The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1914-10-21


Some Weeks Later, to Hide Once
More the Original Box.
tain Manners And the sooner you go,
the better"
I'll go, sir" said Dunkers, readily
enough. Had the misfortune happened
to him and had Blossom been the ag-
gressor, he would want his life. He
understood Like the valet in "Oliv-
ette," it was the time for disappearing.
AN keep out o. my way. I'll git
y yet" growled Blossom.
Keep your mouth shut" said the
mate, cor I'll have you put in irons,
you pig!"
"All right sir. I've said all I'm goin'
T. say tday;" and Blossom strobe of.
What was the box uke?" asked the
captain of Dunkers.
Chinese contraption, sir; leastwise
it looked that way to me. Didn't look
as If it'd been in tn water long, sir.
Somethin' lost overheard by some pri-
vate yacht, t. my thinkin'. I'll keep
out O. Steve's way. I'll lay low on
shore, sir"
And though Steve made perfect
range of the spot, he never came back
to find the mysterious box, never saw
the Gibson house back home, nor did
he ever see Dunkers again. On the
voyage home he brooded continually,
and was frequently found blubbering;
and one night he skipped his watch
and went to Davy-Jones' locker.
Dunkers had not told about the
name he had seen on the box; and
Blossom had not thought to. The name
Hargreaye had instantly brought back
to Dunkers' mind the newspaper
stories he had recently read. There
was no doubt in the world that this
box belonged to the missing million
aire, who had drawn a million from
his banks and vanished; and more
over, there was no doubt in Dunkers'
mind that this million lay in the Ba-
hannah waters. 1t had been drawn up
from the bottom of the sound, under
the path of the balloon. He proceeded,
then, to take a most minute range.
1t would require money and partners;
but half a loaf would be far better
than no loaf at all; and he was deter
mined to return to New York to find
backing. Finding Is keeping, on land
or sea.
Now it happened that his favorite
grog shop was a cheap saloon across
the way from the headquarters of the
Black Hundred; and Vroon occasion
ally dropped in, for he often picked up
a valuable bit of maritime news.
Dunkers was an old friend Of the bar
keeper, and he proceeded to pour and
guzzle down his throat very poor
substitute for whisky. He became
communicative. He Dragged. He knew
where there was a million, and all he
needed was a first-class diving bell. A
year from now he would not be drink
ing cheap whisky; he'd be steering
course up and down Broadway and
buying wine when he was thirsty.
He was no miser. But he had to have
a diving bell; and where the blue devil
could he get one with $12 and an
Ingersoll watch in his pocket?
From his table Vroon made sign
which the bartender understood. Then
he rose and approached Dunkers.
81 own a pretty good diving appar-
atus," he said. "If you've got the
goods, I'll take a chance on fifty
fifty basis" Vroon did not believe
there was anything back Of his talk;
but it always paid to dig deep enough
to find out. Have drink; and, Bill,
give us a real whisky and none of
your soap-lye. Now, let's hear your
yarn"
81 don't know yuh," said Dunkers,
with drunken caution. How is 1t,
Bill?" turning to the bartender.
Hes the goods, Jim. You've heard
of Wyant & Cor"
Sure I've heard o. them. Best
divin' apparatus they is
We'll. this gent here is Mr.. Brooks,
general manager for Wyant G Co.
can o. X. him."
Vroon threw an appreciative glance
at the bartender. He was not affiliated
with the Black Hundred, but he had
often aided Vroon in minor affairs.
"All right, if yuh say SO, Bill. Well,
here's tn yarn"
And when he had done, Vroon
smoked quietly without speaking.