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diff --git a/57975-0.txt b/57975-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0da2f45 --- /dev/null +++ b/57975-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1767 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57975 *** + + + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + https://archive.org/details/excavatinghusban00wall + + + + + +EXCAVATING A HUSBAND + +by + +ELLA BELL WALLIS + + + + + + +The McLean Company +Publishers +Baltimore, Md. + +Copyright +1916 +Ella Bell Wallis + + + + +EXCAVATING A HUSBAND + + +Katherine Boulby had reached her fiftieth year, and all these years +had been spent in single blessedness. It is true that she had not +realized the entirety of the perfect calm and peace that abides in the +maiden state, for her brother Joseph and she lived together. But Miss +Katherine--as she was commonly called in her native town--was of a +cheerful disposition and said that she felt she was indeed blessed +among women, as she had graciously been endowed with sense enough to +choose a free and unfettered life, and the vexations and limitations +contingent upon the proximity of one of the male sex, had been +mitigated as much as possible for her as her brother was a quiet, +fairly pliant man who rarely interfered with her plans for broadening +and enriching her mind. + +This mental culture was Miss Katherine's chief aim in life, and it was +not a selfish one. She never refused to give abundantly of her +knowledge, and ever strove to correct and purify the literary and +artistic tastes of her friends. It would be quite impossible to state +upon what lines Miss Katherine pursued her mental cultivation, for, +like the great geniuses, she was extremely versatile, and in almost +every subject she described an avenue which, if followed to the end +would lead at last to the goal whither she was bound. As Miss +Katherine strayed from one path to another in the great labyrinth of +learning, it is very probable that she was inextricably lost and +didn't know it. But she found pleasure and sustenance therein, and +never sought to find herself. + +Now, it is far from my purpose to represent my heroine as a +blue-stocking or as other than a most charming person. Had she pursued +her studies methodically and scientifically she might not have been +the same delightful woman that she was, but she flitted from romantic +prose to didactic poetry and from poetry to astrology, and thence to +architecture, history or biology. In Miss Katherine you found a person +who possessed a rare instinct concerning hobbies. She never became so +abstruse as to be unintelligible to her friends who were not +hobbyists. She dealt in interesting and easy generalities. + +In fact, Miss Katherine was one of a type the world cannot spare. Of +good, sound, common sense she possessed the usual allotment, but in +rare, child-like enthusiasm and love of romance she was richly +endowed. It is true that at times everything but romantic fancies +seemed expelled from her mind, but the complications thus arising were +of no moment when all the brightness and zest she infused into life +were considered. It was psychologically impossible for Miss Katherine +to view the commonplace occurrences of everyday life in the same light +as do most of us. She found in a very ordinary event the nucleus of +something interesting and romantic. So you see there was nothing of +the blue-stocking about my heroine. + +There is another matter upon which the reader must be clear. One might +think from Miss Katherine's fervent thankfulness for her single state +that she had an aversion to men. Such was the case only in theory. It +seemed more fitting for a single woman of artistic temperament to avow +a distaste for the society of the coarser sex, but in reality she got +along rather better with men than women. As a rule, men are better +listeners than women, and Miss Katherine found them more disposed to +listen to her latest ideas and freshest aspirations than were women. +She did not credit these listeners with ability to understand all she +was saying and this incapacity in man was the reason she had never +married. She had a susceptible heart, but it would respond only to him +who would understand her. She was not at all averse to marriage and +kept a vigilant eye upon the horizon that she might catch the first +possible glimpse of the romantic figure she confidently expected +would one day loom thereon. His appearance was long delayed, and, +while Miss Katherine did not mourn because of this, still she wisely +considered moving to where she would view a new and broader horizon. + +One day she came upon the following advertisement: + +"For Rent--Furnished house, property of Captain Peter Shannon; +delightful situation, attractive and comfortable house; garden +contains very choice plants and shrubs. Apply, W. J. Skinner, Ocean +View." + +"There!" exclaimed Miss Katherine to her brother, "isn't it delightful +to find just what we want with so little trouble?" + +"How do you know it's just what we want?" asked Joseph, who had +partially consented to his sister's suggestion that they rent a house +near the sea during the spring and summer. + +Miss Katherine did not possess any occult power by which she could +visualize the property advertised, but she did have a remarkable +faculty for reading between lines. It often happened that she found +there that which defied every other interpretation, but this was +possibly owing to her highly developed imagination. She had so often +urged her brother to develop this quality, that now his utter lack of +imagination made her reply crisply-- + +"How do I know? Because my mind has certain qualities that I see yours +will never possess, and besides I think a little. Now consider this +advertisement with the aid of a very little imagination and common +sense. The owner is a sea captain. That is a volume in itself to me. +Sailors are very fond of the picturesque, so I should expect Captain +Shannon's house to be delightfully situated, quaint and comfortable. I +can't imagine anyone from whom I'd rather buy property than from such +a man as Captain Shannon must be," concluded Miss Katherine. + +"Why don't he live in it himself, then, if it's such a fine place?" +inquired Joseph with an attempt at sarcasm which was quite beyond him. + +"Can he live in a house on the land and sail on the sea at the same +time?" demanded his disgusted sister. + +"Well, if I had such a place as you say it is I wouldn't be risking my +neck on the sea. I'd stay right there and raise vegetables," returned +Joseph. + +Joseph was several years older than his sister and as he had just +retired from business with the intention of spending the remainder of +his days in peace and calm, he thought it wise not to jeopardize this +residue of his life by running counter to any fixed idea of his +sister. But in yielding to Miss Katherine's strong desire to spend +the spring and summer near the sea, Joseph was not solely actuated by +fear of her displeasure. He thought that a few months of undisturbed +gardening would be the purest possible happiness, so readily consented +to Miss Katherine's going to view the place for rent. She went, she +saw and she was captivated. Such a view! Such a garden! Nothing could +be more delightful. + +Ocean View was not far distant from their home, so the day after his +sister's return Joseph set out to see the house for himself. He found +Miss Katherine's praise very just. It was indeed a most pleasant +place, and though the garden sadly needed care, that fact, in Joseph's +eyes, did not detract from the desirability of the place. Beneath a +very impassive exterior he concealed a tenderness and real passion for +flowers and a garden. He had passed his days in his hardware shop +among unlovely objects, and had never gratified this one passion, +which was still strong. But now Joseph thought of the long spring and +summer days spent in the garden, and went in haste to interview the +agent. + +"Captain Shannon's place, eh?" said Mr. Skinner. "It used to be a +pretty place when the Captain lived there, and I have had good tenants +who have kept it up pretty well, but we didn't rent it last year so +it's grown up rather wild. Would you happen to be fond of flowers, +now?" + +Upon Joseph's replying that he was, Mr. Skinner continued: + +"Captain Shannon lived there only two years when he took to sea again. +I don't know whether he's dead or alive, for that's seven years ago, +and I've never seen or heard from him since. I send the rent to his +bank in New York, but it's my opinion that he's gone where he don't +need money, for if he was alive why wouldn't he come back and spend +the rest of his days here? He ain't a young man by any means, about +sixty, I think. But I was going to tell you why I asked if you were +fond of flowers. The Captain was crazy about them and kept a record of +all his choice plants. That book's in the library now. Well, when he +told me he was going to sea again and asked to rent the place, he said +to get a tenant that would look after the plants. It just seemed to me +he wanted to stay, but the sea pulled too strong for him and he had to +go. But now if you like pottering round in a garden, that's just the +place for you." + +Joseph felt it was but did not express himself too strongly until he +had concluded a very good bargain. + +To Miss Katherine's extreme delight Joseph was ready to move to Ocean +View without delay. She had drawn from him all the information +concerning Captain Shannon that he had obtained from Mr. Skinner. She +had immediately jumped to the conclusion that the Captain had been +lost at sea. To tell the truth, although she had as tender a heart as +woman ever possessed, the owner's tragic end rather increased her +delight in her surroundings. It wasn't every day one had the +opportunity of handling things that had belonged to one for whom fate +had destined such a tragic end. + +It was towards the books in the library that she felt most reverently. +Not for a moment could she forget that these books had been selected, +read and loved by Captain Peter Shannon, victim of the cavernous seas. +But soon she came to value the books for themselves, for she found +them much to her taste. There was nothing in literature that so +captivated Miss Katherine