The Jasper news., 1919-05-29

weaved and staggered northward.
After many adventures, the mate
got here to California. He was my
father"
Dick and Polly exclaimed their as
constituent, and the dying man con-
tinued;
AT once he confided In me the secret
OF the treasure, and Immediately we
began our, preparation to return and
exhume It. Knowing that we would
have to pass through country that
was infested by bandits and blood
thirsty Indians, it was necessary that
we have force sufficiently strong to
successfully oppose any hostile party
which we might encounter. While
dozen men would not have been too
many to make the expedition safe, OF
course, the more we took along the
more there would be to divide with In
the end, therefore we decided to go
with the least number thnt might
hope with reasonably good luck to go
through. After much thought we en-
listed six bold men and started
through Old Mexico to get the treas
urc. We were attacked by an over
whelming force of savage Yaqui
Indians. We>put up a great fight, but
our ammunition gave out. We real
lied that the Indians would attack
again under cover of the night and
decided to scatter in the darkness.
My father gave each of us a piece OF
the flag and bade us scatter and seek
shelter. If the pieces were ever as
semblcd, those who held them could
have another try at the treasure.
"The Indians attacked sooner than
we expected, and 1t was each man
for himself. After many hardshlps,
1 got back home. ] thought no more
of the treasure. l thought the others
all had been killed. | never heard
word from any of them until today
when Scarface appeared and demand
ed my piece Of flag"
did he get your piece Of flag, Cap
tain RansomeT asked Dick.
"Praise God, no." was the weak
reply, as he handed the bit Of cloth
to Polly, saying:
| "Take 1t, my dear, 1t is your for
tune"
She gazed at the old faded bit OF
bunting in bewilderment. The words
Of her father had fallen upon her ears
much as come the voices of people
to one who Is half under the influ-
ence of some powerful drug. That
she was heiress to fortune like this
seemed incredible, yet the Joy which
would have been hers at such pros
pect an hour before was now lost In
the grief which overwhelmed her,
knowing as she did that she stood In
the shadow of fast approaching death.
That her father had received NOR
tai blow she could not question, yet
nothing remained but for her to re-
ceive it and preserve 1t carefully for
future action.
AS she reached out her hand for
it, the shadow of Scarface again fell
across the window. He saw the trans
fer of the only key to the location to
the buried treasure, and CLEAN OF
| satisfaction shot across his Scared
features. Taking a pistol from his
arm-plt holster he withdrew stealth
| lily from the window.
Ransome was growing rapidly weak
er and Dick registered his impatience
at the failure of the doctor to ar
rive, not knowing that he and the
sheriff were speeding to the cottage
MS fast as their car could be made
| to move.
The dying man regarded Polly with
deepest affection and then looked
searchingly Mt Dick.
"She Is all that I've got, boy, and
I am going to turn her over to you
In sacred trust. If you are good to
her she will be worth far more to
you than all the treasures that have
been buried since the dawn of history.
I have started on my last voyage
now, and I want to sail behind the
black curtain and upon the sea from
which no. sailorman ever returns, feel
Ing secure in the knowledge that
leave her In strong and loving arms.
you'll be good to her, Dick" he
whispered. And the young man SOL
emnly promised:
"As God is my judge. sir"
Then at the direction of tie old
man, he went to the chest to open
it, Just as Scarface walked into the
room, his pistol ready for instant nc
ton. Covering Dick, he demanded
the flag. Polly, turning quickly thrust
1t into the bosom of her waist and,
as she did so, Dick sprang at the
outlaw. Scarface fred and he fell
| oo,oeo tho cbact Cporfopa thpn nd-