The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-09-30
CHAPTER VIII-Continued

L0uI ISL uDSOlutely IuTClCul iOT HITtSt-
ing a man, l won't arrest him. At the
same time shall be glad to hear this
story of yours"
The doctor nodded. "Well," he said.
"since you're in no hurry, think Ill
take time to light cigar myself"
He had 1t drawing comfortably and
had got himself comfortably ensconced
in big easy chair, his feet stretched
out in front of him upon tabouret,
before he began to talk.
"Do you remember" he asked, what
we chatted about on our drive to st.
Martins hospital the other night?"
IF my memory serves me correct.
ly," said Ashton, 1--WE didn't talk about
the murder at all. You spent most of
the time, unless am mistaken, telling
pirate Stories"
The doctor nodded 'Do you remem-
Der my telling you how Bully Frank
lin came to his end? He was killed
by one of his crew as the result of
jealousy and love affair. Now that
murder had some rather interesting
consequences"
''What is this" Ashton interrupted.
ga parable? Am l supposed to draw
some subtle, devious psychological con-
nection between that murder and this
one that we're concerned with?"
''Not at ALL" said the doctor. 81
know you much too well. The connec-
ton between that murder and this is
literal. It's about the most direct con-
nection that could possibly exist be-
tween two events separated by half
world and nearly two decades Of time.
The second murder was the logical
consequence of the first; the second
act of the tragedy. I don't say the
last act, because suspect there's an
other still to come"
'You've actually traced connec-
tion?" Ashton asked with gasp.
LET me tell my story rlght-end-to,"
said the doctor. you'll see the con-
nection plainly enough when come to
it. told you, think, that Franklin's
crew became completely disorganized'
! after his death, and that most Of the
members of it were apprehended and
paid the penalty Of their crimes.
There were two, however, who es-
capped. One of them was his first mate,
Josiah Haines. The other man was
Franklin's murderer. He disappeared,
too, at least he was never brought to
justice. The authorities, for some rea-
son, didn't seem to regard his capture
as especially important, for no price
was ever put upon his head. That
mans name was Henry Morgan"
had seen what was coming, but 1t
was clear that Ashton had not. His
eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped
slack, the cigar he held fell from his
nerveless fingers.
"Henry Morgan" he repeated.
"The same MANI"
Undoubtedly the same. He fled
almost Immediately after committing
the murder, but not until he had gone
through his chiefs pockets, and pos
sibly rifled his stateroom besides. At
any rate, he got away with what ready
cash Franklin had upon him-and he
was famous, remember, for carrying
q good deal-and also some papers.
The money he got was utterly insig-
nificant compared to the potential
value Of another thing he took with
him. That other thing was the map,
of which l spoke just now"
He stretched out his arms, rose from
his chair and took turn or two about
the room.
II ought to amend that last re-
mark" he continued. II don't know
myself how great the potential value
of that map may be. Its Importance
in the eyes of Josiah Haines was I'M
doubtedly very great, and Haines was
in position to know, if anyone was.
Franklin always had reputation for
possessing a good business head.
Many as were the robberies he COM
mitted, numerous as were the unfOr-
tunate people whom he murdered out
right, he gained more by fraud than
by violence. He cheated vastly more
men than he killed. have little doubt
that he laid up really considerable
fortune. But whatever it amounted
to, he hid it in that particularly for
saken corner of the world which is in
dictated by cross upon that map AS
I said, Morgan got the map and fed
to America with it,"
1T seems to me-" Ashton inter-
jected, "that he would have done bet
ter to have gone straight to this for
saken island and collected the treas
ure first. But then, so far as that
goes, how do you know he didn't?"
Because he couldn't" said the doc
tor. Franklin had outwitted him
after all. He had to make map, for
the location of the treasure was too
complex to trust to memory. But he
made the map perfectly worthless to
anyone who was a stranger to his
secret, by emitting latitude and
longitude from it. There was nothing
about it to inform its possessor where.
in the whole South Pacific, that island