as tales of daring on land or sea, and of +these the Captain's library was full. + +"Captain Shannon must have been a very interesting man," she remarked +rather sadly to Joseph. "I can tell by his books. His tastes were just +like mine," she added naively. + +"Don't let your mind run on him too much, Katie," advised Joseph. "It +would only lead to disappointment, for he's most likely drowned or +dead, it don't matter which." + +"I'd try to exercise a little common sense, Joseph Boulby," returned +his sister acidly. + +"Why, ain't I?" asked Joseph. "I don't see anything unreasonable about +warning you not to set your heart upon a dead man. There's not much +chance of a corpse coming to life these days." + +Joseph's delight in his garden was actually making him facetious. + +However strongly Miss Katherine became convinced that, had he lived, +there would have been a strong affinity and perhaps something more +between Captain Shannon and herself, she did not become depressed. But +without doubt there entered into Miss Katherine's heart a sentiment +that she had never experienced before. + +In a closet full of rubbish she found a portrait of a seamanly +looking, heavily whiskered man. This she rightly conjectured to be a +feeble attempt to reproduce on canvas Captain Shannon's noble +countenance. She tastefully framed the portrait and hung it over the +books she fancied he had best loved. + +Having made an exhaustive examination of the books on the library +shelves, Miss Katherine turned her attention to the papers which the +table and desk contained. She felt no compunction in doing this, +although she rarely meddled with the affairs of others. But to Captain +Shannon's personal papers she felt she had a peculiar right, a sort +of spiritual right. + +What she found among these papers was of such interest and import that +she rushed at once to find her brother. + +"Joseph! Joseph Boulby!" she gasped. "You'll never guess what I've +found! The log of a schooner! Captain Shannon's schooner. He was +shipwrecked and the schooner was lost but--I'll read it to you, +Joseph: 'Log of Schooner Fare-thee-well'--isn't that a fine +name--'Peter Shannon owner and master. + +"'May 17, '05. + +"'Sailed from Manzanilla with cargo of lumber for Panama. Wind blowing +strong from N. W. + +"'Made 105 miles. + +"'May 18. + +"'Wind increased in volume. Still running with wind on starboard beam. +Unable to make an observation. Made 190 miles by dead reckoning. + +"'May 19. + +"'Wind veered slightly to westward and continued to freshen. Glass +falling rapidly. Made 204 miles. + +"'Above is log of schooner up to May 20, from which time it was +impossible to keep further record until she was beached. Following is +story of the last voyage of the Fare-thee-well. It was written after +landing on Cocos Island. + +"'May 20. Hurricane struck us at four bells in the afternoon watch, +as nearly as I can remember. Called all hands to close reef the +mainsail, intending to run before wind under storm jib and mainsail +reefed down, when enormous sea struck us washing away mate and two +seamen, leaving only myself and boy. Schooner heeled so far to port +that I feared she could not right herself, and water covered half the +desk. Strain on mainsail so great that it snapped about fourteen feet +above deck carrying sail and top hamper with it. Boy and I managed to +cut away all stays and shrouds and cleared away the wreckage, after +which we scuddled before the wind under bare poles. With help of boy I +managed to rig spare topsail from stump of mainmast and with storm jib +we managed to keep steerage way upon her. + +"'May 21. Still running before the wind. + +"'May 22. Do. + +"'May 23. Do. + +"'May 24. Just before midnight, as near as I can remember, schooner +struck with terrible force and waves swept her from stem to stem. Boy +carried overboard. Was unable to do anything to save him. + +"'May 25. When morning came the sea had gone down somewhat and I +discovered an island about one hundred fathoms on port bow. Was afraid +vessel would break up so made a raft with what spars and lumber I +could get together, and taking the log book, a few tools, instruments +and provisions, I endeavored to reach the land. After great difficulty +I landed on what proved to be Cocos Island.'" + +For a moment or two after she had ceased reading, Miss Katherine +remained silent as if overpowered. She soon recovered speech however. + +"I thought I had estimated Captain Shannon correctly when I said that +he was no ordinary man, but I don't believe I did full justice to him. +Did you notice the style of this narrative, Joseph? It is so direct +and simple, but forceful and compelling. I don't think I would be +going too far to say that there is the stamp of genius upon this +manuscript. And his modesty, Joseph! Nothing about his wonderful +seamanship that kept the ship afloat or about the quick wittedness and +strength that saved him, or about his sojourn on the island or his +daring escape from it!" + +"I suppose a ship came along and took him off," said Joseph. "I don't +see any daring in that." + +"Well, if you don't, I do," retorted his sister. "The idea of a man +like Captain Shannon waiting for a ship to take him away!" + +"Well, it would be more sensible to wait a spell before he started +out," observed Joseph. + +Tenderly disposed as she was to the memory of Captain Shannon, +Joseph's remark grated upon Miss Katherine, and she made a very +cutting remark about people who had no fine sensibilities themselves +and could not feel for others who had. However, she forgave and forgot +very quickly, and the next evening she confided to Joseph a most +important discovery. + +"You remember that I read last night that Captain Shannon had been on +Cocos Island?" she asked. + +Joseph replied that he remembered all she had read to him. + +"Well," continued Miss Katherine, "the name of that island bothered me +all night, and to-day I set to work to find out what I had heard about +it. This is what I found in the encyclopedia: + +"'Cocos Island, volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean, S. W. of Costa +Rica, with steep rugged coasts and quite level interior; comprises +about nine square miles, is uninhabited and is reported to have been +the place of concealment of treasure, jewelry and plate sent there by +wealthy inhabitants of Spanish colonies on the neighboring mainland +early in the nineteenth century, during the wars in which they +achieved their independence from Spain. The belief that many of these +valuables have never been recovered led to a number of unsuccessful +search expeditions.' + +"They have never been recovered, Joseph," repeated Miss Katherine with +glistening eyes. "Did you note the significance of that? The treasure +was there when Captain Shannon landed on the island, and there he was +alone on the island, with provisions enough to enable him to remain +there a considerable time, with tools to aid him in a complete search, +and with a raft to carry him to the mainland when he had found the +object of his search. What do you think now, Joseph?" + +"He must have had a devil of a time landing on that island in a raft +if the coast is rugged and steep, as it says," remarked Joseph +irrelevantly. + +Miss Katherine wanted to shake her brother, but she brought wile +instead of strength to her aid. Joseph was known among his neighbors +to be "a little close." He certainly regarded with respect and almost +reverence whatever represented a good sum of dollars. + +"That treasure must have been worth millions of dollars," began Miss +Katherine. "Even if Captain Shannon discovered or brought away only a +small part of it, there would have been great wealth in that part." + +"But he might not have known anything about it," interposed Joseph, +who was becoming interested. + +"The idea!" exclaimed his sister, "Captain Shannon not to know all +about Cocos Island!" + +But Joseph wasn't to be scorned off well taken ground, and maintained +that the Captain had had too much sense to put dependence in such +yarns as that. + +Miss Katherine began very patiently: + +"It isn't a yarn, but a well substantiated fact that every sea captain +would know. But I have good reasons for believing he found it," +concluded Miss Katherine mysteriously. + +Miss Katherine closed her lips tightly as if she knew a great deal but +was resolved to make no more disclosures to a skeptic. She acted very +wisely, for curiosity is not confined exclusively to females. Joseph +resisted as long as he could and then said in a gruffly apologetic +tone: + +"I didn't mean to offend you, Katie; but I was trying to see all sides +of the case. Would you have any idea where he put the money and +valuables, if he found them?" + +Miss Katherine was quite mollified. + +"I wouldn't want to say that I knew exactly where he put them, but +I'll tell you what I've deduced from the facts of the case. One would +suppose that Captain Shannon had put all his money into his schooner +which was lost, but notwithstanding that he immediately settles here +and spends a good deal of money upon this property. I am convinced +that that money was part of the treasure he found on Cocos Island." + +Miss Katherine paused impressively. + +"Where is the rest?" asked her brother in almost child-like faith. + +"Fate destined the Captain to be a victim of the sea, so he had to +leave, and he thought to himself that he wanted his treasure to fall +into the hands of some kindred spirit, should he never return. Captain +Shannon is a man whom few understand, but I am convinced that I do. He +was a man of strong human sympathy--" + +"Yes, Katie, dear," interrupted Joseph meekly. "What you say is +perfectly correct, but what were you going to say about the treasure?" + +"I was just about to explain it all, Joseph. He wanted his treasure to +fall into the hands of some kindred spirit, should he never return, +some one who would be able to deduce his idea from the clews he left +behind. First he leaves instructions that only congenial people are to +rent this property, then he leaves his diary. Then he says to himself, +'If the person that reads this diary is really interested in me, that +person will find out the history of Cocos Island and infer my +discovery of the treasure.' And then he thought it would be but a +short step to the actual finding of the