The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-12

cigar
Thank you!" he said quietly. The
stewards face seemed vaguely familiar
but he could not place it, Now. Nes-
bt?'' he finished.
Ncsbit Strengthened UP The interrupt
ton, though long enough and Vivid
enough To throw most men of the track
OF such a confidence as his words por-
tended. had apparently not affected him.
When he spoke his tones still Guivcrcd
with feeling.
DO YOU believe in trals,nisralion Of
souls" nc asked. do you believe that
when a man dies he lives again-cn
this earth. mean? That the crimes
good he does are all paid back in an
other life. don't need TO ask OF
course. you don't. Nobody docs here in
the east But nave lived in India,
where men are more creduous, and
sometimes wonder if they are not
righ,-if the blind impulses that drive
us are not those Of some far-om. long
dead ancestor Who incurred q debt too
heavy to he settled on the nail and who
is raging it in another life in our bodies.
told you Of my pirate ancestor who
chased the Santa Maria ana later picked
up the Marqucsa Espada ANA her COM
panion at sea. | told YOU how the Mar
qucsa died But / haven't told YOU all
as to how the pirate died nor how his
sons died after him.
iit as SHINY Years O!u HIlcn ne mace
his last attempt 70 get the treasure. He
sailed in stout ship with q good crew.
But he was wrecked Just outside tho
island, the few survivors who got back
to England said that he had been quite
MAD and had stored the Shi, into the
rocks. declaring that the rnarqucsa was
bcckoning 70 him there.
We'll ana good, He was an old man
with q bloody liast and doubtless had
many things to trouble his conscience.
His son. y no next went. Was {, merchant
sailor and not buccanecr AS ! told
you he was burned by the !nquisitiui-
but | did not tell YOU that he Was be-
tiaycd 70 the Spaniards by u woman.
His son, Ivor's grandson, born Oh the
day. Ivor died. 20, into the l3oca; his
ship was caught by tidal wave that
flooded clear oyer the Fang at the mouth
ana swept it among the rocks At Hclrs
Kitchen. He got back home but he al
ways SWovc that water witch. naked as
Heaven, lovelier than an houri, had rid
den in poised on the crest OF the wave
that overwhelmed him. His grandson
WAS drowned dragged down by {, siren
the sailors sworc. Another ancestor, as
| believe told YOU, was killed By a
pirate And so it went on. OF twelve
generations that lived and died between
lvor and myself. all died violently and
every death except one was ascribcd 10
q woman. At last il came to be super
stition with my people that the spirit OF
the Marqucsa. In the shape Of water
witch. guarded the treasure and would
let no son Of lvor lay hands on it.
When | grew W, laughed at the
tale. longed To try my fortune for
years before Could get 10 the island.
But al last my time came. l got there.
And there saw the witch.
IT was in the early dawn. | had
found the hiding place OF the treasure
and had guessed why others had failed
ana was starting to New York for
help. driftcd down The narrow chan
mel. between the rocky hcadl;nds that
sheltered its quiet waters As | swung
into the Boca | caught the fresh off
shore breeze and hoistcd sail ana stood
away for the open sea. Then saw her,
Directly before me. not hundred
yards away she Heated Her dark hair,
iridcsccnt from the kiss Of sun and
sea trliled over the ripping water be-
hind her. suppose | cried out. Or
perhaps the boat crcakcd. She turned!
Gods! Words can not tell her lowell
ness. Beneath her ripping hair cleaned
soft azure eyes, tell tale Of the blue
depths Of ocean Her skin. smooth, cx-
quisite, touched with ruddy color, glow