The Washington herald., 1920-10-08

Tor two miles up and down the
river. We spent four days doing
so. Then we thitched up the roam
and the dun, aud hauled the re-
mains of the coffee and bacon the
1t9 miles back, to Concho City. =
Lee Rumble. cbewed much TO-
bacco on the return trip. was
busy driving, because l was in a
hurry.
As shortly. as could be after
our empty return. Goodloe Banks
and l .foregathered in the back
room of Snyder's saloon to play
dominoes and fish for Information.
/ told Goodloe about my expedi-
tiop after the buried treasure.
If could have found that
100000" I said to him, 81 coulo
have secured and sifted the sur
face of the earth to find May Mar
tha Mangum."
she. is meant for higher
things" said Goodloe. 'I shall
find her myself But tell me
how you went about discovering
the spot where this unearthed
increment was imprudentiy
buried" -
/ told him in the smallest de-
tail. l showed him the draughts-
mans sketch with the distances
marked plainly upon it.
After glancing over 1t in a mas
terly way, he leaned back in his
chair and bestowed upon me an
explosion of sardonic, superior.
collegiate laughter.
Well. YOU are a fool, jim" he
said, when he could speak.
IT'S your play" said I, pa
tiently. lingering my double six,
Twenty" said Goodloc, max
nG two crosses on tho table VITA
his chalk.
Why am l a fool?" I asked.
Buried treasure has been found
before in many places"
Because" said he. in Calcu-
lating the point on the river
where your line would strike you
neglected to allow for the Naria-
tion! The variation there would
be nine degrees west. Let me
have your pencil"
Goodloe Banks figured rapidly
on the back of an envelope
THE distance. from north to
south, of the line run from the
Spanish mission" said he, lis eX-
actly twenty-five miles. 1t WAS
run by pocket compass, accord
ing to your story. Allowing for
tho variation, the point on the
Alamito River where you should
have searched for your treasure
Is exactly six miles and nine hun
dred and forty-hve varas farther
west than the place you hit upon.
Oh. what a fool yau arc. Jim"
What is this variation that you
speak Of" I asked. Il thought
figures never lied"
The variation of the maEnCtit.
compass" said Goodloe, from the
true meridian"
He smiled in his superior way,
and then I saw come out in MS
face the singular. eager. cOnsLr..
ing cupidity OF the seeker atte-
buried treasure.
Sometimes" he said. with the
air OF the oracle. these old trad
tions OF hidden money are not
without foundation. Suppose Icu
let me look over that paper de-
scribing the location. Perhaps
together We might"
The result was that Goo4lo.
iA'hS SAiN 1. l4Nd4S III lONO, Dc
came companions in adventL.t.
We went to Chico by stage f.crl
Huntcrsourg. the nearest railroad
town. In Chico we hired a team
drawing a covered spring wagon
and camping parapi, tTal.a. VI
had the same surveyor run o.
our distance. as revised by GoO.j-
10" and his variations. and U".n
dismissed him and sent him ou
his homcWard road
II was night wnen We arrived
l fed the horses and made d .i;-
near the bank OF the RIVER a
cooked supper. GoodiJc would
have helped. but his cducanap
had not fitted him for pra.tic1.
things.
But while I work 81 he chCcrcd
NE with the expression Of gred,
thoughts handed io~n from ~,
dead ones OF old. Ne quoted
some ran>llty1s from The Creek
at much 'cnssn.
Anacreon. He- cXrla.nCd. Tia:
was favorite pasEaG, with Miss
Magnum-as ! rel ~ IL
She is meant for l:sh.-
things" said l. repeating hi,
phrase.
Can there be any..n ns higher"
asked Goodloc, ':hIl < iweN ir
the society of me i.,sEcv, - hive
in the atmosphere % earning a,,,l
culture? You haze often .decrjel
education. What Of , IT vast, d
efforts through yoI.. ignorance Of
simple mathematics? u.w :crn
would you have fouli yC1r ti"as-
ure II my knowrdEe had not
shown you your eTrrr:'
We'll take ioBI II :ucsc jilis
across the rive hTs,. SAID !, and
SEC what We find am still
doubtful about variations. l have
been brought up to believe that
the needle is true to the pole. >
The next morning was a. bright
June ono. We were up early and
had breakfast. Goodlee was
charged He recited-Keats I
think it was, and Kelly or Shell
ley-while I broiled the bacon.
We were getting ready to cross
the river, which was little. more
than a shallow creek there. and
explore the many sharp
codar-covered hills on the other
side.
My good Ulysses" said Good
loe, ,slappinS me on tho shoulder
while ! was washing the tin
breakfast plates, "let me sec the
enchanted document once more.
believe it gives directions for
climbing the hill shaped like a
pack-saddle. / never saw a pack
saddle. What is It like, Jim?"
Score one against culture" said
I. "Ill know II when / see it."
Goodloe was looking at old
Rundle's. document when he ripped
out most uncolleSiate swear
word.
Come here" he said. holding
the, paper up against the sun
liCht. "I.nnk at that l,n Said