treasure." + +"Humph!" grunted Joseph. "A short step? In what direction I'd like to +know?" + +"I am not prepared to say exactly where it is," explained Miss +Katherine, "but my theory is that it is secreted about the house or +garden." + +"If it's in that garden," began Joseph, energetically but was +interrupted. + +"We must be very guarded and no one must suspect our purpose," +cautioned Miss Katherine. "We cannot tell to what ends people might go +if it was discovered that there was a great treasure concealed here. +We will have to be careful about admitting strangers to the house or +garden. It is very probable that some sailors, friends of Captain +Shannon's, might have suspected this, for I never read a treasure +story yet where someone didn't make trouble." + +Twice that night, after Miss Katherine had retired to rest, she almost +rose from her bed at the thought that the house was in a most +unfortified state. Whether she expected to see John Silver, wooden +leg, urbanity and all, climbing in at the window, I can not say, but +she felt so insecure that it was long after midnight when she fell +asleep. She dreamed that Captain Shannon and she were sailing away to +Cocos Island and he was telling her that all the jewels there were +hers if she would only take him, too. Ah! the futility of the sweetest +dreams! + +But the next day Miss Katherine had the treasure searching problem +well in hand. Her mind had at once turned to the classic on this +subject, and she hastened to find Poe's "Purloined Letter" and "Gold +Bug." Therein she found many possible methods and studied in detail +the house-searching methods of the Parisian commissaire de police. She +imparted something of what she had learned to Joseph, but he didn't +have any faith in 'yarns.' His fingers were itching to use the spade +and pick-axe, but this Miss Katherine strictly forbade as yet. + +The next day she continued her studies and was in a most interesting +and instructive part when the door bell rang. She knew that Mrs. +White, their only maid, was so employed that she could not go to the +door. Reluctantly she laid down her book and answered the ring. A +well-built, fresh, clean shaven man of about sixty regarded Miss +Katherine pleasantly as he inquired if Mr. Boulby were home. Upon +being informed that Mr. Boulby was not home, the stranger said that +with permission he would step in and explain his business. The line of +thought upon which Miss Katherine had been intent for the past few +days had inclined her to be suspicious, and she regarded the stranger +with a distrustful eye. He, however, was quite unobservant of this +attitude toward himself, and he stepped into the hall. Miss Katherine +was compelled to conduct him to the library, the other rooms being in +the throes of house-cleaning. As the stranger entered that room his +eye fell immediately upon Captain Shannon's portrait which occupied a +very conspicuous place. He seemed struck by it, and as Miss Katherine +turned to offer him a chair she saw him gazing at it with great +interest. + +"Ah, you observe Captain Shannon's portrait," said Miss Katherine in a +pleased voice. "We have just come here, but I am greatly interested in +the Captain. I found the portrait in a closet and framed it. I think +it is a remarkable face, don't you?" + +The question seemed to confuse the stranger. + +"I--er--do you?" he stammered. "I--er--I believe I have met the +Captain, oh, I mean I knew him quite well. Now, er, well really what +is remarkable about the face?" + +"There is so much remarkable about it, to me," returned Miss +Katherine. "There is unusual strength in every feature, it seems to +me, and the face is a most interesting and attractive one." + +The stranger's hand crept to his face where it went through the +motions of clutching a beard, an adornment which he lacked. He gazed +stupidly from the portrait to Miss Katherine and back again to the +portrait. He spoke in a very hesitating and uncertain way. + +"Did you say--that you--er--found the portrait in a closet--er--and +went to the trouble of framing it?" + +"Yes, that is quite correct. But it was no trouble, only a pleasure +and the contemplation of those features has amply repaid me," replied +Miss Katherine. + +"It--er--will naturally be very gratifying to--er--the +Captain--ah--when he returns--ah--to find his portrait so--er--highly +valued," observed the man. + +"I'm sure I couldn't say about that as the poor Captain was drowned, +at least he is supposed to have been lost at sea. But I believe him to +have been a very modest man, and I doubt whether it would really +gratify him to see his portrait there." + +The stranger's hand again went to his face, and as it was a large hand +almost covered the features. + +"I hadn't heard," he began in a very throaty voice, "I--I--didn't know +that the Captain--ah--wasn't--er--what you just said, you know." + +Miss Katherine observed the stranger sympathetically. He had evidently +been a friend of the Captain and felt his loss. + +"Sit down, sir," she said kindly, "I see you feel this, and no wonder. +Of course in cases like this one is never sure just what has happened; +but it is believed that Captain Shannon must have met with some +misfortune as he has not been heard from for seven years." + +"Oh! seven years!" repeated the man. "Ah, I see." + +"It is a pity that such a man as Captain Shannon should be cut off in +his prime," sighed Miss Katherine. + +"Ah, you think that the late Captain was--er--a--ah--some good in the +world?" inquired the stranger. + +"I am very sure he was that and a most charming man besides," replied +Miss Katherine, her eyes dwelling admiringly and wistfully on the +portrait. + +"The Captain should be hap--ah, I mean--er--it is pleasant--er--I +should say, madam, that--ah--in fact I am detaining you," he lucidly +concluded. + +"Not at all," returned Miss Katherine affably. "If you would explain +your business I might serve in place of my brother, or I can tell him +you called, Mr. ----" + +"Oh--a--Murphy," supplied the stranger hastily. "I knew this place was +for rent but didn't know whether it had been taken or not so I thought +I'd see about it. It would suit me splendidly. Would you--ah--could +you consider a lodger, madam?" + +"Well, really," replied Miss Katherine very pleasantly--the man was +very gentlemanly and not at all ordinary--"really, I'm afraid not, +although I should very much like to accommodate you." + +"Oh, that's alright," Mr. Murphy assured her. "It's a nice healthy +spot and I think I'll spend a few months here--to--er--recover my +health." + +Miss Katherine looked at his fresh face and vigorous frame in some +surprise, whereupon Mr. Murphy made haste to explain: + +"I am feeling very much better now, but not quite right. I--ah--should +be able to lift five hundred pounds. Well now, I'll just say good +morning and I'll see if I can get suitable lodgings somewhere near. I +feel--er--that our common friendship for the late Captain Shannon +should be--ah--a sort of bond, so to speak, between us, so I shall +drop in to see you again." + +Miss Katherine gave him a very cordial invitation to come and see her +brother and herself frequently. + +When the door had closed upon Mr. Murphy, a shade passed over her face +and she betook herself again to the library. Could it be that this +stranger was a spy? Had he really known the Captain and suspected the +existence of the treasure? Was he going to stay in the vicinity to +keep watch upon them? Miss Katherine trembled as she thought of what +might have become of Joseph and herself if she had taken him as a +lodger. But here poor Miss Katherine's heart suffered a pang, for she +thought of the gentlemanly deportment and attractive appearance of her +visitor. He had seemed quite impressed with her, too. There was no +denying it. She rose from the chair with a sigh and walked about the +room. + +"I must hide the book, anyway," she exclaimed aloud. "There's no +telling what that man was after and I'd better put it in a safe +place." + +She took the treasured volume--Capt. Shannon's diary--and, after +glancing out of the window to make sure she was not watched, she stole +cautiously from the room as if the house were full of spies. When she +reached the floor above she stood still, wondering what hiding places +the house afforded. There were not many, she knew, but now she could +think of none. Downstairs was out of the question. Anyone could come +in there at night and carry it off. The second floor was little better +for the windows were all open and anyone could enter them by means of +a ladder. The attic! Yes, that was the only place and Miss Katherine +flew up the steep stairs to the attic. + +There was a very little light admitted through a small window, and +when her eyes became accustomed to the dim light, she saw a trap door +in the ceiling. Of all places in the world this was the most +desirable. As luck would have it she found an old ladder among the +rubbish. One end of this she placed against the trap door, then, +pushing with all her might at the other end, she succeeded in raising +the door and liberating clouds of dust, spiders, dead flies and +cob-webs. Though half choked and blinded she proceeded to execute her +scheme. Placing an end of the ladder in the opening she endeavored to +make it secure from slipping. Of its strength she was fairly +satisfied, but she could not feel confident of its equilibrium. She +did the best she could and then began the perilous ascent. She held +the book in one hand and with the other clung fearfully to the rickety +ladder. She stood in need of another prehensile member for the rungs +of the ladder were worn smooth as glass and every upward step was +fraught with danger. The ladder creaked ominously beneath a weight +that was far from trifling. However, she made a steady progress, and +when she had climbed as far as she dared, she very cautiously reached +upward and placed the book upon the rafters. In her relief at having +placed the book in safety she forgot caution and gave the ladder the +excuse it was looking for. She felt the ladder going and frantically +grabbed the side of the trap door. It was well her arms were not +slender ones for they had to support her entire weight. The very +ceiling creaked. A severe fall was to be preferred to bringing the +roof down upon her, so