Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-26
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
BURIED TREASURE
Bg Frederick Hart
"T WONDER why grandfather kept
Il this old map"

81" WONDER why grandfather kept
this old map
! Beatrice Forbes studied the sheet Of
| paper which she he'd in her hand. Be
side her Foster Reeves. her housegucsL
and old friend, idly tried to dccipher the
scrawled document The pair were
seated on Il low dune Of sand on the
beach. Behind them the land s'Oped
gently up 10 where white houses an |
smooth shell walks signnlcd the pres
cncc of summer colony before them
was the fiat beach. on which the waves
broke gently. 1t was n gloriously calm
day: the ocean was unruflled by n
breeze the groundswCll was the only
I movement Of the water. Far out n
steamer traled its smoke across the
horizon.
Perhaps it tells where there's II
buried treasure" Foster Reeves voice
was bantcring. "IIerc--lct's sec IT,"
Beatrice handed him the paper.
1T was in his desk for years and
years." she said. ~ think it's an old
survey of this part of the country. But
you can look at It. y
Reeves studied the time worn paper.
II carried q fairly clear outline Of the
beach which. according 10 the scale in
dicatcd 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 bowldcr, south
fifty seven PAGES" he read. Find
point by taking line on the big oak and
Iartwells light
where's IIartwcll's light" he
asked Of Beatrice.
ut isn't here any more" she replied.
1T used to be over there on that ham
mock where the pile Of stones Is" She
pointed, and Reeves, following her fin
ger, saw n hump Of sand mrmountcd
by heap Of stones that showed evi-
dences Of having been worked by the
hand of man. And then his gaze was
arrested by feature Of the landscape
which he had seen many times before,
but had never particularly noticed.
About u quarter Of mile inland
STOOD majestic oak trce--by far the
largest in the ncighbOrhoOd. Its spread
ing branches were silhoucttcd against
the sinking sun and it showed like
monarch of the countryside. Reeves
caught his breath. The big oak" said
the directions on tn" map. That must
be the big oakland there was Hart
VOLS light. just aS described. And as
he cast his glance around he saw down
tho beach an enormous bowlder iuttinG
from the sand-a huge gray rock that
dominated the immediate foreground.
lie tuprnNd to Beatrice in excitement.
Look - hc said. "There's the big
oak and the old Highland down there
- hs.N LIZ
grandfather meant there's not another
stone anywhcr" near its size. We ought
to follow the directions on the map
Beatrice laughed.
'''Of course, the bowldcr and the tree
and the light are there She said.
''Grandfather made this map of this
part of the beach-why shouldn't thcy
be there? lie never hid any treasure.
Come on. lets 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 buried treasure
would not down. When tho rest of the
party were sleeping that night Foster
found his mind running on pieces Cf
eight and dOublOons hidden in n chest
Mt the point fifty seven PAGES south of
the bowder where the big oak and
iIuIlNfll IlsnL SIoou ln llI', lif NONSct
and turned. but sleep would not come.
At last he gave up and left his bed.
~ may be a darn fool" lie said
rcStgnedly, but I'm going to follow
this humCh.
\ few minutes later hc vas dressed
aud walking rapidly to the beach. The
simple directions on the map were
easily followed and in very short
time he found himself at n point whcr"
the great oak and tn" pile of stones
that had once been lEartwe!l'S light
were in line. IT was not difficult TO
find where this line cut another fifty
seven parrS south from the bowldCr he
had noticed in the afternoon. Ills
point established. he took n shovel he
had brought with him and began to
dig.
An hour slipped by. His hands wcr.
blistercd and his back was sore. but
tic strange obscSsiou that was on him