The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-18
THE EVENING STORY
Ending the Honeymoon.
[By Taylor White.1

folded the letter and replaced 1t In
its envelope. isn't that CREATE"
Its not much of rortune,' ex-
planned Dan. Just before the failure
Uncle Dudley wrote that he had
hoped to leave me lot, but that he
was afraid there was precious little
left and that was going fast. Two
weeks after that the failure came, and
he shot himself, poor Uncle Dud.''
But there must be something" in
sisted Laura, land we can look for
the pirates treasure
And lose what little there Is left"
suggested Dan. THAT chart was all
right to study over in the winter
evenings, Laurie, but it's a different
thing to sink money itno a search for
treasure buried three hundred years
ago off the Argentine coast"
But this is real" insisted Laura,
going to the desk and taking there
from the well-worn parchment which
had furnished them amusements for
so many long winter evenings. 1t was
still well preserved, and Dan could
clearly trace the lines and written di-
rectiOnS.
This paper had been handed down
in the Kingsland family since one of
the early Kingslands, a sailor in the
British navy, had befriended a mem
Der of pirate crew captured in the
Spanish main. Just before the pris-
oner went to execution, he had slipped
into the hand OF his benefactor a roll
of parchment which had come down
through past generations, gaining in
romance with each year.
Now the two pored over the old
map with renewed interest, since
there was at least the possibility that
they might have the means for prose-
to be skeptical, but Laura would not
have 1t so.
''It is a real treasure" she declared.
81 know that 1t Is real, and I will
never forgive you, Dan, If you don't
go after it. Think of the years we
have been wishing that we had
enough money to fit out an expedition.
Now our chance has come and you're
laughing at the idea. You must go,
Dam
tune is.'' he temporized. wait until
the estate can be settled"
1t was not a long wait. Dudley Fet-
ter had been forced into bankruptcy
after a long career as shipping mer-
chant The disappointment had so
preyed upon his mind that he had kill
ed himself, and the little old lawyer.
who was at once his counsel, receiver
and executor, soon dlsentangled the
muddle. Dan found himself owner of
a tramp steamer and some seven thou
sand dollars in money.
He was inclined to sell the steamer,
but Laura would not hear of 1t. She
was firm in her faith in the pirates
map and she at last carried her point
only after she had declared
that she would break her engagement
If Dan did not undertake the trip.
The captain of the Dudley was a
weatherbeaten old man of fifty whose
shrewd eyes twinkled when the SUBJ
ject was preached to him.
"I never heard of 'em that far
SOUTH he declared, but Lord love We,
there's pirates gold hidden from the
north pole to the south-to hear 'em
tell it. It's as likely to be there as
anywhere
''will five thousand take us down
and back?" demanded the cautious
Dan. Capt. Glass removed the pipe
rom his lips the better to smile.
Down and back and down again"
% worry about getting back. We can
easily get a load at Buenos Ayres or
Rio to pay the cost of the up trip. It'll
make a nice little sail for you, seeing
make it a bridal tour? Brides bring
uck to ships. Maybe with bride we
would succeed where others have fail |
ID
The idea appealed to Laura, who en-
cred into the plans for the voyage |
With enthusiasm and a firm belief in |
he success of the expedition.
I'D rather do that than anything" |
he said. wen be married on board |
he Dudley before she sails"
Dan gave in. Ten days later the men |
we're called aft to witness a quiet little
Wedding, and as the minister went over
he side, noisy little tug helped the
dudley get out into the stream and
oint her nose to the south.
1t was a long delightful honeymoon
o these two who had never seen the
cean until Dan had come to New York
o claim his legacy. They had a day
T two of seasickness, but this soon
a al
yer the blue waters Laura's conf
ence in the quest grew amazingly.
wen Dan began to share her enthus-
asm long before they had crossed the
quator.
At last the course was altered, and
he Dudley headed inland until the
lack, forbidding cliffs doomed darkly
efore them. 1t was no easy matter to
lex their way through uncharted
but at last the steamer slip
ed into little bay, and Captain Glass
eclared it to be the spot shown in the
zap.
Here the rocks did not come sharply
own to the waters edge, but ran in
sw hundred acres in extent. The two
uge rocks which marked the entrance
} the bay and a peak of the distant
our Of the Andes formed their range
larks and as soon as they had put up
,nts on shore Dan, who had studied
vii engineering. got out his transit
nd began to lay off the lines.
The cross marks fell near the base of I
lie cliff where the sides were more =.
recipitous than elsewhere, and for two
avs the men from the steamer labored
clear away the underbrush.
1--WE shall have to dig Deep" remind ,
Laura. There must have been a
eavy deposit of earth during the three
undred years that have elapsed"
We'll dig through to China II neces-
,rv declared Dan as he watched the |
en work. In anticipation OF the dig
ing some laborers had been brought
ong, and for ten hours a day they
,ok out the sandy loan. AT the end