she suddenly let go her hold and came crashing +down upon the floor that quivered to receive its burden. But it was +only a moment before Miss Katherine was sufficiently recovered to +assure herself that, as the book was securely hidden nothing else was +of consequence. + +Poor Miss Katherine was bruised all over and had considerable +difficulty in hiding her physical sufferings from Mrs. White, who was +a native of Ocean View, and therefore it would never do to arouse her +suspicions. When that lady asked Miss Katherine how she got such a +bruise on her arm, she replied that her flesh bruised at a touch and +she must have struck it against something. But when Mrs. White +inadvertently touched Miss Katherine upon quite another part of her +body and she flinched before she recollected caution, the +aforementioned lady began to wonder, and when a woman begins to wonder +she soon has something to tell. + +When Joseph returned his sister related all that had occurred during +his absence. + +His evident uneasiness concerning Mr. Murphy's motives was quite +comforting. It is so gloomy to be the only anxious one in the house. + +"He can't set foot on the property if we forbid him," said Joseph with +a determined countenance. + +"But we can't do that, at least it wouldn't be wise," remonstrated his +sister gently. It was soothing to her bruises to note Joseph's +anxiety. "He is a perfect gentleman, a man we couldn't treat rudely. +He mightn't be spying at all and then we'd look ridiculous, or we +might arouse suspicions in him by over caution. Now my plan is to let +him call if he cares to, but never to leave him alone and to watch all +his movements very carefully. He might unconsciously give us a clew if +he has any exact knowledge of the whereabouts of the treasure. Now +don't you think that's the wisest course to pursue?" + +Joseph had no wile in his makeup, so would have preferred a pugilistic +encounter at the gate, as the best way of dealing with a spy, but his +sister was undeniably the leader in this affair, so he agreed to +remain passive while she matured her plan. + +It was well that they made their decision concerning the stranger when +they did for the next day, in the afternoon, as Joseph was digging +among the flowers in the front garden, Mr. Murphy appeared at the +gate. Joseph's interest in his work had driven all thoughts of +treasure and treasure seekers out of his mind. He supposed it to be +one of his neighbors and merely looked up and nodded to the caller to +enter. + +"Good afternoon neighbor," said Joseph with what breath his unwonted +exertions allowed him, "could you tell me whether it's too late to +separate these roots and transplant them? I think they're too thick, +but I don't want to spoil 'em for blossoming this year. I think a piny +is as pretty a flower as grows." + +"Why, now, I'd think this was about the right time to separate the +roots, but you want to do it right. Now, if you'd just give me the +spade I'll show you how to handle it and not cut the roots and I'll +separate them, too," replied Joseph's neighbor, throwing off his coat +and seizing the spade. + +Joseph stood by and watched for a few moments and then trotted off to +get himself a spade. The two men spaded and puffed until all the peony +roots lay on the fresh earth. Then the work of separation began. The +supposed neighbor acted as teacher and Joseph was an interested pupil. + +"Bless my soul!" exclaimed Miss Katherine, as she looked out of the +window. "Mr. Murphy!" + +For almost the first time in her life she experienced a pang of +jealousy and pique. When she had advocated tolerancy towards the +suspect, it must be confessed that Miss Katherine was influenced by +more than one consideration. She had been inclined to think that if +the stranger came again, she would be the magnet and not the treasure. +And now here he was pottering around with Joseph! + +She didn't stay vexed long, for soon she thought he might have been +coming to see her and Joseph in his stupid way had stopped him with +questions about his flowers. And then he very likely was fond of +flowers and gardening. All nice men were. The Captain had been +passionately fond of them. + +Finally Miss Katherine sallied out with her most engaging +countenance. + +"So you have pressed Mr. Murphy into service, Joseph?" she asked +brightly. + +"Eh?" returned Joseph. How did Kate know this neighbor's name? + +"I haven't even introduced myself to your brother, Miss Boulby," +explained Mr. Murphy. "We have been working so hard I clear forgot." + +"I mentioned Mr. Murphy's calling, if you remember," said Miss +Katherine to her brother, nudging him sharply. + +"Oh, Mr. Murphy," repeated Joseph. He recollected it all now, and +being no actor, dared do nothing but stare. + +"You must come in to tea," said Miss Katherine to Mr. Murphy, who +accepted promptly. + +When his sister became leader in this scene, Joseph retired to the +background and subsequently to the back yard. Miss Katherine conducted +her guest to the library. Supper would soon be ready. + +"You remind me somewhat of Captain Shannon," remarked Miss Katherine. + +Mr. Murphy looked rather startled. + +"I mean that you are fond of gardening. I have been told that it was a +passion with the Captain," explained Miss Katherine. + +"I heard something like that, too, about the Captain," returned Mr. +Murphy, who seemed more fluent than upon his first visit. + +"How are you feeling to-day, Mr. Murphy?" inquired Miss Katherine +kindly. + +"Feeling,--feeling?" repeated her guest in a puzzled way. + +"Do you think Ocean View will completely restore your health?" +explained Miss Katherine. + +"Oh! Ah, yes!" hastily began Mr. Murphy. "To tell you the truth I have +been so hearty lately that I forget I came here for my health." + +"Isn't that lovely!" exclaimed Miss Katherine delightedly. + +"Ah--er--yes, it is," replied her guest helplessly. He was +unaccustomed to feminine effusiveness. + +"I--ah--really I find that Captain Shannon interests me. Would you +tell me something more about him?" asked Mr. Murphy. + +"I suppose it is some years since you knew him?" interrogated Miss +Katherine, and, as her guest made a rather unintelligible reply, she +continued: + +"I have gathered very little from others concerning Captain Shannon, +but I have deduced a great deal. I don't think there is any class of +people so interesting as sailors, and especially captains. They are +daring, picturesque, romantic, don't you think?"--Mr. Murphy scratched +his head as if he would make an inlet for these new ideas.--"Paul +Jones, Long Tom and even Captain Kidd were such captivating +characters."--Mr. Murphy changed off to the other hand.--"On this +account I was disposed to admire Captain Shannon, and when I noticed +the books he had read and loved I admired him much more. I have always +told my brother that a man is charming in proportion to his love of +tales of daring and chivalry and romance." + +Here the tide of Miss Katherine's eloquence was interrupted by an +eager gesture from her listener. + +"If Captain Shannon set such store by those books, I believe I'll have +a try at them," he said. + +Miss Katherine's face glowed. Here was a man! She went to the shelves +and read over the names. Seeing Mr. Murphy's lips moving as if he were +committing them to memory she offered to make a list for him. This was +too great a kindness! How much he would value it! + +All this and more that followed on the same lines raised Mr. Murphy to +a great height in Miss Katherine's estimation. Through strict +vigilance he succeeded in maintaining this exalted position. + + * * * * * + +Though other matters might temporarily thrust aside her central +subject of interest, Miss Katherine invariably returned to it. The +morning after Mr. Murphy's second visit she set to work in earnest to +obtain a clew to the hiding place of Captain Shannon's treasure. Where +was she to begin? She was well informed on the subject of secret +drawers and closets and she knew that one was apt to stumble upon them +unawares. An inadvertent touch upon a panel, the slightest pressure on +some bit of carving might expose the most cleverly concealed hiding +place. + +For this reason Miss Katherine experienced more or less uneasiness +when Mrs. White was not directly under her eye. She found excuses to +follow her about constantly, until that honest woman, being of +ordinary penetration, concluded that she was not thought strictly +trustworthy. As she was a very sensible being she decided that it was +not unreasonable for Miss Boulby, an entire stranger, to keep an eye +on her. She had heard of such substantials as butter, meat and flour +disappearing through the back door, through the agency of the +domestic, so she offered to get a testimonial from the minister. Miss +Katherine saw her mistake at once and lied glibly but not well. She +explained that since coming to that house she had been strangely timid +and didn't like to be alone, and if Mrs. White had noticed her +following her about it was for that reason and no other. To give +weight to her assertion, she threw in a ghost or two that she had +suspected the house of harboring. Miss Katherine would not have +congratulated herself upon the success of her explanation had she +known that Mrs. White was saying to herself that perhaps all that was +true and perhaps it wasn't, but it would be wise for her to keep an +eye on Miss Boulby. + +Miss Katherine had not yet made a sufficiently exhaustive study of +Poe's Prose tales and was thus employed in the library the next +morning, when, happening to glance up from her book, her eyes fell +upon the great fireplace that occupied almost the entire end of the +room. Miss Katherine received an inspiration. She sat up, straight and +alert. + +"It is a most likely place," she said aloud. + +She went over to the fireplace, looked at it carefully and began a +careful examination of the old-fashioned iron ornamentations. In the +centre of the mantle was a dog's head in gilded iron. She pinched and +pushed him, trying to find a spring in his eyes, nose, ears or tail. +He remained immovable, however, as did everything else pertaining to +the mantle. But there was still hope. She lightly tapped the brick +walls for she had been reading Poe's frightful tale of the black cat, +and she had learned that an unusual space in a