Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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5?ke Shielt ? o&j"Panda AUTHOR Of "BEYOND THE FRC "MY LADY OF 1 NOVtUZfC MOM THI fMOTOW Y OfOROE I. MLIT2 f| COTYUOMT. !?<?, FIRST EPISODE Treasure-Trov? Porto Delgado slept In the burning afternoon. The white house fronts, which reflected the sun's intolerable rays, looked down on the empty street that wound from the brown grasses of the Argentine pampas into the pampas again. The green jalousies were drawn fast. Nobody stirred, exeept a few fishermen upon the wharf, where lay a trim, Yankee-built chooner, the Portland Girl. Upon her deck, a patch of white against the blue of the sky, a girl was standing. Beside her was a young man, eagerly watching her face. It was a greut moment for each of them. Leontine Walcott, the only daughter of an American business muu settled in the little Argentine port, had come to bid farewell to her lover, who was about to sail on one of the strangest cruises that man has ever nubile. Jerry Carson, who had chartered the schooner, was a successful American writer. He had met Leontine in the United States two years before, when her father had taken her there on one of bis infrequent business trips. lie had always been interested in marine exploration. A few months earlier he bad made a discovery while gathering material for a novel in the I Bahamas. On the strength of it ho had chartered the schooner and gone to Porto Delgado, whirh was not only the starting point for his strange quest, hut also the home of the woman whom lie had come to love more than anything in the world. "I shall look across the sea every day III the hope of seeing your ship come sailing home, laden with treasure," said the girl softly. Jerry Carson hung upon her words eagerly. lie took Leontlne's hands in his. "You believe in me," he said half wistfully. "Do you know you are the only human being who does? All the Test have called me a fool. Even my ^aptnln thinks I urn a fool. And your fttther?" He looked at her questlonlngly. Leontlne Toughed happily. "My fttther 1m a man of business," she answered, "It Is natural that ho should put no faith in your Idea*" "X suppose It does sound impossible," he admitted. "But that bottle wltli the message in it, which I picked ^TTp on the shores of the Bahamas, was unquestionably genuine. It wus signed by. Joseph Dexter?the message, I e ? * * - * ?rou, XUU 11UVI2 IICUIU Ul Illlll I ' j ""No, Jerry," said Leontlne frankly* "Dexter was a big man in his day. His ideas were often derided us errat* ic; nevertheless, they sometimes proved practical, and he was recognized as the master of synthetic chemistry. Even his worst enemies granted that he knew v.: re than the lot of 4hfem put together. What they sneered at was his lack of practicality. Wellv I perhaps they were right, Anyway, ! he disappeared," I ^."Dexter?" iiJwWi*" "Yes. Nine or ten ago. You "wouldn't remember-, but it mude a great sensation at the time. He had chartered a ship?like myself?to ex "A Rich Man and a Decent Man Wants You to Be Hit Wife." pi ore the South Atlantic. The ship was wrecked. He was never heard of again. His will wua probated, and? that was the end until I picked up his message." "Jerry, inuny people have sailed to And Sir Henry Morgan's treasure," said Lcontine. "And failed to find It. Rut it Is found, dear. Dexter wrote that it was found?found on the deserted South Atlantic rock known as liavengar's jngSWow UTarrisK. ffi ~p V 11 ' >NTIER"MAID OF THE FOREST," "HE NORTH," ETC LAY MJUAl or THE SAME NAMt UK.EASED IY fATMt rr wtMurttkiw Ledge. Not to be found, but found." Leon tine laid her hund impulsively on Jerry's arm. 4,Never mind what father thinks or what the others think, Jerry," she suid. "I believe in you absolutely. I know that ybu will find the treasure, and thut you will bring it back to me. And that you will coine home with all the untold millions of the old buccaneer und?and marry me," she added softly, with downcast eyes. "How about Sebastian Navarre?" he asked. "He is nothing to me," answered Leon tine. "Au revoir, Leontine, then," he said, "till 1 come back to marry you." "I shall always watch till the day when your ship comes sailing in," said the girl. "I shall watch for you and hold you lu my heart always." ******* "Fire!" Jerry heard the words through his dreams ami thought they were part o! them. lie heard the shouts more faintly, the running <>f fupon the decks; then he was out of his berth and pulling on his clot lies. He dashed out of the little cabin, to meet a wall of smoke tlistt coiled about him, tin* thick, acrid smoke of a burning ship, composed of particles of all the chemicals that have Impregnated the timbers during the course of years of many cargoes. He staggered back, but now the little cabin itself was filled with the fumes. He grabbed a blanket from the bed, moistened it in water, and wound it about bis head. Thus protected, he dashed again into the .smokeclouds. He jt.ore the blanket from his face and drew in a gulp of air. Then he saw that wJread.v the entire after part of the vessel was wreathed in Dames. There was rut hope of saving her. in the far