge. could 80
back 10 ny old home and live like q
prince. her next door uelKhbor.
40 long | Eioatcd over my sud
denly acquired wealth. and my Wild
imaEipinEa Of revenge that she char
mel house air Of the chamber sStin
gulshcd my torch. leaving mo Ia
Egyptian dAfhuess Creeping about
caught up one 81 the precious jarH.
and worked my way 10 the opsuing
AN night long the wind RACED
With a fury ! have never known
since Ia the long years uf my rest
dsncs here When morning came.
my first thought was % my treasure
house hastily dressed and
stepped outside The sun ~aa lgsi
above the horizon. smiling KeniAlly
upon the quiet landscape, whirh
some way leoked very strange 30 my
anxious eyes. aa they sought the
particular sage buHh which marked
the entrance 10 The grave. Not 2
landmark could I $50 With fisndiHh
maiignity the sind had effaoei cv-
cry familiar bush. and hillock. and
ravina resarned "a the cabin dis
appointed. but thinking myself
lucky 10 have fetched one Jar with
me. I stopped and HtFoaea isa ugiy
sides wlth a misrrH tenderness
Thee. 90 reamaure myself BY a sight
Of the yellow dust pat my hand
into the jaf and lifted 4 full 20 the
ilsht
Waite. red and yeilow beads In
the darkness had Eot hold Of ono
81 the only tuo jars in the grave
which did not contain gold
Prom that day 20 this | have
been searching for the entrance TO
T che grave Storms have cast up
and demolished hlliekn. covering
and uncovefink naee brush Day
after dag. armed with my steel nhud
polls. I've sought and sought that
crave"
The skY had berome overcast NJ
he CEASED. and the soft soughing 20
the pines told 81 rising wind.
IT'S going TO hlow toulEht. and
that mcAna no sleep Tor me. said my
host. but you are tired let me
ahuw you where 20 make your bed -
For hours ! lay awake. thinking
how curiouslY the mans early his-
tory coineided with ms own The
mania ios gold. tho incentive 20
treasure hunting love for a beau
tlfui woman che exile 10 the noun
taina. all were the same. only IN
my case the soman loved was bound
10 me by no spoken tic. Years ago
had vowed that ! would never ask
Agnes 10 be my wife until ! had
made a fitting home for her
when HNoke the sun was
streaming IN at the open door Of the
cabin went outside - look after
my horses As my eyes travelled
careipssiy across the plain they were
arrested BY an obicc, lying AZ the
/ foot Of n giant shrub an object a1
like the figure ~ man that ran
swiftly toward IL. with \ strange
/ fear Juggling at my heart. Lying on
his back. bis white face upturncd to
tho smiling sky. found my old
/ host. his madness cured at last
GraHped firmly ia both hands. and
/ lying partly across his dead body
was the Eteel=shod pole. the point
/ thrust deeply into the loose sand
Tho coroner. whom ! brought from
settlement across the mountains.
took possession % his effects.
among which We found the broken
Jar and the beads For iwo DAYS I
Travelled. and then a thought. which
had haunted me ever since / found
the old man lying dead. caused me
"a rctracc my steps my suspicion
| proved correct ! found that the
polnt Of his staff had touched n
rock. the entrance 10 his long
sought treasure house and the
shock 81 JOY had killed him The
interior Of the grave was as he had
described II To me. and but WHY
20 into detalla7 Fortune. not death
cured my mania and satisfied my
ambitions A month later I was
married Co Agnes