wall could be detected +by a light rap upon it. Miss Katherine's ear was not trained to this +sort of divination, but she persevered, testing first a wall she was +certain was solid and then working on a suspected area. + +Mrs. White had not forgotten her suspicions of the previous day and +was on the alert. She knew Miss Boulby was in the library and when she +caught the sound of a gently repeated, mysterious rapping in that +room, she tiptoed to the door and applied her eye to the keyhole. What +she saw would have made anyone inquire whether Miss Boulby were in +possession of her senses or if she never had had any. She was down +upon her knees before the hearth, gently tapping the bricks and +listening intently to the sound she produced. + +"My stars alive!" whispered Mrs. White to herself as she rose on +trembling limbs, "what's she after or is she crazy? It's my belief +she's stark crazy." + +Unable to satisfactorily answer her own query she crept back to the +kitchen, where she sat down and faced the situation. Was she not in +danger by remaining there with a lunatic? She shivered when she +thought that she very likely had been within an inch of death when +Miss Boulby had taken to following her around. Thank goodness, she had +taken to tearing the house to bits and not her! Mrs. White resolved to +have a bad attack of sciatica that very night and to leave the next +morning. Meanwhile she would be constantly on guard. + +All unsuspecting this attitude on Mrs. White's part, Miss Katherine +was preparing for bed that night and thinking about the unfortunate +impression she had made upon Mrs. White. + +"She is a good and sensible woman," said Miss Katherine to herself. "I +should be very sorry to hurt her feelings or awaken any suspicions in +her, but--I declare to goodness I've never searched the cellar and +that's one of the likeliest places. I can't possibly do it in the +daytime for she goes there so frequently. I'd just better slip down +now and have a look." + +So saying, Miss Katherine slipped a heavy wrapper over her night +dress, drew on her stockings and slippers, and with the extreme +caution that makes every board in a floor creak and every joint in +one's body crack, she proceeded down the stairs. + +Now this stealthy tread was just what Mrs. White's ears was expecting. + +"She's prowling round the house," whispered that lady to herself. +"It's a mercy I didn't fall asleep." + +Having located the enemy, Mrs. White slipped out in cautious pursuit. +She heard Miss Katherine enter into the kitchen and open the cellar +door and start down the stairs. She stole out the front way and went +round the house to a cellar window. When she arrived at that vantage +point she beheld Miss Katherine standing in the centre of the cellar, +holding a lamp above her head that she might first get a good general +view before beginning particular investigations. + +"This is a difficult task," she said aloud, "the cellar is so large +that it would take me all night to sound all the walls. Now, would +there be an old iron-bound sea-chest, the kind sailors hide things in, +in a corner here?" + +Holding her lamp well above her head, she slowly turned herself about +that she might see every corner. + +Now it happened that old Tabby had just presented the thankless +household with a family of kittens. She had thought that some straw +that lay in a corner of the cellar would be a soft, safe bed for her +babies, and as a broken window provided ingress and egress for +herself, she had taken possession of the corner. Old Tabby's guard +over her family was most vigilant, but she had not been disturbed +until this strange figure made its appearance in the centre of the +cellar. + +As Miss Katherine brought her light to bear upon Tabby's corner, the +watcher at the window, who knew nothing of the family in the cellar, +beheld the lamp dashed to the ground and heard a terrified but +half-suppressed shriek and then flying footsteps. She did not wait to +see or hear more but stole upstairs as fast as she could in a panic, +not knowing but that she might meet the maniac on the stairs. + +"I'll be crazy, too, if I stay here any longer," she said to herself. +"If I'm spared till morning I'll get out of this." + +She put all the movable furniture in her room against the door, sent +up a fervent prayer for protection and got into bed, but not with the +intention of sleeping. + +The next morning she informed Miss Boulby that she was far from well, +was all crippled with sciatica and would have to leave. Her pale face +corroborated her words and reluctantly Miss Katherine let her go. + + * * * * * + +I should like now to turn the reader's attention to our friend, Mr. +Murphy. That gentleman had found comfortable lodgings and seemed to be +getting much attached to Ocean View. By watching rather closely one +might suspect that he wished to avoid the adults of Ocean View, +excepting Mr. and Miss Boulby. He called upon them pretty frequently. +The boys of the neighborhood found his society very entertaining and +followed in a pack at his heels. He did not always welcome this +following, however, for he often put a book in his pocket and rambled +along the shore until he found just the right spot where he could sit +and read undisturbed. He had taken to doing this immediately after +his second call at the Boulbys'. The books he carried at first bore +the mark of Ocean View Public Library. But one afternoon when he had +found his favored spot, he drew from his pocket a glistening new +volume. + +"Gosh darn it!" muttered Mr. Murphy, as he regarded the book, "if I'd +ever thought I'd come to this I suppose I'd 've drowned myself." + +He leafed over the book and looked at the illustrations. + +"It ain't dull reading anyway. It might be worse. They say Cooper was +a clever man so I guess it won't spoil my intellect to read 'em. But +it does beat all how tenants use things. To think of those brand new +books looking like that!" + +Mr. Murphy turned to the first chapter and began "The Pilot." He +became very much interested therein and read on till the greyness of +the page told him that it was growing late. He closed the book, put it +in his pocket, stretched out his legs and gazed across the water. + +"I'll be damned if it isn't the best of any of 'em, and I've read +upwards of two dozen now. Well, I'd never have believed it. You'll +come to almost anything in this world, that's my belief. But it does +take a woman to give you the push that starts you down." + +He meditated silently for sometime, but began again to hold audible +commune with himself. "I wonder if I've got the correct picture in my +head of that knight of the waves hanging up in that library? It would +be a good pattern to model myself after if the elements of all those +high qualities ain't in me already. By darn, that's it! They are in me +all the time, too, and I don't realize it. They just need bringin' to +the surface, excavating 'em so to speak. 'Daring' was one of +'em--well, I never was called a coward. 'Picturesque'--that's a hard +one to come at. Now an Indian dressed up in his war togs, or a Mexican +or even a cowboy would have some claim on that quality, but I'll be +darned what a plain, sober, God-fearing man can do to be it and keep +the respect of his mates. I'm doubtful of making that one. If I +remember right she claimed he was 'romantic.'" Mr. Murphy kicked the +pebbles about and then resumed his monologue. "It wouldn't be as hard +to make that one as the other one. I've got half a dozen to steer by +in any one of the books I've been pouring down me. Let me see, though, +she mentioned two or three: Captain Kidd was among 'em, I remember. +I'd hate to have to carry on my conscience all he must have had on +his, if that's necessary to qualify. But I've heard he wore stunning +whiskers and that's probably what took her eye. I can't call the +others to mind but I'm bound to hit on them soon if my eyes don't give +out." + +The lengthening shadows warned Mr. Murphy that it was past supper +time, so he rose, stretched himself and started homeward. + + * * * * * + +All this time we have been ignoring Joseph, who had again fallen into +the even tenor of his way. The vision of gold that had for a time +disturbed his tranquility had vanished almost as suddenly as it had +arisen. Such flights of imagination were not for him and he was +leading a life of perfect content when a malicious sprite stumbled +upon him and marked him for her own. + +Joseph and Willie Brown, a neighbor's boy, were spading up the ground +where he had decided to replant his currant bushes. Mr. Murphy had +been sauntering about and had pulled a book out of his pocket and +departed when Joseph's unlucky spade threw up something which, in +hitting against a stone, had given forth such a clear, ringing sound +that he stooped down and felt about in the fresh earth. His fingers +closed upon something cold, flat and round. He rubbed it against his +overalls until a piece of gold milled like a coin came to view. In a +moment his mind had made the connection between his sister's theories +and his discovery. He stood gazing at the piece of gold. "Holy Moses!" +he softly ejaculated. + +Suddenly he remembered Willie. He had found but a clew to the +treasure. Where was the bulk of it? Willie suspected something +already. Joseph looked at the boy, then at the gold piece, and then +at the place where he had found it. I have remarked before that there +was no strategy in Joseph's nature. He seized Willie by the arm and +marched him towards the house. + +"That ground's too hard for currant bushes," he said to the astonished +boy. "We won't work any more to-day." + +However, Willie felt he had no cause for complaint, as Joseph gave him +a whole day's pay and Miss Katherine filled his pockets with cookies. + +Brother and sister now held a consultation and decided that they must +be up and doing. Miss Katherine believed that they were in imminent +danger of having their treasure looted. + +"I know boys," she said, "they're all eyes and ears. He saw what you +found before you did and he'll tell all the rest of the boys and +they'll come in the night and carry the whole thing away. I think we'd +better not go out to that spot again to-day for you can depend upon +it, he's watching. He'll forget about it by night and then we can go +out with the