The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-24
THE FATAL RUBY

NONl IN u Ell L RUM IAGE lttti-f
~~0-~~~~o-o-@-~~000~O~~
amongst them for a couple of days
and nearly succeeded, owing to a
fog, in giving Drake the slip; but
the fog cleared suddenly, and Drake
came up with him in the open sea.
There was a fight, Rinaldo's ship
was taken, and he was hung at
the yard-arm in the good old-fash,
ioned way
Seems almost a pity" comment,
ed Ronald Il suppose he was no
worse than the rest OF them. Drake
himself couldn't have shown clean
sheet"
Il dare say moi" assented vane.
Drake would have let him alone if
he had not interferred with brakes
Own little game. Anyway, he WAS
hanged, as | say; and the mar-of,
war he had stolen was taken as a
prize"
ITS quite an interestisg story"
remarked Ronald; but l don't quite
SEE"
'Ah, you will presently Vane
broke in grimly, casting a glance
al the door. Before they hanged
Rinaldo they searched his ship, of
course; trust Drake for that! There
was nothing to be found. And yet
for some time previously, Rinaldo
had help up several Spanish YES
se.s, and had transferred the valu-
ables they contained to the Don
Carlos-the name OF his man-of4yar;
and, only two days before Drake
sighted him, Rinaldo had captured
a treasure-ship carrying one hun
dred thousand pounds in specie.
Now, it was known that Rinaldo
had not put into land before Drake
drove him to the Lipari Islands"
Ronald sat up, gripped his cigar
between his teeth, and stared at
Nane. Words were not necessary.
Quite so said Vance drily, re.
spending to the look. If the treas.
ure was not on board the Don Car.
los-and you may bet your life
Drake would have found it if it had
been there-where was IT."
"On the island" said Ronald. and
his voice was now as low as Vane's.
Yes" said Vane; "he must have
landed the treasure while Drake
was hunting for him in the fog.
Think of it! We know there was
hundred thousand pounds on board
that ship; it is probable that there
was twice as much, three times as
much"
And you are going for it?" said
Ronnld, in something like a whis.
per.
I'VE are going for it," corrected
vane
But there are ever so many isl
ands; how can you tell which Rim
ado landed at? If you don't know.
YOU might hunt for hundred years"
That's So assented Vane. Wait
moment" "
He rose and slid back a panel
'f the satin-wood panellng which
ined the saloon, and revealed a
safe. He unlocked this, took out
lind of wallet. unlocked this also.
md, returning to his seat, said, in
| whisper now. with his hand on
he wallet, as if it were too precious |
o be lost touch of:
You know, you may have heard, |
hat l have always had a fancy for
aking up histories of old ships, es-
'ecially those which sailed in the |
tliZabethan time. I've got quite a |
airish collection of old charts, docu-
nents. log-books, aud such-like lum-
'er, in my house in London. AS a .
natter of fact, l intended writing |
! kind of naval, shipping history of
hat period; wonderfully interesting
ime it was. One day, when | was |
'oking about in an old curiosity |
hop down by the docks. where | |
lad the good luck to see you, I /
outed out an old chest. 1t CON
aimed a lot of lumber, and amongst |
t some log-books and some papers
n Italian. | did not attach much ,
Importance TO them. but I bought |
he whole bag of tricks and took /
hem home to examine. Something |
'ropped up, and / forgot all about !
hem until early this year. when |
something brought them to my
mind
You know Italian" said Ronald |
Vane nodded.
'Nny