“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 pouredforth 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 wildanimals, 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 soulsto 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, “butnever 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 wordI 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’simagination 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 andthen 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’smeant. 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 glowedat 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. Thatwould 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 NotePunctuation errors have been corrected.Archaic and variant spelling is preserved as printed.The following emendations have been made:Page6—Katharine’s amended to Katherine’s—... so readily consented to Miss Katherine’s going ...Page7—be amended to he—... why wouldn’t he come back ...Page9—Katharine amended to Katherine—However strongly Miss Katherine became convinced ...Page19—ever amended to every—“There is unusual strength in every feature, ...”Page20—captain amended to Captain—... to—er—the Captain—ah—when he returns ...Page21—captain amended to Captain—“Ah, you think that the late Captain was ...”Page27—by amended to my—“Bless my soul!” exclaimed Miss Katherine, ...Page31—snbstantials amended to substantials—She had heard of such substantials ...Page32—Pue’s amended to Poe’s—... for she had been reading Poe’s frightful tale of the black cat, ...Page36—hook amended to book—... for he often put a book in his pocket ...Page37—llustrations amended to illustrations—... and looked at the illustrations.Page39—aainst amended to against—... which, in hitting against a stone, ...Page42—your’re amended to you’re—“... but I wouldn’t say you’re right, Willie.”Page46—seem amended to seemed—... as he seemed to elicit just what he desired.Page48—know’s amended to knows—“Everybody knows he isn’t expected ...”Page53—thing amended to think—I think the picture’s got all the strength ...Page53—a sweak amended to as weak—... I ain’t as weak as water ...Page54—villian amended to villain—“If I’d ever had a villain like that Silver ...”Page54—one’s amended to ones—... the ones the Captain read so much, ...Page55—horde amended to hoard—... it’s my opinion that some of his hoard lies right along this shore ...Page57—omitted word ‘he’ added—The Captain told my friend that he used to wear it ...Page57—Consequitar amended to Consequitur—“Consequitur quodcunque petit!”Page59—forunately amended to fortunately—... but fortunately we found it.Page60—everytime amended to every time—... in a worse mess every time ...
Transcriber’s Note
Punctuation errors have been corrected.
Archaic and variant spelling is preserved as printed.
The following emendations have been made:
Page6—Katharine’s amended to Katherine’s—... so readily consented to Miss Katherine’s going ...Page7—be amended to he—... why wouldn’t he come back ...Page9—Katharine amended to Katherine—However strongly Miss Katherine became convinced ...Page19—ever amended to every—“There is unusual strength in every feature, ...”Page20—captain amended to Captain—... to—er—the Captain—ah—when he returns ...Page21—captain amended to Captain—“Ah, you think that the late Captain was ...”Page27—by amended to my—“Bless my soul!” exclaimed Miss Katherine, ...Page31—snbstantials amended to substantials—She had heard of such substantials ...Page32—Pue’s amended to Poe’s—... for she had been reading Poe’s frightful tale of the black cat, ...Page36—hook amended to book—... for he often put a book in his pocket ...Page37—llustrations amended to illustrations—... and looked at the illustrations.Page39—aainst amended to against—... which, in hitting against a stone, ...Page42—your’re amended to you’re—“... but I wouldn’t say you’re right, Willie.”Page46—seem amended to seemed—... as he seemed to elicit just what he desired.Page48—know’s amended to knows—“Everybody knows he isn’t expected ...”Page53—thing amended to think—I think the picture’s got all the strength ...Page53—a sweak amended to as weak—... I ain’t as weak as water ...Page54—villian amended to villain—“If I’d ever had a villain like that Silver ...”Page54—one’s amended to ones—... the ones the Captain read so much, ...Page55—horde amended to hoard—... it’s my opinion that some of his hoard lies right along this shore ...Page57—omitted word ‘he’ added—The Captain told my friend that he used to wear it ...Page57—Consequitar amended to Consequitur—“Consequitur quodcunque petit!”Page59—forunately amended to fortunately—... but fortunately we found it.Page60—everytime amended to every time—... in a worse mess every time ...
Page6—Katharine’s amended to Katherine’s—... so readily consented to Miss Katherine’s going ...
Page7—be amended to he—... why wouldn’t he come back ...
Page9—Katharine amended to Katherine—However strongly Miss Katherine became convinced ...
Page19—ever amended to every—“There is unusual strength in every feature, ...”
Page20—captain amended to Captain—... to—er—the Captain—ah—when he returns ...
Page21—captain amended to Captain—“Ah, you think that the late Captain was ...”
Page27—by amended to my—“Bless my soul!” exclaimed Miss Katherine, ...
Page31—snbstantials amended to substantials—She had heard of such substantials ...
Page32—Pue’s amended to Poe’s—... for she had been reading Poe’s frightful tale of the black cat, ...
Page36—hook amended to book—... for he often put a book in his pocket ...
Page37—llustrations amended to illustrations—... and looked at the illustrations.
Page39—aainst amended to against—... which, in hitting against a stone, ...
Page42—your’re amended to you’re—“... but I wouldn’t say you’re right, Willie.”
Page46—seem amended to seemed—... as he seemed to elicit just what he desired.
Page48—know’s amended to knows—“Everybody knows he isn’t expected ...”
Page53—thing amended to think—I think the picture’s got all the strength ...
Page53—a sweak amended to as weak—... I ain’t as weak as water ...
Page54—villian amended to villain—“If I’d ever had a villain like that Silver ...”
Page54—one’s amended to ones—... the ones the Captain read so much, ...
Page55—horde amended to hoard—... it’s my opinion that some of his hoard lies right along this shore ...
Page57—omitted word ‘he’ added—The Captain told my friend that he used to wear it ...
Page57—Consequitar amended to Consequitur—“Consequitur quodcunque petit!”
Page59—forunately amended to fortunately—... but fortunately we found it.
Page60—everytime amended to every time—... in a worse mess every time ...