distance rose the rugged alOpos of upper Ihifagoniu, an inhospitable shore, abandoned to the elements and the wandering savages who inhabited It. Toward this he saw a boat making its y?'iiy through a turbulent and rising sea. He realized then that he was alone. The cowardly Levantine crew, which had replaced the New England seamen of former days, had hastily let down the boats and tied in them. A little boat still hung from the davits. Hand over hand he swung down the davit ropes. He gained the rocking boat and, with his clasp-knife, cut the ropes that held It. Suddenly, with a roaring detonation, the burning ship seemed to split Into halves. There was a last flicker of red and gold on the surface of the water; then nothing but the level top of tlio ?ca. spilt by the undulating waves. L jle??vy pulled with all his might. Late In the afternoon, with his last ounce of strength* lie drove his boat ashore hpoh u rocky beach, pulled out the CitsW, and. flinging himself down aboVe the tide level, Slept. At the same hour Leontine, seated | upon ino ciin, wun loosing seuwuru and breathing out a prayer for his safe return. She breathed a prayer that filled her soul with yearning for her absent lover. Jerry had been gone live months, and her position in Porto Delgado had become increasingly difficult. So long as her father's business affairs prospered, Sebastian Navarre, the young planter, about whom Jerry had questioned her, hud hardly troubled her life. Two unlucky shipments, which had gone to the bottom uninsured, had almost ruined the once wealthy export merchant. Day by day John YVnlcott looked into the eyes of a future Increasingly grim. Day by day the thoughts of maturing notes perplexed him. For a long time he had been living on a gamble, lie had extended his operation with borrowed capital, I never doubting their success. Now he saw himself encircled by the creditors i who. already surmising his distress, looked dubiously at him as he walked down the sunlit street between his house and his office. John YValeott had weathered many a storm as a young inau. Hut the fu ture of Leontine was an increasing concern to him. He had never liked Jerry, he did not believe that a professional man's income could be a stable one; again, he was practically denationalized, and liked the people of the Argentine and their ways. Above thera all he liked Sebastian Navarre. Sebastian lived with his brother Diego on a huge ranch ten miles away in the pampas. It covered possibly as large a territory as Wales. It was one of the largest in the country, a hacienda of the old time, where the vaqueros wore silver spurs and herded cattle by the hundred thousand. He knew, too, that as Sebastian's TUB HORRY HJBB fith?rlB*l?w be would bay? access to capital sufficient to renew his hold on ent he had not dared broach a subject i of which Sebastian was perfectly aware. John Wnlcott argued himself Into itis conviction that Leontine's interests. not his. were his chief care. He had laughed Jerry Carson to * scorn. He could hardly bear to be civil with him when he brought his schooner into Porto Delgado upon his foolish quest. The only thing that made it bearable. having the Aracrlcun In his house, seeing him engrossed with his daughter, was the thought that Jerry would return a discredited bankrupt Dally, after Jerry's departure, her father praised Sebastian and disparaged her absent lover. Leontlne grew to hate Sebastian, who did not fail to avail himself of his opportunity to press his suit Then came the day when she returned to find a sailor standing In her father's hull, and her father listening eugerly to his story. Sebastian was present us well; he was generally there nowadays. As Leontlne entered she saw an inscrutable look upon her father's face. "You must prepare to hear bad news, dear," he said. "What is it?" she cried. "I'm sorry, ma'am," said the sailer. "I thought it was my duty to come here. The Portland Girl is lost with all hands." "It's false!" cried Leontlne instinc n voi y. "No, ma'am, It can't be false," the sailor answered. "Jerry is safe," said I.eontlne gravely. "If he were dead my heart would i tell me so." John Waleott, who felt sorry for his daughter, made no answer. It was not for two or three days that he spoke to her. Meanwhile, by preconcerted agreement, Sebastian had remained away. "Leontine," said her father, "you know that my affairs are not in the host shape just now?" "Yes," she replied listlessly. ' "I am very sorry about Jerry CnrI son's death, but don't you think it is as well to consider it in its proper light?" "What do you call its 'proper light?'" she asked. "A happy dispensation," answered John Waleott. "Leontine, you are old enough U) stop dreaming and to face the facts of life. You are past twen- i ty. A rich man and a decent man wants you to be his wife. My future is precarious. I will not urge the fact that a marriage with Sebastian would restore my business affairs. I only ask that you will accept this chance." t'? cl.A tl in .ti . cite v.i ?ru, duelling nugriiy. "Why not?" "Because I love .Terry. And I have promised to be true to him." "Jerry Is dead. There is not one chuQce in a million of his