Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1910-11-15

partly hidden By clump or bushes.
Then. facing the house. he walked To
u point midway between the rock he
had left and the house and. STOPPING.
forced the stick be had cut into the
ground. Ruth noticed that when he
walked he appeared 20 count his steps.
The girls curiosity was excited.
She was a reticent young woman and
kept what she had seen not only from
her father and mother, but RETAINED
from asking Kent, as most girls would
have done, what was the meaning OF
his strange walks. She preferred rath-
err to wait and watch.
From the moment she had seen the
handsome stranger in his singular but
becoming costume she had been great
" attracted to him. Girls living
where they seldom meet Il man are
liable to fall easily in love, and Ed
ward Kent in education and refine
ment was far above any man she had
ever met 1t was not long before the
young man conceived as strong a pref
erence for her as she had conceived
for him. The two rowed about some
times in the boat he had come in; but,
being heavy ships boat, they used 10
only In windy weather. ut other times
taking common rowhoat.
1t was on these trips that Edward
made love to Ruth and she acknowl-
edged her own love for him. But he
told her that their marriage depended
upon a certain contingency. He said
he had scheme for making a large
amount of money. IL he succeeded
there was no reason why they should
not be married at any time; II not,
there would be life of poverty for
them together and it might be better
that they should remain separate
To this Ruth listened without COM
ment. though when Edward asked her
If she did not think II imprudent for
them to marry with nothing to marry
on she assented But she was no
talker, taking in everything that was
said to her, maintaining silence as to
her opinions.
1t was not long after the strangers
arrival that he offered the farmer the
remaining ieces of eight If he would
permit him to build log hut on his
premises. He said there We're noises
In the house at night that prevented
his sleeping. Cromwell gladly gave
his consent, and Kent chose a spot In
the rear of the house and near the
smokehouse 1t was where he had
put In the stick. Having made all ar
rangements, he cut down timber in the
| forest suited to his purpose and built
| his cabin When he had finished 1t
| and put cot and a chair In it-all the
| furniture he needed, lie said-he took
| the Cromwell family into 1t to inspect
it, then locked the door, and no one Of
them ever after had peep inside OF
| II till after he had abandoned 1t.
Several weeks passed when one day
| Kent told Ruth Cromwell that he had
met with a great disappointment. He
| also explained the mystery that had
| hung about him since his arrival at
| Sachem's Head. II am younger son
! of country gentleman in England
| he said. "A year ago | sailed from
| London to New York to take a posi-
| ton with a merchant there. On the
| voyage, when Off Long Island, our
ship was captured by pirates and ev-
cry one except myself was forced to
walk the plank. l pretended to a de-
sire to follow a life of piracy and
begged to be permitted to join the
crew. As the captain was very ig-
Enorant of navigation and | had made
voyage for the purpose of studying
1t my offer was accepted. | spent
months with the pirates while they in
tercepted Spanish ships carrying mon
ey between Mexico and Spain and
afterward while they pillaged the coast
east and south OF New York.
zone Of the crew, better man than
the rest, took fancy to me, and when
he was wounded after fight with an
armed merchantmen and at the point
of death told me that he and some
comrades had buried large quantity
Of gold and precious stones they had
lplundered at Sachem's Head. on the
Connecticut coast. He gave me this
paper, on which are directions where
to find the treasure" He read:
.Sachem's Head. Third beach east
Of point of rocks. Cove contains rocl
like sugar loaf 100 yards from beacf
at low tide. Apex just awash at higf
tide Seventy PAGES west to pine tres
standing alone. From pine fifty pace
toward island to n. Il. Turn at RICH
angle, thirty PAGES to rock covered b.
brush. Face house. go twenty pace
due east. Dig six feet
; "a few days before I reached herr
the pirate ship sailed into the sount
past Block island, went westward look
ing for ships to capture as far as New
Haven. but, hearing Of war vessel
went back. While passing here a
night let myself down into a boat
cut loose and rowed ashore. / knew
was near the place / wanted, but di'
not know how near. You know th
rest, except the denouement.
81 built my cabin over the spot wher
/ expected to find the treasure, the
dug down, filling the cabin with tn
earth took out. was doomed to dis
appointment found no treasure. /
we marry we shall be doomed to LII
of poverty"
! 81 love you so well that prefer
: life Of poverty with you to living witt
!. out you" said Ruth.
I'm that case / yield"
> Come with me-"
She led him to the smokehouse, III
!, locked the door. opened ii. and the