The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-05-03

lHluk W ncis nut VI Spctiul ihpoi
was the reference to the buried treas
ure and the list of the holders OF the
pieces of flag, which were given as
follows.
l. George Teel, of California.
2. Joseph Stebbins, of Massachu
/ sets,
3. Chu Chen Ling, of San Fran
cisco
4. Juan Daz, a Mexican.
5. Red Cloud, an Ogallala Sioux.
6. Ben Ransome, of California
Together they studied the names
then Dick said with sudden interest:
1--WE must advertise for tidings OF
these men. Some may be alive and
answer"
Polly asked why they should adver-
tse and he explained:
ITS your fortune, you know.
shall 60 and try to find the treasure"
Polly was at once enthusiastic about
search for the treasure, but re-
belled at the thought Of being left
behind, and when he tried to point
out the dangers, she exclaimed posi-
lively:
II will not stay behind"
"But / cannot permit you to risk
yourself upon so dangerous a quest"
said Dick as taking her hands he stood
gazing into her clear eyes. "Stay
where it is safe, and we will return
to you in little while with a queens
fortune to pour at your feet" But
the girls head shook determinedly.
"No. If 1t is too dangerous for me
to 20, 1t Is also too dangerous for
you. If either one Of us goes the
other must also be Of the party. We
will face 1t out together, no matter
what befalls."
But you could not go with me un-
less" he answered, smiling mean
ingly down into her face. A faint
blush colored her cheeks.
"Unless what?" she asked softly.
unless we were married, dear"
The next moment he was holding her
close In his arms.
1t was very quiet and simple we'd
ding they had there in the cottage
overlooking the rolling seattle sea
that had cast up this treasure of
which they We're to go forth to seek
as man and wife, and arms about each
other they stood gazing out upon 1t,
wondering what adventures would be
theirs before they again returned to
safety. Immediately they began their
preparations for the journey, and 1t
was but day or two after the we'd
ding and while they were in the midst
of getting things together that their
eyes fell upon the following notice
which appeared conspicuously in
newspaper:
"Riven FlAg-Any survivor Of Capt.
Joel Ransome's Mexican expedition,
which was attacked by Yaquis, will
learn something to his advantage by
communicating with -"
Among the first to read this notice
was Scarface, seated before a rude
shack with Screweye and several other
unsavory companions. The murderer
was relating how he escaped from
the sheriff and how he intended OBJ
tanning the pieces of flag. A messen-
ger came up at the moment and re-
ported:
1.-THE old man is dead. Van Brunt
and the girl are married The sheriff
is dead and there's big reward out
for you. It's all here in the paper"
Scarface showed only contempt for
the printed recital of his crimes, but
evinced deepest interest In the notice
relating to the Riven Flag. Calling
his confederates about him he out
lined his plans, after which all mount
ed horses and rode away.
High up In the mountains lived
George Teel, named as one Of the
Ransome expedition. He was having
breakfast, served by his Chinese serv-
ant. when he, too, read of the trag-
edy at the Ransome cottage and spoke
his shocked feelings:
ITO think of old Ben Ransome hav-
ing so close to me all these years.
And now he's dead"
For a long time he sat with eyes
fixed upon the floor as his mind wan
dered over that fateful trip with the
man of whose death he had just read.
He had thought that the other had
passed away long ago in that bloody
fight with the bowling savages, and
that he had escaped and been close
at hand all this time seemed well
nigh Incredible. Thought of the lost
treasure and the little piece of buat-
ing that he possessed once more filled
his thoughts. That Captain Ransome
had ever made another effort to re-
trieve II after the i'll success of their
expedition he very much doubted but
Il was more than likely that he had
carefully preserved his fragment of
the flag. That being the case his
daughter would In all probability now
be its possessor. Whether the girl
ever had been told the story of their
Inflated expedition of course he had
no notion. but he now determined that
he would search her out, tell her of