The Washington bee., 1911-07-15
TREASURE
TROVE
It's Secret WaE Revealed
by a Vision
By CLARISSA MACKIE


drawn by two iron gray horses. He
was the only passenger for the beach,
and he shook about in the huge vehi-
Gle like the proverbial pea in a barrel.
At the entrance to q narrow sandy
lane shaded by wind blown cedars,
under which the marsh grass struggled
sparsely, the stage stopped.
"All OutP sang the driver Justify.
"Goin' to the beach, ye said?' He
peered down at Jarvis with beady
black eyes beneath thatches Of white
eyebrows.
"Yes; Edgewater cottage, Straight
ahead?" Jarvis asked the question
while he threw his luggage to the
ground and paid his fare.
"Edgewater cottage? That'u be the
Rowe place. last cottage on the left.
So longP'
"Much obliged. Goodbye
| Jarvis turned to the left and walked
| slowly down to the beach, his head
barred to the fresh breeze, his lungs
/ gratefully inhaling the inVigOrating
! salt air.
| The last cottage proved to he rath-
er large structure placed not far be-
yond high water mark. Its shingles
were weather beaten to a silver gray,
and the many windows tightly smut
tered looked like closed eyes in sad
face. 1t seemed desOlate enough COM
pared to the other cOzy houses along
the beach, but Jarvis decided after a
| hasty examination that when he got
out some porch furniture and opened
I'D the shutters the cottage he had
hired would be fit enough for his pur-
poses.
The rusty key he had obtained from
the agent creaked in the lock and the
door swung open, admitting him to
large, comfortably furnished rooms.
His first duty was to throw wide the
shutters and raise the window sashes
to the fresh air Except for layer OF
dust over everything the house was in
exquisite order Of arrangement He
decided to sleep in the wire inclosed
balcony, and as he had arranged by
letter for his meals to be sent in from
the hotel on the long point beyond
there was little for him to do save to
arrange a cot in the balcony and IN
pack his painting things.
At sunset a steam launch from the
hotel discharged a boy with a basket
containing his dinner. Jarvis discussed
the excellent meal on the Veranda, his
artists eye lingering on the wide
sweep of green and blue flecked with
white that filed the foreground.
,I Here were color and life enough tC
, linn any number of c2nvases. Jarvis
was glad he had decided to close his
T. studio and run away from all his
friends, and the chance that brought
him to Beachside had been decided by
the childish method of closing his eye:
and running his finger along the MAJ
of New Jersey while he counted ten
Then he had opened his eyes and
found Beachside, most incOnspicuOu'
Of small watering places, under his
finger. Now he was here.
} He smoked d thoughtful cigar while
the sunset tints faded to opal and sill
yer and then uniform slate gray set
: tied over the water.
) The cigar consumed, Jarvis felt TO
! another one in vain. His cigar cas-
: was empty; also he had forgotten hi
| tobacco pouch. He fingered his pip
: wistfully and rummaged his traps fo
t tobacco Of some sort. In sheer des
: peratiOn he carried his tallOw candl
t there was no kerosene in the cottage
] from room to room in an aimles
? search for nicotine
/, At last he whistled jOyOusly. On
t small stand in one corner Of the LIVING
{ room he found a smoking set Of ham
9 mered brass. The huge tobacco ia
;. contained a few pinches Of the desireC
p weed, and he crammed it into his pip
! gratefully.
Now he closed the door and locked /
q and went up TO his balcony. He threw
himself down on the cot and smoke,
!. contentedly, dreamily. Overhead wa
n the shine OF gentle stars, and on tn
| USdCA tue NdNC CO DlOhC SOllgs uluS
= cally. He went to sleep.
Jarvis was awakened by a crashing
= volley of thunder, followed by vivi
flash Of lightning. He sat up an,
gazed open mouthed at the strang
= scene depicted before his eyes.
There was all the wild fury Of
. hurricane bursting about his ears
i Huge waves pounded on the beach
y breaking in binding spray that drench
{ ed his face. Some dark shape loOme,
{ out Of the blackness, coming nearer
He discerned the outlines Of a larg
e white steamer, saw dark forms tosset
q against her whiteness, heard the blar
s of her distress signals, saw her careel
q on the shoals and become engulfed Il
= the sea. Still the waves broke on tn
- beach, and in their tossing they fun
e a dark form on the white sand beneat
[, the balcony.
l. Jarvis tried to rise, but his limb
e seemed paraIyzed. He endeavOred {
d utter a sound, but his lips were dumt
t He could only sit there on his cOuc
wildly conscious Of tragedy heaped o.
G tragedy, pOwerless to help.