Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-15


And that will be better
1t was all true Holding in his hand the paper
that seemed to exhae the fragrance of her very pres
ence, reading and reading over again the words
whose injunction he had increduousy yet scrupu-
lousy obeyed last night the strange truth back
to him. There in that black pocket in the new face
of the cliff lay those very bars of gold that had gone
out of Georgetown Harbor in the strong of the
Santa Rosa hundred years ago. when she started
on her last so grirnly fated voyage.
After tormenting many dreams, battling SO
many hopes yes, and costing many lives, these
golden bars only waiting for his hand to divert
them back into the every day, prosaic channels of
trade again. Technically, and temporarily at least,
they were his; for Chrstabel had left them lying
there undisturbed for the next finder The half of it
that the colony would allow him a reward would
amount to million and quarter of dollars. If he
had that in New York now, he reflected, smiling
little, he could beat Christopher Beaumont yet
could do it, that is if he INSCRIPTIONS enough to
take this gift, which Christabe had sweetly and
confdngly given him, and use 1t as weapon against
her father
He had wrest,ed with enough problems of that
sort during the last week. He was tired He was
beaten And he thanked his stars that he spared
this last dilemma. For he couldn't get to New York
with that money, matter how he tried The
Orpheus had been driven on the beach, a total
wreck The wireless station destroyed, so that
they had no means of calling for help They would
just have to wait here the island until some one
should over from Georgetown to inquire what
the matter with them
In that security of he1plessness it amusing to
wonder what he would do if the way to New York
was open Would he have any right to sacrifice the
interests of the scores of hardworking people who
had put their savings into this enterprise just for
personal scruple like that? Would it be his duty to
seize this gift like weapon and strike old Beau
mont with it where he could hurt him worst! 1t
made the cold perspiraton come out on his forehead
just think about it. Well there were pleasanter
things to think about.
HE turned back to Christabers letter and began
IL reading once more; but before he had finished
some knocked. He put the letter into his pocket
and called out, Come in!' When he who his
visitor was he sprang to his feet, staring. . Sir
Evelyn" he cried. What in the world But l am
very glad to see you Won't you sit DOWN.
Yes" said the Governor, accepting the invita-
ton That's the kind of welcome I've had this
morning from everybody l don't seem to be ex-
pected. But you gave a great scare over In
Georgetown. AS soon as the sea went down little,
took harbor tug and came to see what the trouble
was. l fully expected to find the Pheasant wrecked
lost, with all on board, maybe. Why! what's the
matter with you, mani"
For Smiths face had suddenly paed: and he was
staring at the Governor wide eyed You
over in tug?" he questioned. is there tug down
there in the harbor now with steam up:"
MY dear boy said the Governor, how should
official airshp; and why shouldn't the tug have
steam up? only just got in Why do you look like
that"
Things are falling out rather queerly that's ALL
said the manager III tell you about directly-or
| think will But what message had you from the
Pheasant"
mot from the Pheasant at ALL said Sir Evelyn;
"it from your station. Here, see what you
graph blank which he handed over to Smith.
It's great tumble, admit he said, and it's
broken off in the middle; but there to be only
meaning to it..
Here was the message Smith read:
Pheasant boat rocks Lost propeller. Helpless
Send
But here it stopped. The thing was, at first
glance, almost as much of a mystery to Smith as