The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-07-29
CHAPTER III-Ccntinued

"There must shave been some stand
ard, some test that he tried those coast
lines by. When they did not fit 1t,
he destroyed them. That test or stand
ard may have existed solely In his
memory. If not, If 1t was thing
committed to paper, then we can find
1t. Whatever it was, he must have
been in the habit of referring to it con-
stantly. In that case, have no doubt
that it's somewhere in this room.
Take the lamp and hold 1t at the 9th
er end of the bookshelves-so. Now
raise 1t so that the light will fall horl-
zontally along the top shelf"
He had stationed himself at the 0p-
pOsite end from where stood. and he
sighted along the projecting edge of
the srelffas I raisetI the lamp to the
height he indicated.
'"Try the next one" he said. $50.
And now the next. There; that'll do,
We've got it. II I'm not mistaken"
He walked over toward my end of
the case and pulled book out Of the
third shelf.
sour thanks are due to the old wom-
an for not being too good housekeep-
err" he observed in comment. 1.-THE
dust on those books is evidence enough
that he was not in the habit of read
ing them. But this one shows a clear
track in and out of the shelf. There's
no better hiding place for a sheet of
paper than a book"
He balanced the book carefully in
both hands, and then let it open where
It would.
SWELL" he said, 81 think we've
found it," for there between the two
yellow pages was a blush sheet of
semi-transparent paper, folded.
He laid down the book and opened
up the paper. 1t was map, too, and
as l looked at it closely, saw that
it was executed ON a very large scale.
1t was map Of a very narrow-necked
peninsula. The soundlngs in the sea
all about 1t were indicated frequently.
Over the surface of the land Itself
were various little numerals, which
had their explanation in legend in
the corner. One had only to read q
little way down this explanatory col
umn to see with what minute care the
map had been drawn, and on how
large scale. Such unimportant OBJ
jects, from a geographer's point of
view, as granite bowlder or blasted
tree had their position indicated.
No, the purpose of that map-maker
had not been purely geographical. So
much was clear.
''It's tracing, you see," Doctor
McAliSter observed. Hes got the
original locked away somewhere, now.
But, do you notice, there's nothing on
the sheet, anywhere, to indicate in
what part of the world this bit of
land lies? There's no latitude or
longitude indicated. Wen have to get
the original to find that"
At that, the explanation of the whole
mystery of this wilderness of maps
flashed across my mind.
NO." I cried, "he hasn't got latitude
or longitude on the original, either
He never knew. to the day of his
death, any better than we know now,
into what sea that little peninsula
juts its head. That's what he spent
the last three years of his life hunt
ing for"
Doctor McAlister nodded gravely.
"You are quite right" he said; fright
beyond a doubt. There's no knowing
what there is to be found on that bit
of headland, but whatever it is, he
wanted it badly"
1t was natural that we should both
in our excitement over the discovery,
our nerves were higher strung than
usual. 1t had grown pretty late.
There was dead stiffness within the
house. The only sound. save the tick
ing of clock, that came to our ears
was the occasional moan of gust of
wind through the trees and around
the. corners of the house. So it was
natural that we both started violently
when a gust of wind blew open one of
the windows, with a bang, and caused
our lamp to flicker and then go out.
1 laughed nervously, and wiped my
forehead with the back of my hand.
1t was wet. Then I rose, or rather,
started to rise, and spoke at the same
time-began to speak, at any rate.
What had in mind to say was, that
would close the window if the doctor
would relight the lamp.
But before had said three words,