The Washington herald., 1911-02-18
A SPLENDID HAZARD
By HAROLD MacGRATH
Tn sSde-1nCon nrAnsl
By HAROLD MacGRATH
Copyright. 1910 The Bobbs-Merin Company

talked at once; and there was laughter
and humping of fists and clapping OF
| hands. The admiral had a new plan
every five minutes. He would do this. or
he would do that; and Fitzgerald would
| shake his head, or Breitmann would
point out the unfeasibility of the plan
Above all. he urged. there must be no
publicity with flash toward FitZgeraldJ
the world must know nothing till the
| treasure was in their hands. Otherwise,
there would surely be piracy on the high
seas. Two million francs was a prize,
even in these days. There were plenty
Of men and plenty of tramp ships. Even
when they found the gold, secrecy would
be best There might be some difficulty
with France. Close lips, then, til they
returned to America; after that Mr.. Fitz-
gerald would become famous as the .eller
of the exploit.
, II confess that, for all my excitement
said Fitzgerald. II am somewhat skep-
tical. Still. your suggestion. MI I;reit-
mann, is good
DO you mean to say you doubt the
existence of the treasure - cried the ad-
niral, something impatient.
"Oh, no doubt it once existed. But sew
enty-five or eighty years! There were
others besides this refugee Frenchman.
Who knows into what hands similar doc
uInentS may nave 1d4len!
And the unknown man who worked in
the chimney" put in the girl quietly.
That simply proves what / say. He
knows that this treasure once existed.
but not where. Now, it is perfectly log
ical that some other man, years ago,
might have discovered the same key as
We have. He may have got away with
ii. The man might have plausibly de-
clared that he had made the money some
where. The sum is not so large as to
create any wide comment
"Ah, my boy, your father had more en-
thusiasm than that The admiral looked
reproachful
My dear admiral" and Fitzgerald
laughed in that light-hearted way of his.
Il would go into the heart of China on
a treasure hunt for the mere fun of it
Enthusiasm? Nothing would crafty me
more than to strike shovel into the
spot where this treasure, this pot of gold
is supposed to lie. 1t will be great sport; ;
nothing like it. I was merely supposing
I have never heard of. or come into con-
tact with, man who has found hidden
treasure 1 am putting up these doubts
because We are never sure of anything
Why, Mr.. Breitmann knows: isn't il more
fun to find a dollar in an old suit of
clothes than to know you have ten in the
suit you are wearing? It's not how much,
it's the finding that gives the pleasure"
That is true" echoed Bretmaun gen.
erousIy. He fingered the papers with a
touch that was almost caress. "A pity
that you will go to the arctic instead" :"
'1 am not quite sure that 1 shall CO."
replied Fitzgerald. That this man had de-
lberately lied to him rendered him inde-
cisive. For the present he could not do
or say anything. but he had great de-
sire to be on hand to watch.
You are not your fathers sen If you
refuse to go with u.s." and the admiral
sent home this charge with fist against
palm
Pieces of eight! Pieces OF eightr"
parroted the girl droIly. You will go,
Mr. Fitzgerald"
do you-feaIly want me to- cleverly
putting the decision with her.
Yes" There was no coquetry in voice
or eye.
when do you expect to go?' Fitzgerald
put this question 10 the admiral
AS soon as we can coal up and provi-
sion Laura, I've Just got to smoke.
Will you gentlemen Join me?' The young
men declined We can go straight to
Funchal in the Madeiras and recoal.
With the club ensign up nobody will be
asking questions. We can telegraph the
Herald whenever we touch a port. Jest
pleasure cruise" The adreiral fingered
the Legion of Honor. "And here was
Alladin's Lamp hanging UP ir my CHM
ney! He broke in laughter. by cracky!
that man Donovan snows his business.
He's gone without putting back the bricks.