lantern." + +Now, Willie Brown was like all other boys. After being dismissed by +Mr. Boulby he sat down in the corner of a fence and thought. A light +broke in upon him after a few moments of silent meditation. + +"I'll bet yuh anything!" he almost yelled, slapping his leg, "that's +it!" + +True to the terrible oath he had sworn, he was off like a shot to +rally the Faithful Band. It happened that he met Mr. Murphy before any +of the Band. + +"I thought you were helping Mr. Boulby," said Mr. Murphy. + +"So I was but--but--." Willie's pride in his secret and mystery was +his downfall. From that moment he was an empty vessel in Mr. Murphy's +sight. + +That night found the brother and sister plying their spades in the +garden. Their lantern was burning dimly, but it gave sufficient light +to show the boys all they wished to see. + +"What did I tell yuh?" whispered Willie to his comrades of the +Faithful Band. "Don't that beat everything? And here it was all the +time and we didn't know it." + +"I'll bet the old Captain was a pirate," whispered Ned Larkins. + +"I'll bet so, too," whispered another. + +There is always somebody to throw cold water on our most cherished +theories, as Willie Brown was soon to learn. + +"If you didn't take that thing in your own hands and examine it, you +don't know what it was, Willie," remarked Tom Parker. "There is a +mystery here alright enough, but I wouldn't say you're right, Willie." + +When they were a safe distance away they besought Tom to give them the +benefit of his theory, but he absolutely refused. There was no good, +he said, in his getting mixed up with it, for if he wasn't mistaken +there'd be trouble about this thing yet. Considerably sobered, the +band dispersed. + +The next day, though dejected and cast down, Willie Brown again +circulated the fiery cross among his faithful followers, and did not +even except the skeptic. He was fated to again fall in with Mr. +Murphy, who had been doing some midnight scouting himself and was +therefore in both glee and perplexity. By a few skillful questions and +tentative remarks, Mr. Murphy obtained all the information he could +desire. + +The next day Joseph and his sister were feeling pretty stiff and sore +after the unaccustomed exposure to the dew and cold. They decided not +to work that night. + +"You had better drag that big packing box over the hole, Joseph," said +Miss Katherine. "Somebody might fall in and break a leg." + +The Faithful Band appeared later than the previous night. Mr. Murphy +had dropped a hint about the folly of undertaking certain kinds of +expeditions at any other time than midnight. They saw the faint +outlines of the box but nothing else. At first they were discomfited +and then elated. Ned Larkins said that they must climb over the fence +into the garden and dig in the exact spot where the box then was. + +Tom Parker, the dissenter, being the oldest and biggest, was appointed +leader. + +"No, sir!" declared he emphatically. "I know better than that. I've +got too much sense to meddle with that. The biggest detective in New +York wouldn't dare go and leave his tracks around there. Oh, no! +they're too cute for that." + +Tom, of course, meant to imply that he also was "too cute for that." + +Willie had taken one snub from Tom and he was determined that should +be the last. + +"You're a calf," was his polite reply to Tom as he vaulted over the +fence. "Who's goin' to foller me?" + +They all followed, even Tom Parker. They advanced cautiously. Willie's +temerity was moderating and he waited for the rest to come up with +him. They advanced in a semicircle. As the wavering line was within +ten yards of the box that object seemed to lift itself from the ground +and a deep groan arose as from the bowels of the earth. Oh what a +fright was that--my Faithful Banders! In a moment the fence seemed +alive with terrified and struggling boys. Mr. Murphy crawled out of +his cramped quarters and went home. + +The boys had, of course, been properly sworn to secrecy, but somehow, +the next day an uneasy feeling pervaded the village. No one seemed to +possess any definite information, but there were rumors to the effect +that there were peculiar folks now in the neighborhood; people weren't +really safe and Mrs. White could tell a good deal if she would. That +lady had exercised a good deal of prudence and had said very little +about the Boulbys, but the day after the boys' adventure she was +credited with volumes. + +It was not long before the strong minded mother of a member of the +Faithful Band had obtained from him enough to warrant her sending to +all the matrons of the village a pressing invitation to tea that +afternoon. It was a formidable group that foregathered that afternoon. +The discoveries and adventures of the Band were duly narrated and +embellished. + +Out of the chaos of frightful tales that flourished exceedingly and +waxed more and more fearful, one could have deduced the fact that the +Boulbys were nothing more or less than modern Blue-Beards. + +Well, their families had to be protected, and if they told the men all +they knew it would be all over the country in no time, and for some +reason they didn't think that would be well. As far as they could see +the best thing to be done was for them to investigate for themselves +that very night. + +And so it was that for the third time the Boulbys were to undergo a +night attack. + +Miss Katherine was not the sort of woman to be caught sleeping. She +had been unable to continue the excavation, owing to a slight attack +of rheumatism. She felt uneasy about so vast a treasure lying +unguarded and begged Joseph to make himself some sort of shelter in +the garden and keep watch during the night. + +"You wouldn't have to keep awake all the time," she said, "you'd hear +any noise in your sleep and it would do you good to sleep out in the +fresh air." + +But Joseph was not a fresh air enthusiast, and the very idea of +sleeping in the garden gave him rheumatic twinges. However, Miss +Katherine was not to be balked. She took the faithful old dog Bruno by +the collar and led him to the garden where she pointed out the box and +explained his duty to him. Bruno understood and consented. + +"A woman has always one she can depend on, if she has a dog," Miss +Katherine cuttingly remarked as she re-entered the house. + +Just a word about Mr. Murphy before we proceed with the night attack. + +He had been very busy all day, walking about the village, chatting +with the boys and gossiping with the women. There might have been +method in his gossip, as he seemed to elicit just what he desired. +Towards evening he took a walk along the shore and held communion with +himself. + +"I don't think she'd call it chivalrous to scare them. But she'd rate +it pretty high if I kept watch to come to the rescue of the besieged +or the besiegers, whichever needs help." + +As Mr. Murphy has reached this satisfactory conclusion we will leave +him and return to follow the female posse across the fields to the +Boulbys' garden. + +When the group of trembling females had reached the garden fence they +beheld the confirmation of the boy's story. + +There was a whispered discussion of the advisability of further +investigation. The pros won and the means to this end now stared them +in the face. + +The picket fence had presented no difficulties to the boys but it was +a great obstacle to their mothers. To climb it was impossible. The +only other way was to make a breach wide enough to admit a portly +form. One picket was gone and they began loosening several on each +side of the opening. It was difficult to do this and prevent the +loosening nails from screeching. The process was a very slow one as +such care had to be exercised. + +Meanwhile Bruno was quite cognizant of their presence and with +bristling hair and bared teeth was crouching for an attack when +further provocation should be given. + +The Boulbys had retired early, as neither was feeling very well, but +towards midnight Miss Katherine awoke and began to think of poor old +Bruno. She thought she would get up and peek out to see if he were all +right. + +The trespassers were making sure but slow progress and were still +hanging on the pickets with their whole weight as Miss Katherine +looked out of the window. She was not at all alarmed. She understood +her own sex, her faithful dog and her own resources. + +The heaviest of the group had now been pressed into service as weights +on the loosening pickets which suddenly surrendered with a frightful +wrenching sound. Simultaneously with this noise there arose from the +box a savage growl and a great, black beast threw himself into the air +like an imprisoned spirit released from Hades. From the window had +come a sharp report and from the opposite fence a yell that must have +been emitted from a savage throat. + +At the too sudden surrender of the pickets four heavy females were +precipitated against their companions and the whole posse fell in an +inextricable mass upon the ground. + +Miss Katherine let the burst paper bag flutter to the ground as she +hung upon the window curtain, helpless with laughter. + +Mr. Murphy scudded away from behind the fence ejaculating, + +"Bully for her! She doesn't need a protector. It's no wonder she's set +her heart on a romantic man." + +When morning came and they could speak more calmly concerning their +bruises the same females were again met in conclave. + +Some were for placing the matter in the hands of the constable, but +this did not meet with unanimous approval. + +"Poor old constable Wilson couldn't get up enough courage to go +there," said one. + +"It would be a shame to ask him," said another. "Everybody knows he +isn't expected to look after anything dangerous. Such a thing as this +was never heard of before in this neighborhood, so they just put in +old man Wilson for he could keep the boys out of the orchards and +'tend pound and that's about all there is to do in this neighborhood. +Now isn't there somebody that could handle them Boulbys?" + +"I've got a plan," began an earnest faced matron. "I think Mr. +Horton's the man to see to this. If he can't exhort the evil spirit +to come out of them Boulbys, nobody can. And he ain't afraid of +anything either. It's his duty, too, to look after things like this, +for we all know that the Evil One has taken control of the