my buried treasure-第4部分

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had　taught　me　to　want　many　pleasures　but　had　left　me　with　a
conscience　that　would　not　let　me　take　human　life　to　obtain　them；
not　even　Edgar's　life。

In　half　an　hour　a　suit…case　was　lifted　into　view　and　dropped　on　the
edge　of　the　pit。　It　was　followed　by　the　other；　and　then　by　Edgar。
Without　asking　me　to　help　him；　because　he　probably　knew　I　would
not；　he　shovelled　the　sand　into　the　hole；　and　then　placed　the
suitcases　in　the　carriage。　With　increasing　anger　I　observed　that
the　contents　of　each　were　so　heavy　that　to　lift　it　he　used　both
hands。

〃There　is　no　use　your　asking　any　questions；〃　he　announced；　〃because
I　won't　answer　them。〃

I　gave　him　minute　directions　as　to　where　he　could　go；　but　instead
we　drove　in　black　silence　to　the　station。　There　Edgar　rewarded
Rupert　with　a　dime；　and　while　we　waited　for　the　train　to　New　York
placed　the　two　suit…cases　against　the　wall　of　the　ticket　office　and
sat　upon　them。　When　the　train　arrived　he　warned　me　in　a　hoarse
whisper　that　I　had　promised　to　help　him　guard　the　treasure；　and
gave　me　one　of　the　suit…　cases。　It　weighed　a　ton。　Just　to　spite
Edgar；　I　had　a　plan　to　kick　it　open；　so　that　every　one　on　the
platform　might　scramble　for　the　contents。　But　again　my　infernal　New
England　conscience　restrained　me。

Edgar　had　secured　the　drawing…room　in　the　parlor…car；　and　when　we
were　safely　inside　and　the　door　bolted　my　curiosity　became　stronger
than　my　pride。

〃Edgar；〃　I　said；　〃your　ingratitude　is　contemptible。　Your　suspicions
are　ridiculous；　but；　under　these　most　unusual　conditions；　I　don't
blame　you。　But　we　are　quite　safe　now。　The　door　is　fastened；〃　I
pointed　out　ingratiatingly；　it　and　this　train　doesn't　stop　for
another　forty　minutes。　I　think　this　would　be　an　excellent　time　to
look　at　the　treasure。〃　〃I　don't！〃　said　Edgar。

I　sank　back　into　my　chair。　With　intense　enjoyment　I　imagined　the
train　in　which　we　were　seated　hurling　itself　into　another　train；
and　everybody；　including　Edgar；　or；　rather；　especially　Edgar；　being
instantly　but　painlessly　killed。　By　such　an　act　of　an　all…wise
Providence　I　would　at　once　become　heir　to　one　million　dollars。　It
was　a　beautiful；　satisfying　dream。　Even　MY　conscience　accepted　it
with　a　smug　smile。　It　was　so　vivid　a　dream　that　I　sat　guiltily
expectant；　waiting　for　the　crash　to　come；　for　the　shrieks　and
screams；　for　the　rush　of　escaping　steam　and　breaking　window…panes。

But　it　was　far　too　good　to　be　true。　Without　a　jar　the　train　carried
us　and　its　precious　burden　in　safety　to　the　Jersey　City　terminal。
And　each；　with　half　a　million　dollars　in　his　hand；　hurried　to　the
ferry；　assailed　by　porters；　news…boys；　hackmen。　To　them　we　were　a
couple　of　commuters　saving　a　dime　by　carrying　our　own　hand…bags。

It　was　now　six　o'clock；　and　I　pointed　out　to　Edgar　that　at　that
hour　the　only　vaults　open　were　those　of　the　Night　and　Day　Bank。　And
to　that　institution　in　a　taxicab　we　at　once　made　our　way。　I　paid
the　chauffeur；　and　two　minutes　later；　with　a　gasp　of　relief　and
rejoicing；　I　dropped　the　suit…case　I　had　carried　on　a　table　in　the
steel…walled　fastnesses　of　the　vaults。　Gathered　excitedly　around　us
were　the　officials　of　the　bank；　summoned　hastily　from　above；　and
watchmen　in　plain　clothes；　and　watchmen　in　uniforms　of　gray。　Great
bars　as　thick　as　my　leg　protected　us。　Walls　of　chilled　steel　rising
from　solid　rock　stood　between　our　treasure　and　the　outer　world。
Until　then　I　had　not　known　how　tremendous　the　nervous　strain　had
been；　but　now　it　came　home　to　me。　I　mopped　the　perspiration　from　my
forehead；　I　drew　a　deep　breath。

