White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-05-09
CHAPTER XII

1t had been proposed by Doctor
White that they all might save them
selves unnecessary argument and dis
| cord if they were to postpone discus
sion of their legal, moral and other
claims to whatever might be salved
from the Fourquet, until such time as
they might be able to estimate the
value of such salvage, if any, and it's
character. He had admitted freely to
count de Corlay and Robert that they
were, in his opinion, entitled to due
share in any property that might be
proved to have belonged to their an
cestor, personally and incontestably
Doctor White made it clear that he
could not consider such to be booty
that might have been taken from en-
envy ships and therefore subject to es-
innate and fair division as spoils of
war.
The De Corlays, pere ct fills, were
obliged to be content with this, the
point being incontestable.
| Doctor White had clearly defined
their position when he said, "Your own
efforts, gentlemen, had nothing what
ever to do with my wards discovery
OF the position of the wreck. That was
made before she knew anything about
you or your presence here. Mr.. Jor-
dan already had made preparations for
his search. He was working on a wrong
theory, and Miss Poole, knowing this,
| would have FASTENED to prove the lo,
cation If only to save him useless eff
fort and expense. But we admit freely
that your presence here, and what you
told us, led to our deciding that there
was no time to lose, and acting ac-
cordingly."
When the count seemed disposed to
take up this point, Doctor White con-
tinued, GAS I see it, your most con-
siderable claim is that your son en-
tered into an agreement of partner
ship with Mr.. Jordan, when both of
them managed by methods that where
high handed but justified, I think, in
disposing of Sebastien. If it had not
been for their action there is no tell
ing what might have happened Miss
Poole and recognize that fact most
fully, and desire to give it full credit.
But you must yourself agree that it
gives Mr.. Jordan quite as strong a
moral claim as any of us have"
The count looked thoughtful at this,
but voiced no protest He was sensible
enough to see that legally he had
| scarcely any claim at all; and in any
case that litigation would have been
so involved as to seem hopeless. There
| were also other considerations, of
which he was indisposed to speak.
Sebastien had taken himself off,
back no doubt to the safer and more
profitable traffic of rum running. In
this he was wise, for not only could
the charge of sabotage be brought
against him but there were four cred
liable persons prepared to swear that
he had been about to commit murder
Gus assault with lethal weapon, when
interrupted. Sebastien must have real
lied also that there was little chance
OF his recovering anything for the
sinking of his cruiser. Tom might
have claimed an accidental collision In
| the fog, In which case he could have
been held responsible only to the value
of his boat, this not worth much after
her ramming maneuver.
Mike arrived in due course, and went
! about his operations with the skilled
assistance of Tom and Robert. A Sec
! tion of the Fourquet's side was dyna-
n1ted, and a number of articles inter
esting to the antiquarian recovered.
The diver gained access to what evil
IDENTIFY had been the quarters of the
commanding officer, but failed to dis
cover anything Of much intrinsic
worth. He found some pieces of silver
plate and drinking cups, and hand
some punch bowl. Then he reported
three small cannon sof the culverin
sort, but not as long as was customary
In such guns of the sixteenth century,
which Doctor White thought from the
description would have been the epoch
of their casting.
According to honest Mike, these un-
mounted guns evidently had been held
In reserve, down on the keel, where
they contributed to serve as ballast,
When the Fourquet turned turtle they
either had crashed through the decks,
or smashed through later from their
weight, finally to come to rest on a,
main beam of the spar deck, that was
on bottom
(Tn 70 Tor+i,,roJ\