Boulbys, +body and soul. But we won't have to do any urging to get Mr. Horton to +do his duty. Just last Sunday he said in his sermon that the scent of +the battle and the battle cry was like perfume to his nostrils and +music in his ears, when he could wage war upon the forces of evil." + +"That's a good plan," agreed a sister in the church. "You're right in +saying he ain't afraid of anything. His sermon last Sunday was a +splendid one. I thought he'd break the old pulpit to pieces, he was +that earnest. He preached about Gideon and Gideon always makes a good +subject. Do you remember that he said that when he felt he was armed +with the sword of the Lord and of Gideon he could face ten thousand +foes?" + +It was agreed that this fearless spirit would be undaunted by this +task and a committee was appointed to place the matter before him. + +Mr. Horton was a man, who, had he been of another religious +persuasion, would have made one of Alva's fiercest bloodhounds. He was +untiring in his zeal for the cause he espoused. He knew not mercy and +he gave no quarter in the battle. And so he listened with hardening +face to the tale poured forth by the suffering females, the most +faithful of his flock. No need to urge him forward on the path of +duty. He gave his word that he would go forth without delay to wrestle +with the evil spirit that possessed these unfortunate people. + +And thus it was that Joseph caught sight of the ministerial form +stalking up the walk just as his sister was concluding a recital of +the events of the night before. + +"The minister's coming," he warned Miss Katherine. "Don't let him hear +you laughing about scaring those women--likely it's that he's coming +about." + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed his sister. "I'd pretty soon tell him to mind +his own business." + +Grim and undaunted Mr. Horton stood upon the verandah, awaiting +admittance. Not even the pleasant, welcoming smile upon Joseph's mild +and open countenance softened his austerity. + +"A wolf in sheep's clothing, no doubt," he said to himself. + +It was well that he had steeled his heart, for Miss Katherine was at +her pleasantest this morning, and she was very charming in that mood. +But even she could not soften that heart of adamant. + +When he had seated himself he calmly began a searching scrutiny of the +two faces before him. Perhaps he was a student of natural history and +had learned that this was one way of taming wild animals, and as he +had come to cage the roaring lion that walked up and down the world +seeking whom he could devour, it would be well to follow approved +methods. + +Mr. Horton was not a man to hesitate when his duty lay plain before +him, so he informed the brother and sister that he had come to inquire +after the welfare of their souls and to save them if they felt +themselves lost and guilty sinners condemned to a fearful punishment. + +Under this attack Joseph was more nettled than his sister. Miss +Katherine told herself that he must be a religious fanatic and as they +hadn't yet attended church in Ocean View, he believed them to be +godless people. + +"I have every sympathy with religious enthusiasm," she gently informed +Mr. Horton, "but, of course, I don't feel as strongly on the subject +as you do." + +This remark confirmed his wolf theory and he began to fear that he had +to deal with the wiliest of Satan's lieutenants. He thought he had +better strengthen himself by a word of prayer so informed them that +they must kneel with him. + +Joseph's face grew dark, but Miss Katherine imperatively motioned to +him to be silent and passive. Mr. Horton implored aid in the task he +had undertaken and begged that he might be the instrument to bring +these poor, lost, guilty souls to repentance. Under shelter of this +storm of words Miss Katherine whispered to her brother that he must +control himself and must not be violent. + +When they rose from their knees, Mr. Horton was breathless, so Miss +Katherine had him at her mercy. She politely asked him to excuse her +brother as he was not feeling well, at which Joseph gratefully +withdrew. + +"A guilty soul is a terrible thing, Miss Boulby," said Mr. Horton +mopping his forehead. + +"Yes, I suppose it must be," she returned calmly, "but what is even +worse is to have a mind that is constantly imagining evil in others. +Now, Mr. Horton, the ladies of your church have quite ignored us since +we came, but I should be very much pleased if Mrs. Horton and some of +the prominent ladies in the church would call and we can discuss what +I can do and where I can fit in in church work." + +Mr. Horton fairly shone with triumph. Here was a repentant sinner. + +"There is joy among--" he began but that was too much for Miss +Katherine. + + * * * * * + +About this time Mr. Murphy was giving the pebbles on the shore the +benefit of one of his frequent monologues: "I've seen them taken with +it before," he informed himself, "but never so bad as she's got it. +Treasure hunting is like yellow fever. You've got to let it burn +itself up. I should think her treasure hunting fever would be about +cured, but you never can tell with a woman. Perhaps she's onto a new +place by this time. I hope she won't go tearing the place down to see +if there's a secret chamber anywhere. I like her to enjoy herself, but +she's apt to get into trouble with Skinner if she destroys much +property. I'll have to think up some way of satisfying her or she'll +land in the penitentiary. + +"I wonder if she's found any more qualities in the old Cap's picture? +I think the picture's got all the strength when she's around, for darn +me if I ain't as weak as water when she goes talking about him being +the kind of man she admires! For I know that there's just so many +qualities that I'll begin to dig up out of me or to plant in me. But +she might come to the end of the choicest characteristics soon and +give a feller time to cultivate a few." + +The Captain tugged at a large volume in his pocket. He succeeded in +tearing it out. The place where he had been reading was marked by a +slip of paper upon which was a long list of books written in a +feminine hand. The name of the volume Mr. Murphy was reading was the +twenty-first on the slip and was 'Treasure Island.' + +"If I'd ever had a villain like that Silver around me I'd 've strung +him up. Such dilly-dallying around makes me sick," commented the +reader. + +"Why, Mr. Murphy, do you talk to yourself or are you reading aloud? +Your expression is wonderful if you were reading," said the pleasant +voice of Miss Boulby who had quite innocently chosen for her afternoon +walk Mr. Murphy's usual direction. + +That gentleman jumped to his feet in great trepidation. What had he +been saying? + +"Oh--why--I believe I was reading aloud. I get so interested in those +books you were telling me about--the ones the Captain read so much, +you know, that I read aloud before I think." + +Miss Katherine seated herself and motioned to Mr. Murphy to do the +same. She picked up the book which had fallen in the reader's +surprise. + +"Treasure Island! That is a most delightful book. I am so glad you +enjoy it. I do think that a man who can, as it were, live these +adventures with Stevenson's characters is as delightful and +interesting a person as,--as even old John Silver himself," said Miss +Katherine with enthusiasm. + +"A-hem," Mr. Murphy cleared his throat and rubbed his chin. "Do you +like John Silver?" + +"I think he's just fascinating, don't you?" returned Miss Katherine. + +"Exactly, Miss Boulby. Fascinating's the word I was hunting for just +before you came up. But it's the subject of the book itself that +fetches me. I was always after hidden treasure, Captain Kidd's and so +on. I don't suppose you were ever taken that way?" + +Miss Katherine looked at her questioner out of the corner of her eye, +but he was gazing abstractedly over the water. + +"Well, yes, I must confess that I have been rather interested in +hidden treasures. But, of course, I have never done any actual hunting +as I have never had any clues. But I should think it would be very +interesting. Did you mean that you have actually sought a specific +treasure?" + +"Not exactly that," explained Mr. Murphy, "at least not till I came +here." + +Miss Katherine's eyes grew wide. + +"I haven't done any real diggin' here yet," he went on, "but I hope to +begin soon. Now I don't mind telling you for I'd like a partner, one +who thinks as I do about it, you understand. It isn't for the love of +the money, you know, but the romance, that's it, the romance. Now you +know all about Captain Kidd?" + +Miss Katherine nodded. + +"Well, I've figured it out pretty well, and it's my opinion that some +of his hoard lies right along this shore and not very far from here." +Mr. Murphy's imagination was pretty well exhausted so he stopped to +recuperate. + +"Along this shore and not far from here!" exclaimed Miss Katherine. +"Dear me! Who'd have thought it? But have you any maps or plans or +charts or whatever tells you where to look?" + +Mr. Murphy's imagination had taken a new lease on life. + +"I've got them hidden carefully in my rooms," he explained. "I have +been comparing them with the physiognomy of the shore here and I +believe with a little help on the subject which you can supply I would +be able to identify the spot to-morrow." + +"I should love to help you," exclaimed Miss Katherine. "It's so very +kind of you." + +"Oh, no, no!" returned Mr. Murphy. "It's only just now since you told +me that you were interested in treasure seeking that I have really +enjoyed thinking about it." + +"You said you had always been interested in hidden treasures," Miss +Katherine reminded him. + +Mr. Murphy's face grew red. He hastened to explain: + +"I mean that the books that I've been reading under your direction +have been so interesting that I couldn't bear to stop reading and look +for the treasure." + +Miss Katherine beamed. + +"We will search together," she said coyly. + +As they were walking home together, Mr. Murphy observed casually-- + +"A friend of mine who was a great friend of Captain Shannon's told me +once that the Captain had produced a new species of rose and that he +had been awarded a gold medal by the American Horticultural Society. +The Captain told my friend that he used to wear it on his chain but he +lost it