〃Edgar；〃　I　exclaimed　happily；　〃I　congratulate　you！〃　I　found　Edgar
extending　toward　me　a　two…dollar　bill。　〃You　gave　the　chauffeur　two
dollars；〃'　he　said。　〃The　fare　was　really　one　dollar　eighty；　so　you
owe　me　twenty　cents。〃

Mechanically　I　laid　two　dimes　upon　the　table。

〃All　the　other　expenses；〃　continued　Edgar；　〃which　I　agreed　to　pay；
I　have　paid。〃　He　made　a　peremptory　gesture。　〃I　won't　detain　you　any
longer；〃　he　said。　〃Good…night！〃

〃Good…night！〃　I　cried。　〃Don't　I　see　the　treasure？〃　Against　the
walls　of　chilled　steel　my　voice　rose　like　that　of　a　tortured　soul。
〃Don't　I　touch　it！〃　I　yelled。　〃Don't　I　even　get　a　squint？　〃

Even　the　watchmen　looked　sorry　for　me。

〃You　do　not！〃　said　Edgar　calmly。　〃You　have　fulfilled　your　part　of
the　agreement。　I　have　fulfilled　mine。　A　year　from　now　you　can　write
the　story。〃　As　I　moved　in　a　dazed　state　toward　the　steel　door；　his
voice　halted　me。

〃And　you　can　say　in　your　story；〃　called　Edgar；〃　that　there　is　only
one　way　to　get　a　buried　treasure。　That　is　to　go；　and　get　it！〃

　THE　CONSUL

　For　over　forty　years；　in　one　part　of　the　world　or　another；　old　man
Marshall　had；　served　his　country　as　a　United　States　consul。　He　had
been　appointed　by　Lincoln。　For　a　quarter　of　a　century　that　fact　was
his　distinction。　It　was　now　his　epitaph。　But　in　former　years；　as
each　new　administration　succeeded　the　old；　it　had　again　and　again
saved　his　official　head。　When　victorious　and　voracious
place…hunters；　searching　the　map　of　the　world　for　spoils；　dug　out
his　hiding…place　and　demanded　his　consular　sign　as　a　reward　for　a
younger　and　more　aggressive　party　worker；　the　ghost　of　the　dead
President　protected　him。　In　the　State　Department；　Marshall　had
become　a　tradition。　〃You　can't　touch　Him！〃　the　State　Department
would　say；　〃why；　HE　was　appointed　by　Lincoln！〃　Secretly；　for　this
weapon　against　the　hungry　headhunters；　the　department　was
infinitely　grateful。　Old　man　Marshall　was　a　consul　after　its　own
heart。　Like　a　soldier；　he　was　obedient；　disciplined；　wherever　he
was　sent；　there；　without　question；　he　would　go。　Never　against
exile；　against　ill…health；　against　climate　did　he　make　complaint。
Nor　when　he　was　moved　on　and　down　to　make　way　for　some
ne'er…do…well　with　influence；　with　a　brother…in…　law　in　the　Senate；
with　a　cousin　owning　a　newspaper；　with　rich　relatives　who　desired
him　to　drink　himself　to　death　at　the　expense　of　the　government
rather　than　at　their　own；　did　old　man　Marshall　point　to　his　record
as　a　claim　for　more　just　treatment。

And　it　had　been　an　excellent　record。　His　official　reports；　in　a
quaint；　stately　hand；　were　models　of　English；　full　of　information；
intelligent；　valuable；　well　observed。　And　those　few　of　his
countrymen；　who　stumbled　upon　him　in　the　out…of…　the…world　places
to　which　of　late　he　had　been　banished；　wrote　of　him　to　the
department　in　terms　of　admiration　and　awe。　Never　had　he　or　his
friends　petitioned　for　promotion；　until　it　was　at　last　apparent
that；　save　for　his　record　and　the　memory　of　his　dead　patron；　he　had
no　friends。　But；　still　in　the　department　the　tradition　held　and；
though　he　was　not　advanced；　he　was　not　dismissed。

〃If　that　old　man's　been　feeding　from　the　public　trough　ever　since
the　Civil　War；〃　protested　a　〃practical〃　politician；　〃it　seems　to
me；　Mr。　Secretary；　that　he's　about　had　his　share。　Ain't　it　time　he
give　some　one　else　a　bite？　Some　of　us　that　has；　done　the　work；　that
has　borne　the　brunt〃

