Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1921-11-03

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CAMILLA !. KENYON
CAMILLA KENYON
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.(cHAPTER XII. Continued,

f{iF
CHAPTER XII. contlnusd.)
v. ~ 49, q ii
And now I have to think about
moving the gold. First Of all / must
get the chest itself aboard the Island
Queen. This means that / shall have
70 empty It and leave the gold in the
cave, while y get the chest out by
sea. When the chest is safely In the
cabin OF the sloop where It won't
leave much room for Benny and his
master, I'm Afraid win take the
bags Of coin out by the land entrance.
I can't think Of risking my precious
doubloons In the voyage around the
point. Sls Al,
I "Of course I should have liked to
get to the task today, but after the
first mad thrill Of the great event was
over I found myself as weak and un-
nerved az q woman. SO by a great
effort I came away and left my glori-
Gus golden hoard. Now dream and
gloat, playing with the idea that to-
morrow, / shall find 1t all a fantasy.
The pleasure Of this is, Of course, that
all the while know this widest OF
all Arabian fairy tales to be as real
as the most drab and sober fact Of my
hitherto colorless life.
after all, on the way back from the
cave Benny brought down pig. So he
is as well pleased with the day as I
am. Now 1 am sitting in the doorway
OF my cabin, writing up my journal,
and trying to calm down enough to 70
TO bed. Il 1t were not for the swift
fading Of daylight, I would 60 back
to the cave for another peep into the
chest. But all round the island the
sea is moaning with that peculiarly,
melancholy note that comes with the
falling Of night. The sea-birds have
risen from the cove and gone wheel
ing off In. troops to their nests on the
cliffs. Somehow a curious dislike.
almost fear, Of this wild, sea-gtrt, soli-
5tary place has come over me. / long
for the sound, Of human voices, the,
touch Of human hands. I think OF the
dead man lying there at the door Of
the cave, Its. silent guardian for SO
aong. I suppose he brooded once on
the thought Of the gold as I do per-
maps he has been brooding SO these
ninety years I wonder IL he is
pleased that Ia stranger, have come
into possession Of his secret hoard at
1asti q,
.Oh, Helen, turn your heavenly face
ION meb be my refuge from these Sshud-
;dertng unwholesome thoughts! The
gold is for youfor youl Surely that
must cleanse It OF its stains, must
loose the clutch Of the dead hands
that strive to hold Il |!
February n. This morning I was
early at the cave. Yes, there 1t was,
the same w0nder-c chest that I had
dreamed Of all night long. It was alb.
surd how the tightness IN my breast:
relaxed.
II BEGIN at once the work Of re-
moving the bags from the chest and
stacking them in the corner Of the
cave. It was fatiguing Job, / had
to stoop so.
II spent so much time unloading the
chest that before u was ready to 70
for my boat the tide was up and
pounding on the rocks below the cave.
] ind that only at certain stages Of
the tide Is the cave approachable by
sea. At the turn after high water
for Instance, there Is such a. terrific
undertow that 1t sets up a small mael-q
strom among the reefs lying OF the
island. At low tide Is the time to
come. X .@tli 3 I
February 12. Got the chest out Of.
the cave, though It was a difficult job.
Luckily there was no sea, and / had
q smooth passage around the point. I
laughed rather ruefully as passed.
the; Cave Of the Two Arches. To
think Of the toll I wasted therel I
wish Benny had ountered the fate I
tul pig q little sooner.
N Got the chest aboard 4 the Island
Queen and slowed In the cabin. " Not,
Groom left to swing a kitten.
''In the afternoon began moving the
gold. It's the deuce Of a job. !, u
February Is. Been hard at 1t for
SAA1Se I'D - 3AAOSLs4OAt IAe &OlO mOtSUs
lHave to think, too. Of provisions and
water for the trip. NJ /. n
& 'asFebruary 18. On board the island
Queen. Have moved my traps from
khs hut and am sleeping on the sloop.
Want to be near the gold. Tomorrow
Ishave. only to bring the last Of the
gold aboard trifing matter and
then Is ont with the ebb. ~ would
have got MI the bags on board today,
but I noticed u worn stretch ia the
cable holding the sloop and stoppeds
orepalr Il. can't have the sloOp GO
Ing On the rocks u case a blow comes
hpis tonight Thsre are only about q
Load ana q hall ct sbas left II the
cave.
& queer notion seized me today
shout the crucifi 81 when i was bring
mr. II from tie q il seemed to
|aoaf lnto ny bra i'm can't from
what ana. that I had better leave
kha crncifir for Bill I'D 4 Wasii' u more