Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-04-21

below with Schwartz, who had been
engineer aboard the whaler, and get
steam up as promptly as possible He
himself remained on deck, directing
the unloading and stowage of those
precious golden slabs that the rest
of the party were bring out in boats
from the shore.
We've got it all, Roscoe, unless you
want them barrels of whale OIL"
man in the last boat sang out as they
came alongside.
Wen leave them to pay for this
nickel-plated ship" Roscoe answered.
Come, Look alive and get aboard.
Well be ready to start as soon as we
can get a little daylight"
He looks. them over, numbered
them as if they had been so many
sheep, noted that they were all here,
except poor Miguel; Planck and
Schwartz were down toiling at the
boilers.
Stay here till l come back" he
commanded I'm going below to see
that everything's slowed all right.
When I come back l want to talk to
you"
He disappeared down the after
hatchway, switched on light and in
dulged in long, satisfied look at the
great masses of precious metal which
were stacked, according to his direc-
tons. in the strongroom.
His purpose in coming down here
was threefold. He meant to see that
the gold was stored correctly and he
meant to lock the room up, so that it's
precious contents would not be tam
pered with, and bring the key away
with him. He was not afraid that any
of his crew would try to steal it, but
he thought the moral effect of having
it locked away where it was inacces-
sible to them, and of his keeping the
keyin his own possession, would be a
help in maintaining his prestige az
commander. They knew the sea bet
ter than he did, just as he knew the
nature OF gold-bearing rock. 1t was
necessary to do something to bolster
up his position as chief of the party
and keep it above dispute. He did not
want to have to kill any of them yet.
The Aurora would be short-handed
enough as it was.
But there was one more reason for
that hurried trip to the strongroom.
He wanted to be sure that certain
rosewood box had come aboard along
with the treasure and what few stores
they were taking away with them.
That little box had occupied much
of his leisure since the day when he
had murdered the owner of it. He had
sometimes wished that when it came
into his hands that day he had yield
ed to his first impulse to shatter it,
for the thing had always Knocked him
-coquetted with him.
He had often seen itlying open on
Captain Fielding's table in the tiny
walled-off cubby hole of a room they
called the captains cabin, while the
captain himself was writing up his
journal or working upon his charts.
He had, during that first winter fire.
quently thought of trying to open it,
should the opportunity offer itself.
After the murder, when he took that
little room for his own quarters, he
found the box and preserved it with
the idea that now, at least, he would
get the better of it. He knew what
Its contents were we'll enough-Cap-
tain Fielding's charts and journal, and
he had no curiosity concerning them.
But the secret mechanism of the box
Itself tantalized him, and he meant
some day to solve it. Once he had
zone so, he would kick the thing to
pieces and destroy it's contents.
That was all there was to it at first,
out during the next winter, when the
long night kept them prisoners in
their narrow quarters, the mystery
OF that little rosewood box took on
an added Importance to him and to
the others, out of all proportion to any
eHect which the solution of it could
nave. One by one, with the exception
ol the Portuguese. they tried. Hour
alter hosr they labored with it, and in
Nariably they failed
The rest of them gave it up, and
their admitted defeat gave Roscoe an
other incentive for solving the thing
himself, for he meant to leave no
stone unturned to convince them that
they were fools and weaklings; that
me- Roscoe, was the only man among
them. Such a conviction was neces-
sary to his leadership.
1t was toward the end of that win
Ter that the Portuguese made sug-
sestlon destined to bear fruit. Its
curse that has sealed up that box"
ne said. You can't open 1t, and II
you break it, the curse will kill you"
He evidently believed implicitly
IN this theory, for no persuasion could
induce him to touch the box himself.
GRADUALLY the others had shown, by
lIltie involuntary acts, shrinkings and
elances, that Miguels belief was in
'ectlng them. Sometimes, after long
succession of sleepless, lightless days,
roscoe found himself believing it, too,