The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-28
EDcning Story
Buried Treasure.
BY FREDERICK HART.

ct wonder why grandfather kept !
this old map?"
Beatrice Forbes studied the sheet of
paper which she held in her hand. |
Beside her Foster Reeves, her house
guest and old friend, idly tried to de-
cipher the scrawled document. The
pair were seated on a low dune of
sand on the beach. Behind them the
land sloped gently up to where white
houses and smooth shell walks signi-
fled the presence of a summer colony;
before them was the flat beach, on
which the waves broke gently. 1t was
a gloriously calm day: the ocean was
unruffled by a breeze; the ground
swell was the only movement of the
water. Far out a steamer trailed its
smoke across the horizon.
perhaps it tells where there's a
buried treasure" Foster Reeves's
voice was banterinE. "Here-let's
see it,"
Beatrice handed him the paper.
1T was in his desk for years and
years." she said. Il think it's an old
survey of this part of the country. But
you can look at it,
Reeves studied the time-worn paper.
1t carried fairly clear outline of the
beach which, according to the scale
indicated in one corner, represented
about six miles of territory. The
ocean was distinguished by neatly
drawn lines running parallel to each
other; that part of the map which
represented the mainland was covered
with marks and figures.
East 100 rods to bowlder, south 81
PAGES" he read. Find point by TAX
ing line on the big oak and Hartwelrs
| light"
Where's Hartwelrs light?" he
ASK ed of Beatrice.
1T isn't here any more" she re-
/ nGp6 IN
/ that hummock where the pile of
| stones is. She pointed, and Reeves,
| following her finger, saw a hump OF
sand surmounted by heap of stones
| that showed evidences of having been
| worked by the hand of man. And
then his gaze was arrested by a fea-
| tue of the landscape which he had
seen many times before but had never
particularly noticed.
About a quarter of a mile inland
stood majestic oak tree-by far the
| largest in the neighborhood. Its spread
1 ing branches were silhouetted against
the sinking sun and it showed like a
monarch of the countryside. Reeves
caught his breath. The big oak"
| said the directions on the map. That
must be the big oakland there was
Hartwelrs light. just as described. And
as he cast his glance around he saw
down the beach an enormous bowlder
jutting from the sand-a huge gray
foreground. He turned to Beatrice in
| excitement.
Look" he said. There's the big
oak and the old highland down there
is the bowlder; it must be the one
your grandfather meant; there's not
another stone anywhere near its size.
We ought to follow the directions on
the map!"
Beatrice laughed.
''Of course the bowIder. and the tree
and the light are there" she said.
Grandfather made this map of this
part of the beach-why shouldn't they
be there? He never hid any treasure.
Come on, let's go in. It's getting late
Foster, aroused from his dreams of
treasure by his companions common
sense, followed her into the house.
But the idea of a buried treasure
would notfdown. When the rest of the
party We're sleeping that night Foster
found his mind running on pieces OF
eight and doubloons hidden in chest
at the point fifty-SeYen PAGES south OF
the fbowlder where the big oak and
HartwelPs light stood in line He
tossed and turned, but sleep would not
come. At last he gave up and left his
bed.
Il may be a darn fool" he said
resignedly, but I'm going to follow
this hunch."
A few minutes later he was dressed
and walking rapidly to the beach. The
simple directions on the map were
easily followed and in a very short
time he found himself at a point where
the great oak and the pile of stone:
that had once been Hartwell's Hght
were in line, 1t was not difficult tc
find where this line cut another fifty
seven PAGES south from the bowldel
he had noticed in the afternoon. Hi!
point established, he took a shovel hi
had brought with him and began t.
dig.
An hour slipped by His hands were
blistered and his back was sore, blu
the strange obsession that was on hin
would not leave him in peace. HI
paused to take a breathing spell ant
Strengthened. Then he started, fol
down the beach toward him came {
figure in white.
ITS grandfather's ghost" h,
thought. and Smiled to himself for hi