The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
ENDING THE HONEYMOON
By TAYLOR WHITE.

Wen be married on board the Dudley be-
fore she sails"
The last argument was a clincher, and
Dan gave in. Ten days later the men
were called aft 20 witness a quiet little
wedding, and as the minister went over
the side a noisy little tug helped the Dud-
ley get out into the stream and point her
nose TO the south.
II was a long. delightful honeymoon to
these two who had never seen the ocean
until Dan had come TO New York TO
claim his legacy They had day or two
of seasickness. but this soon passed, and
after that. as they slipped over the blue
waters. Laura's confidence in the quest
grew amazingly. Even Dan began 10
share her enthusiasm long before they
had crossed the equator.
At last the course was altered. and the
Dudley headed inland until the black, for
bidding cliffs loomed darkIy before them.
It was no easy matter to pick their way
through uncharted channels, but at last
the steamer slipped into little bay. and
Capt. Glass declared IL TO be the spot
shown on the map.
Here the rocks did not come sharply
down to the waters edge, but ran inland,
70 ming a sheltered nook Of some few
hundred acres in extent. The two huge
rocks which marked the entrance TO the
bay and peak of the distant spur of the
Andes formed their range marks, and as
soon as they had put up tents on shore,
Dan, who had studied civil engineering.
got out his transit and began to lay of
the lines.
The cross-marks fell near the base of
the cliff, where the sides were more pre-
cipitous than elsewhere. and for two days
the men from the steamer Iabored 10
clear away the underbrush
We shall have to dig Deep" reminded
Laura. There must have been heavy
deposit of earth during the 300 years that
have elapsed.
Wen dig through to China If neces-
sary," declared Dan, as he watched the
men work In anticipation OF the digging,
some laborers had been brought along,
and for ten hours day they toek out the
sandy loan. At the end of three weeks
they had a huge hole in the ground, but
there was no trace Of treasure chests, and
Dan and the captain began 10 lose faith,
even though Laura grew more confident
as the days progressed.
Wen get it yet" she insisted. Just
keep digging and the honeymoon fortune
hunters will sail back to New York with
millions"
I'll dig one more day." promised Dan,
"and then we must be getting back. The
provisions are getting low and we are
only losing time"
Laura pleaded, but Dan was firm, and
that night she sobbed softly in the tent,
while, as though in sympathy, the heav-
ems opened their fioodgates and the rain
poured down. II was the first rain of the
season. and had it not been for Capt.
Glass precaution in ditching the tents
they must have been swept away by the
food that poured across the little strip of
land.
It was a melancholy scene that greeted
their eyes as the sun rose the next morn
ing The underbrush was washed away,
and as they made a path 10 the excava-
ton. a cry burst from their lips The
water had undermined the banks, and in
place Of the hole was a sea of mud.
That's the answer" said Dan erlmly.
as he pointed to the spot There's the
work Of six weeks gone for nothing"
But look across, said Laura, pointing
to the cliff, wnere now narrow hole un-
covered by the landslide, made itself ap-
parent. Perhaps that Is it,
Carefully skirting the excavation Dan
and the captain gingerly made their way
across to the cavity. and with a wave OF
I their hands disappeared. It was two
( hours before they returned, and then Dan
came running out with cry of triumph.
1t was gold mine, not buried treas
ure, that the old pirate was talking
about" be explained breathlessly. 1T Is
one of the richest mines in the country"
Laura smiled into the eager face. Il
knew it would came out all right" she
said. 1T just had to be the end of the
honeymoon"
Copyright. 1901. By E c Pa4cellsl