while working in his garden here. Wasn't it a pity? I don't +suppose you have ever come across it?" + +"Not that I know of," returned Miss Katherine composedly. + +When she got home she went immediately to the library and to the +drawer that held the ancient golden coin that Joseph had found. She +took it to the kitchen where she scraped and brushed it well. Behold! +there was the name of the American Horticultural Society on one side +and on the other the inscription: + +"Consequitur quodcunque petit!" + + * * * * * + +When Mr. Horton returned from his visit to the Boulbys, he told his +wife of the gratifying results and of Miss Boulby's wish that she and +other church workers would call upon her. + +"The brother was strangely moved," concluded Mr. Horton, "and the +sister was greatly softened." + +Mrs. Horton and her friends did not delay calling upon Miss Boulby. +That lady has been walking on air since the above-related conversation +with Mr. Murphy and was in a very sweet and forgiving mood. She +allowed her callers to talk just as much as they pleased and on the +subject dearest to them. They discussed and re-discussed every phase +of church work. Miss Katherine professed herself willing to make +endless quilts for the missionary box, pin-cushions for the bazaar, +socks for the Old Men's Home and cakes for the sewing circle. The +minister's wife was dazed by such liberality and when Miss Katherine +spoke of the number of years her brother had been deacon in their home +church, and of her own activities in every conceivable church society, +the ladies felt that a terrible injustice had been done this exemplary +brother and sister. + +When Miss Katherine had seen that her words fell on receptive ground +she still mellowed that soil by tempting refreshments after which she +proposed a walk in the garden. As Joseph was from home she offered +slips, roots and seeds without number. At last she came to a rose tree +which, she judged, would do as well as any other and she launched into +the story of Captain Shannon's experiments to produce a new species +and final triumph. + +"We knew," said the unblushing Miss Katherine, "that he had been +awarded a medal by the American Horticultural Society. Mr. Murphy, who +is an old friend of the Captain's, told us he had lost the medal in +the garden, so we began looking for it. Come with me and I'll show you +where we found it." + +Miss Katherine did so, elaborating on the trouble they had taken to +discover it. + +"It is solid gold," said she, "and we were afraid that the boys might +suspect what we were looking for and come at night and hunt for it, so +we set Bruno to watch at night, but fortunately we found it. Come in +the house and I'll show it to you." + +As Miss Katherine watched her visitors go away she said to herself: + +"I confess that all I said this afternoon was not strictly true, but +there are times when a prudent woman will deviate somewhat from the +exact truth." + + * * * * * + +When Miss Katherine had bade Mr. Murphy good afternoon, on the day of +his startling disclosure concerning Captain Kidd's treasure, the +aforementioned gentleman fell to chuckling. + +"I'm in a devil of a fix, but I've saved the house from destruction, +that's sure. I'll trust her to make peace with the neighbors and then +I'll gradually ease her off the Captain Kidd proposition and then +there should be plain sailing. But Jehosaphat! What about that chart? +Well, I'll just have to get some paper and a pencil and go back to the +shore and draw it, that's all. I can't lie worth a darn. I've got to +get myself in a worse mess every time instead of lying out." + +So saying, Mr. Murphy procured the paper and pencil and retraced his +steps to the shore where he labored long and arduously, for he was +neither an artist nor a cartographer. + +In a couple of days Mr. Murphy informed Miss Katherine that he thought +he had located the right spot and that afternoon, they would begin +their search. Miss Katherine was to join him at the spot where she had +found him the day they became partners in this affair. He would be +laden with the necessary tools. Miss Katherine asked if she should +bring a bag in case of success, but Mr. Murphy said no, they were more +apt to find it if they acted as if they thought they wouldn't. + +At the appointed time and place the junction of the forces was +successfully accomplished. + +Miss Katherine and Mr. Murphy sat down side by side to study the +chart. The latter explained that he had worn out the original and this +was a copy he had made. The chart fully came up to Miss Katherine's +idea of a chart. + +"Now you can see if you study it," exclaimed Mr. Murphy, "that it's +this bit of shore that's meant. See where it juts out here by the +pine tree! Well, just look down the shore there and you'll see the +very spot. From there just follow along and compare the chart with the +shore. Line for line, ain't they?" + +"Isn't that remarkable!" exclaimed Miss Katherine. "What a wonderful +observer you must be to have noticed the similarity! But wouldn't you +think there would be changes in the shore line since the time this +chart was made?" + +"Well, you see it's sheltered here," returned Mr. Murphy. "That makes +a big difference." + +"Oh does it?" cried Miss Katherine. + +"Oh, yes!" replied Mr. Murphy. + +"And now where is the treasure?" asked Miss Katherine. + +"Well, the first place I'd try is right in this little hollow. We'll +go right along to it." + +Mr. Murphy shouldered his spade, pick and axe and directed Miss +Katherine to the spot, a little sandy hollow between two little sandy +mounds. + +"Now you must keep guard while I dig," said Mr. Murphy. "It wouldn't +do to let others into the secret you know." + +Miss Katherine was quite disappointed, for she had anticipated +watching the excavation sink deeper and deeper until the spade +suddenly struck the iron lid of a box, and a king's ransom glowed at +their feet. But she realized the wisdom of this request and +uncomplainingly complied with it. + +In silence and with inward protest Mr. Murphy plied his spade until he +was obliged to straighten his aching back. He looked at his task +mistress entreatingly, but she was on guard and had no eyes for the +toiler. The poor man gazed about him in distress. Would he fall from +grace if he took a little rest? + +Fortunately for Mr. Murphy, at this moment, Miss Katherine's eye fell +upon the little lunch basket she carried. A pang of remorse shot +through her heart as she turned and beheld her hero leaning wearily +upon his spade. + +At the suggestion of lunch Mr. Murphy climbed out of prison with such +alacrity that Miss Katherine's soft heart suffered another pang. But +as pity is akin to another, warmer and tendered passion let us hope +all was working for the highest good of Miss Katherine and Mr. Murphy. + +Whatever hopes of a prolonged rest that gentleman had at first +entertained were soon destroyed by a word or two from his inexorable +partner, and again the gentle chuck, chuck as the spade struck against +the soft sand, was the only sound that broke the silence. + +Miss Katherine, though not watching the digger, kept time with his +steady spade and strained her ear to catch a clink instead of a click. +That would announce the bursting of an old leather bag or the +striking upon an iron box. There it would be! Gold! Gold glittering in +the light after years of darkness! + +"Damn it!" broke in upon Miss Katherine's golden dream. + +In mild surprise she turned about and beheld her erstwhile obedient +partner hurl his spade from him and scramble out of the deep hole he +had dug. Rebellion was written on his face, but as he approached Miss +Katherine there was something much softer and infinitely agreeable to +the female eye in his expression. + +"Confound it all!" said Captain Peter Shannon, "let's stop this +foolishness and get married." + + + + + * * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Punctuation errors have been corrected. + +Archaic and variant spelling is preserved as printed. + +The following emendations have been made: + + Page 6--Katharine's amended to Katherine's--... so readily + consented to Miss Katherine's going ... + + Page 7--be amended to he--... why wouldn't he come back ... + + Page 9--Katharine amended to Katherine--However strongly Miss + Katherine became convinced ... + + Page 19--ever amended to every--"There is unusual strength in + every feature, ..." + + Page 20--captain amended to Captain--... to--er--the + Captain--ah--when he returns ... + + Page 21--captain amended to Captain--"Ah, you think that the + late Captain was ..." + + Page 27--by amended to my--"Bless my soul!" exclaimed Miss + Katherine, ... + + Page 31--snbstantials amended to substantials--She had heard of + such substantials ... + + Page 32--Pue's amended to Poe's--... for she had been reading + Poe's frightful tale of the black cat, ... + + Page 36--hook amended to book--... for he often put a book in + his pocket ... + + Page 37--llustrations amended to illustrations--... and looked + at the illustrations. + + Page 39--aainst amended to against--... which, in hitting + against a stone, ... + + Page 42--your're amended to you're--"... but I wouldn't say + you're right, Willie." + + Page 46--seem amended to seemed--... as he seemed to elicit + just what he desired. + + Page 48--know's amended to knows--"Everybody knows he isn't + expected ..." + + Page 53--thing amended to think--I think the picture's got all + the strength ... + + Page 53--a sweak amended to as weak--... I ain't as weak as + water ... + + Page 54--villian amended to villain--"If I'd ever had a villain + like that Silver ..." + + Page 54--one's amended to ones--... the ones the Captain read so + much, ... + + Page 55--omitted double closing quote added--"... Now you know + all about Captain Kidd?" + + Page 55--horde amended to hoard--... it's my opinion that some + of his hoard lies right along this shore ... + + Page 57--omitted word 'he' added--The Captain told my friend + that he used to wear it ... + + Page 57--Consequitar amended to Consequitur--"Consequitur + quodcunque petit!" + + Page 59--forunately amended to fortunately--... but fortunately + we found it. + + Page 60--everytime amended to every time--... in a worse mess + every time ... + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57975 *** |