The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-08-06

bert vane. to her dlsquietude The land
Ing. however, is safely effected.
i CHAPTER v-Led by Miss Higglesby-
Browne, the party draws up an agree
ment whereby Virginia Harding is barred
from participation in the profits of the
expedition Believing the whole thing TO
be a fraud, Virginia is not greatly wor-
rfed. Cuthbert Vane alone votes against
the exclusion of Virginia
--------
Tne Bonny- Lass cruIsed north along
the coast. the passenger desiring to
put In at Panama in the hope that
word might reach him there of quiet
err times at home But somewhere off
Ecuador on a dark and starless night
the merchant of Lima vanished over.
board "and what could you expect
asked Captain Sampson in effect
when a Iubber like him would stay
ON deck in a gale?" Strange to say
the merchants body-seryant met the
fate of the needless also.
Struggling his shoulders at the care.
1essness of passengers, Captain Samp!
son bore away to Leeward island, per.
haps from curiosity to see this old
refuge of the buccaneers, where the
spoils of the sack of Guayaqufl were
said to have been buried. Who knows
but that he, too, was bent on treasure
seeking? Be that as it may, the little
brig found her way into the bay on the
northeast side of the island, where
she anchored Water was needed, and
there is refreshment in tropic fruits
after diet of salt horse and hard
tack. So all hands had a holiday
ashore. where the captain did not dis
dain to join them. Only he went
apart, and had other occupation than
sWarming up the palms for coco
nuts.
One fancies, then. moonless night,
crew sleeping off double grog, gen
erously allowed them by the captain ;
boat putting off from the Benny
Lass, in which were captain. mate,
and one Bill Halliwell, able seaman, a
man of mighty muscle; and as freight
an object large, angular and ponder
Gus. so that the boat Jagged heavily
beneath the rowers' strokes.
Later, Bill, the able seaman, grows
presumptuous ON the strength of
this excursion with his betters. Ii
Is word and blow with the cap
tain of the Benny Lass, and Bill is
conveniently disposed of. Dead, as
well as living, he serves the purpose
OF the captain, but of that later.
Away sailed the Bonny Lass, sailing
once for all out of the story. As for
Captain Sampson, there is a long gap
In his history, hazily filed by the
story of his having been lieutenant to
Benito Bonito, and one of the two
survivors when Bonito's black flag
was brought down by the British frig
ate Espiegle. But sober history
knows nothing of him until he reap
pears years later, an aged and broken
man, In a back street of Bristol
Here was living certain Hopper
down. who had been boatswain on the
Bonny Lass at the time that she sc
regrettably lost her passengers over
board. He saw and recognized his ole
skipper hobbling along the Bristo
Quays, and perhaps from pity took tht
shabby creature home with him
Hopperdown dealt in sailors slops
and had q snug room or two behind
the shop. Here for while the for
mer Captain Sampson dwelt, and af
ter swift illness here he died. Witt
the hand of death upon him, his grin
lips at last gave up their secret Wit
stiffening fingers he traced a rougl
map, to refresh Hopperdown's mem
DRY after the lapse of time sine,
either had seen the wave-beaten cliff
of Leeward island For Captail
Sampson had never been able TO re
turn to claim the treasure which h
had left TO Bill HalliwelPs siien
guardianship. If he had, indeed
sailed with Bonito he had kept hi
secret from his formidable command
or. Even as he had dealt with BIZ
Halliwell, so might Bonito deal by hir
---or at least the lions share must b
yielded TO the pirate captain. An
the passion of Captain SIMPSONS lif
had come to be his gold-his hidde
hoard ON far-of Leeward island.
was his. now. all his. The only othe
who knew its hiding place his fol