Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-12-30
CHAPTER v-continued.)

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Mr.. TubDs then produced legal
looking document which l took to be
the original agreement of the members
of the expedition. Beneath their sig
natures he had inscribed a sort of
codicil, by which / relinquished all
claim on any treasure recovered by
the party l signed the clause in a
bold and defiant hand, under the at
tentive eyes of the company. A sort
of sigh went round, as though some
thing Of vast moment had been con-
cluded. And indeed it had, for now
the way was clear for Violet's map.
Covertly watched the faces around
me. Mr.. Tubbs' eyes had grown
bright; he licked his dry lips. His
nose, tip-tilted and slightly dubious,
took on a more than usually roseate.
hue. Captain Magnus, who was OF
res less and jerky habit at the best
OF times, was like a leashed animal
seeming blood. Beneath his open
shirt you saw the quick rise and fall
of his hairy chest. His lips, drawn
back wolfshly, displayed yellow, fang
like teeth Under the raw crude greed
of the man you seemed to glimpse
something indescribably vulpine and
ferocious.
The face of Dugald Shaw was con-
troned, but there was slight rightly
in its quiet. A pulse beat rapidly In
his cheek. All worldly good, all hope
of place. power, independence, hung
for him on the contents of the small
fiat package, wrapped in oil-silk, which
Miss Browne was at this moment with
drawing from her pocket.
Only Cuthbert Vane, seated next to
me, maintained without effort his Sc
renity. For him the whole affair be-
longed in the category known as sport
ing, where a gentleman played his
stake and accepted with equanimity
the issue.
The dead sailors legacy consisted
of a single sheet of time-stained pa
per. Two-thirds of the sheet was COW
cred by a roughly-drawn sketch In
faded ink, giving the outline Of the
island shores as we had seen them
from the Rufus Smith. Here was the
cove, with the name it bears in the Adj
miralty charts-Lantern bay-written
in, and a dotted line indicating the
channel.
To all appearance the map was
merely to give Hopperdown his direc-
tions for entering the cove. There
was absolutely no mark upon it to
show where the treasure had been
buried.
Now for the writing on the sheet
below the map. It was in another
hand than, that which had written
Lantern bay across the face of the
cove, and which, though labored, was
precise and clear. This other was an
uneven, wavering scrawl:
HE sed it is in a Cave with 2
mouths near by the grave Of Bill Hal
lwell witch was cut down for he new
TO much. He sed you can oring boat
to the cave at the half Tide but be-
ware the turn for the pull is strong.
He sed to find the Grave again look
for the stone at the head marked B.
Fl. and a Cross Bones. In the Chist
is gold Dubloons, a vast lot, also a
silver Cross witch he sed leve for the
Grave for he sed Bill walks and that's
Unlucky."
That was all. A fairly clear direc-
ton for any friend who had attended
the obsequies of Bill and knew where
to look for the stone marked B. II.
and a cross-bones, but to perfect
strangers it was vague.
A blank look crept into the intent
faces about the table.
Tit don't happen to say in more
deetaii Jest precisely where that cave
might be looked for?" inquired Mr..
TlIbbs hopefully.
an more detail?" repeated Miss
Browne, challengingly. "Pray, Mr..
Tubbs, what further detail could be
required?"
"a good deal more, am afraid"
remarked the Scotchman grimly.
Miss Browne whirled upon him. In
her cold eye a spark had kindled.
And suddenly l had new vision of
her. l saw her no longer as the de-
luder of Aunt Jane, but as herself the
deluded. Her belief in the treasure
was an obsession. This map was her
talisman, her way of escape from an
existence which had been drab and
dull enough, l dare say.
"AIr. Shaw"-Miss Browne gave the
effect of drawing herself up in line
of battle-'I feel that must give ex-
preston to the thought which comes
to me at this moment. 1t is this
that if the members of this party are
to be chilled by carping doubts, the
wave Of enthusiasm which has tioated
us thus far must inevitably recede,
leaving us flotsam on a barren shore.
What can one weak pardon,
my unfaltering Jane 1.-TWO women
achieve against the thought of fall