The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-20
y 1z2M[lION DOLLAR MYSTERY y
--1DyftAR0D MAG GRAIH--

the coast. When shs could not pick up enough
barges to make II pay. why. she'd 90 galavant-
ing down to Cuba for bales Of tobacco or over
to the Bermudas for the heaven smelling
onion. Today she was an onion ship; which
precludes any idea OF adventure. She was
about 1900 tons. and her engines were stern
ward and not amidship She, carried two
mnsts and a half dozen hoist booms, and the
only visible sign Of anything new ON her was
her bowsprit. This was new doubtless because
she had poked her nose too far into her last
slip.
Her crew waAorderly and tractable. There
were shore drunks, to be sure. because they
were sailors; but they were q peaceful lot
withaL At this moment they were at work
There was a sailor among this crew. and
be want By the name Of Steve Blossom; and
be was one Of his kind. 4 grimy dime novel
protruded rakishly from his hip pocket and
his right cheek was swollen a. with the tooth
ache, due, probably. to = generous chaw Of
Eeaman's Delight He was q real tobacco
ohewer, for he rarely spat he was - peace
full as = backwater bay In summer; non
areumentative and passive, he stood his watch
in fair weather and foul.
No one gave the anchor any more atten
tion after 1t came to rest The great city
over the way was fairy-like in .its haxiness
and transparity. 1t was the poetry Of angles.
II shafts and spars Of stone; and Steve
Blossom, having a moment to himself leaned
against the rail and stared regretfuI1y He
had been generously drunk the night before,
and 1t was a pleasant recollection. Chance
led his glance 10 trail down the cutwater. His
neck stretched from his collar like turtles
frou- it's shell.
Well. III be hornswoggied! be muir
INJURED, shifting his cud from starboard to port
Caught on the huke of the anchor was tina
ktrangest looking box be had ever laid eyes on.
There was leather and steel bands and dia-
mond-shaped ivory and mother of pearl. and it
hung tauntiy on the point Of the rusty fnke.
Treasure! =
And Steve was destined never to be passive
ngain. His first impulse was to call his com
ranions his second impulse was to say moth
irg at all. and wait for an opportunity to get
the box TO his bunk without being detected.
Treasure. Diamonds and ruhies aud pearls
aud old Spanish gold all hanging to the iuke
Of the anchor.
HornswogGied - In q kind of awesome
Whisper this time, An We a-headin' for tn
Eahamas!- For under his ieet be could hear
the rhythm of the engines wLatIl do: If
leave 1t. some one else'll see it." He scratched
his chin perpiexedly: and the cud went back
to starhoard. {" I got it,"
He took Of his coat and carefully dropped
1t down over the mysterious box 1t was
growing darker and darker all the time, and
shortly neither coat nor anchor would be Wis
ibie without close scrutiny. Treasure greed.
curidity, crime. Steve saw only the treasure
and not its camp followers. What did they
ssil them. -doubloons and pieces-of-risht!
He ate his supper with his messmatea cd
&c ate heartily a. ssual. 1t would have taken
something mere vital than mere treasure to
disturb Steve Blossoms appetite. He was
one of these enviable individuals whose imagi-
nation aud gastric juices work at the same
time And while be ate he planned. In the
first place. be would buy that home at Bed
ford; then be would take ovrr the Gibson
house and live like lord. If he wanted
crink, an he would have to do would b. to
turn the spigot or tip bottle; and more
than that he'd have Z bartender to do it.
Onie MS! He swore he would not have an
onion within n mile Of the Gibson house.
Onions! Quite unconsciously he spoke
this word aloud.
HUH Well, II re don't like onions, find
= hooker that packs violeta in her hold was
the cheerful advice Of the man at Steye's
elbow.
Who's talkin' Z you'll" grunted Steve
VIVA did say?"
Onions, ye lubber! Don't We know whut
onions isl Amt We sneIt EN- 20 long that
~ could stick yer NOSE In tn starboard light
an never smell no kerosenel Onionsl Pass
n cavity"
stsve helped himself nzst Tia man who
spoke bunked over him. and they were not on
the best Of terms There was no real reason
Tor this frank antagonist: simply, they did
net splice any more enectnaiiy than cotton
rope and hemp splics. sailors IRE moody and
superstitious: It least they generally are on
hookers 81 the Captain Manners" breed.
Steve was supsrstitioas and Jim Dunksn was
nOody and he'd no thumb On his left hand.
SpaniaA douhloons and pearls and diamonds
and ruAies! Il was mighty hard not to say
these words ont loud, too; hiare them into
the sullen fncea; erouned about The tahle He