〃This　place　he　now　holds；〃　interrupted　the　Secretary　of　State
suavely；　〃is　one　hardly　commensurate　with　services　like　yours。　I
can't　pronounce　the　name　of　it；　and　I'm　not　sure　just　where　it　is；
but　I　see　that；　of　the　last　six　consuls　we　sent　there；　three
resigned　within　a　month　and　the　other　three　died　of　yellow…fever。
Still；　if　you。　insist〃

The　practical　politician　reconsidered　hastily。　〃I'm　not　the　sort；〃
he　protested；　〃to　turn　out　a　man　appointed　by　our　martyred
President。　Besides；　he's　so　old　now；　if　the　fever　don't　catch　him；
he'll　die　of　old　age；　anyway。〃

The　Secretary　coughed　uncomfortably。　〃And　they　say；〃　he　murmured；
〃republics　are　ungrateful。〃

〃I　don't　quite　get　that；〃　said　the　practical　politician。

Of　Porto　Banos；　of　the　Republic　of　Colombia；　where　as　consul　Mr。
Marshall　was　upholding　the　dignity　of　the　United　States；　little
could　be　said　except　that　it　possessed　a　sure　harbor。　When　driven
from　the　Caribbean　Sea　by　stress　of　weather；　the　largest　of　ocean
tramps；　and　even　battle…ships；　could　find　in　its　protecting　arms　of
coral　a　safe　shelter。　But；　as　young　Mr。　Aiken；　the　wireless
operator；　pointed　out；　unless　driven　by　a　hurricane　and　the　fear　of
death；　no　one　ever　visited　it。　Back　of　the　ancient　wharfs；　that
dated　from　the　days　when　Porto　Banos　was　a　receiver　of　stolen　goods
for　buccaneers　and　pirates；　were　rows　of　thatched　huts；　streets；
according　to　the　season；　of　dust　or　mud；　a　few　iron…barred；
jail…like　barracks；　customhouses；　municipal　buildings；　and　the
whitewashed　adobe　houses　of　the　consuls。　The　backyard　of　the　town
was　a　swamp。　Through　this　at　five　each　morning　a　rusty　engine
pulled　a　train　of　flat　cars　to　the　base　of　the　mountains；　and；　if
meanwhile　the　rails　had　not　disappeared　into　the　swamp；　at　five　in
the　evening　brought　back　the　flat　cars　laden　with　odorous
coffeesacks。

In　the　daily　life　of　Porto　Banos；　waiting　for　the　return　of　the
train；　and　betting　if　it　would　return；　was　the　chief　interest。　Each
night　the　consuls；　the　foreign　residents；　the　wireless　operator；
the　manager　of　the　rusty　railroad　met　for　dinner。　There　at　the　head
of　the　long　table；　by　virtue　of　his　years；　of　his　courtesy　and
distinguished　manner；　of　his　office；　Mr。　Marshall　presided。　Of　the
little　band　of　exiles　he　was　the　chosen　ruler。　His　rule　was　gentle。
By　force　of　example　he　had　made　existence　in　Porto　Banos　more
possible。　For　women　and　children　Porto　Banos　was　a　death…trap；　and
before　〃old　man　Marshall〃　came　there　had　been　no　influence　to
remind　the　enforced　bachelors　of　other　days。

They　had　lost　interest；　had　grown　lax；　irritable；　morose。　Their
white　duck　was　seldom　white。　Their　cheeks　were　unshaven。　When　the
sun　sank　into　the　swamp　and　the　heat　still　turned　Porto　Banos　into
a　Turkish　bath；　they　threw　dice　on　the　greasy　tables　of　the　Cafe
Bolivar　for　drinks。　The　petty　gambling　led　to　petty　quarrels；　the
drinks　to　fever。　The　coming　of　Mr。　Marshall　changed　that。　His
standard　of　life；　his　tact；　his　worldly　wisdom；　his　cheerful
courtesy；　his　fastidious　personal　neatness　shamed　the　younger　men；
the　desire　to　please　him；　to；　stand　well　in　his　good　opinion；
brought　back　pride　and　self…esteem。

The　lieutenant　of　her　Majesty's　gun…boat　PLOVER　noted　the　change。

〃Used　to