Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1922-02-23
CcHAPTER xI.-contInued1

(CHAPI EH Ni.-Continued.)
IL
And now l have TO think about
moving the gold. First of all | must
get the chest itself aboard the Island
Queen. This means that shall have
TO empty II apd leave the gold In the
cave, while l get the chest out by
sea. When the chest is safely I'm the
cabin OF the slOOp-where 1t won't
leave much room for Benny and his
master, I'm afraid will take the
bags OF coin out by the land entrance.
/ can't think Of risking my precious
dOubloOns In the voyage around the
point.
~Of course / should have liked to
get TO the task today. but after the
first mad thrill of the great event was
over. l found myself as weak ana I'M
nerved as a woman. So by a great
effort / came away and left my glOri-
Gus golden hoard. Now l dream and
glOat, playing with the idea that to-
morrow | shall find II all a Antasy.
The pleasure OF this is, of course. that
all the while l know this widest of
all Arabian fairy tales TO be ss 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 a pig. So he
Is as well pleased with the day as
am. Now l am sitting I'm the doorway
of my cabin, writing up my journal,
and trying 10 calm down enough TO go
TO bed. II II were not for the swift
fading OF daylight, l would go back
TO the cave for another peep into the
chest. But all round the island the
sen 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 of In troops 10 their nests On the
cliffs. Somehow a curious dislike,
almost fear, Of this wild, sea-girt, soil
tary place has come over me. long
for the sound OF human voices. the
touch Of human hands. I think N the
dead man lying there at the door of
the cave, its silent guardian for 80
long. suppose he brOoded once on
the thought Of the gold as | dO-per-
hnps he has been brooding 80 these
ninety years! / wonder II he is
pleased that /. a stranger, have come
into possession OF his secret hoard at
lastl
'Oh, Helen, turn your heavenly face
on me-be my refuge from these shud-
dering unwholesome thOughts' The
gold is for yOu-fOr you'll Surely that
must cleanse IL of its stains, must
loose the clutch OF the dead hands
that strive TO hold IL!
February IL. This morning l was
early at the cave. Yes, there it was,
the same wonder-chest that had
dres med of all night long. IT was alb
sura how the tightness in 1y breast
relaxed.
q began at once the work Of re-
moVing the bags from the chest and
stacking them in the corner of the
cave. 1t was n fatiguing JOB, had
TO stOop so.
Il spent so much time unloading the
chest that before | was ready to go
for my boat the tide was up and
pounding on the rocks below the cave.
l find 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 it sets up a small mael-
strOm among the reefs lying of the
island. At low tide is he time TO
come.
February u. Got the chest out of
the cave, though II was a difficult job.
Luckily there was no sea, and had
a smooth passage around tie point. 4
laughed rather ruefully as / passed
the Cave Of the Two Arches. To
think Of the toll | wasted therel Il
wish Benny had encountered the fate
full pig a little sooner.
Got the chest aboard the Island
Queen and slowed In the cabin. Not
room left to swing a kitten.
in the afternoon began moving the
gold. It's the deuce of a Job.
February 10. Been hard at II for
three days. Most of the gold moved.
Have TO think, too, Of provisions and
water for the trip.
February 16. On board the Island
Queen. Have moved M traps from
the hut and am sleeping on the sloop.
Want to be near the gold. Tomorrow
! have only TO bring the last of the
gold abOard-a triflng matter-and
then 20 out with the ebb. would
have got all the bags on board today,
but / noticed a worn stretch I'm the
cable holding the sloop end stopped
TO repair II. i can't have the slOOp 60
ing on the rocks in case a blow comes
up tonight. There are only about a
load and a half of bags left in the
cave.
"a queer notion seized me today
about the crucifix, when | was bring
ing 1t from the cave. 1t seemed to
float into my BRAIN can't say from
what quarter-that l had better leave
the crucifiI for Bill. II wasn't more
than he had a right TO, realIy-and
there is no virtue In a crOss-bOnes to
make q man sleep well.
"Of course ] put the absurd idea
from me, and brought the crucIfix
aboard along with the rest Of the gold.
l shall be glad when ! know that the
vines have again covered that lonely
looking gravestone frem sight. | can't
help feeling my own glorious good for
unlucky Bill.
Tomorrow one last trip to the cave.
and then hey. for home and Helen I"
TIE diary ended here.
I closed the book, end stared with