having survived. Both the ship's boats were found, one destroyed, one empty." "I will never give up believing in him," said Leontine. "In his survival?" "In that aud in him. I do not love Sebastiun." John Waleott looked at her in his aggrieved way. He did not pretend to understand the obstinacy of his daughter's nature. But he understood j human nature well enough to realise inn Faced Diego With the I that she was not at present to be overcome. He told Sebastian, who sot himself out to be as sympathetic as his nature would permit. With the exercise of a good deal of self-control he discarded the lover and spoke of his acceptance of her decision, and his wish that they should be friends. Weeks rolled on, turned Into months, and vanished. It was nearly a year after Jerry's departure that Sebastian lifted ?not threw off?the mask. He told her that, if he conld never win her love, he wanted her companionship. Would she not marry him as a formality and nothing more? She should be free, merely the gracious mistress of his hacienda. He would lay everything at her feet. Leontlne refused, but she was touched by the man's offer. His seeming devotion had affected a heart soft LALD, GOITWAY, 8. O. ened by the death of Jerry. That night her father told her that unless she married Sebastian lie was a ruined man. Otherwise he could not bring himself to ask the loan which would convert failure into success. Leontine was shaken. What did It matter, so long as she took only Sebastian's name, now that Jerry wus dead? On the next day Sebastian renewed his suit. This time he got a tentative acceptance. Leontine was weakening; she said that she would consider and tell him later. # , ? Jerry Carson, picked up by a passing tramp ship from the rock on which he had lived so long, landed at the nearest port to Porto Delgndo and made his way afoot to the place which held all his heurt's aspirations. The villagers stared in umazement at the mun who had seemingly returned from death. They crowded round him. "In truth, Sebastian will not be pleased, now that he will find himself in rivalry again with this Gringo," said au old crone to her neighbor. Jerry heard and demanded an explanation. Soon he had It. Reluctantly?for the Spaniard luites to retail un! pleasant news?they confessed that Sebastian was a daily visitor at the house of the merchant, and that his engagement to Leontine was an article of faith In the village. Burning with anger, which he strove1 to keep down because of his faith In his beloved, Jerry made his way up ,1... ?111 ... liiv min-1. lilt; Villagers WIUCIUM1 111 111 and shrugged their shoulders. "A woman Is tickle," they murmured to one another. Meanwhile the lust act of the consplraey was being performed in the merchant's house. Diego Navarre, Sebastian's brother, was pleading Sebastian's cause. Ho hud tried to disparage Jerry before, but had repented quickly. Now he hoped to overturn the last scruple in the girl's mind. I "This Mr. Carson," said Diego, in bis soft, well-modulated voice, "in or- i dor to defray the expanses of his schooner trip, he sold some property which had come to him from his late father, did he not?" "Really, senor, why should you ask nie about Mr. Carson's affairs?" inquired the girl. "Nevertheless, it is true, senorita?" "Well, what if it is?" "Well, senorita, you know my brother is an honorable man, and would never have taken an unfair advantage. Let the blame of what may happen to your opinion fall on my devoted head," he added, patting his i -.1 i- * - S1CCK CUTIS. "I do not understand you," said Leontlne. looking Diego straight in the faee. ,4 ? "Simply, senorlta, that when a man j gives a note, or an I. O. U., or receipt for moneys advanced, on the strength of the existence of a piece of property, how does one describe his actions in. afterward pocketing the proceeds instead of paying liis debt?" "Are you insinuating anything against Mr. Carson?" Leontine asked. "Yes, senorita," answered Diego boldly. "You are aware that when my brother was in New York last year he took with him an introduction from Senor Walcott to Mr. Carson?" "No, I did not know it," said Leontine. "Well?" "My brother knew Mr. Carson well. - i . - 1 Upraised Iron Ornament. Mr. Carson, in fact, borrowed a considerable sum of money from him in order to defray the expenses of this Journey. And then?well, when the property was sold the money went into the schooner Instead of going buck to my brother." Leontlne could not help laughing at the flimsy trick. "If you understood Mr. Carson," she said, "you would know that suck a thing Is Impossible." Diego Navarre put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a document. "Do me the honor to look at that senorlta," he said. It was a receipt for a large sum of money, advanced by Sebastian to Jerry Carson on the security of the property which he had Inherited from his father. Of course, the signature was a fraud. Sebastian had never seen Jerry In America, but John Walcott, who did not understand the ramifications of the plot, had agreed to say that he had given a letter of Introduction in case Leontlne questioned him. The signature was a clumsy fraud, too clumsy for Leoatlne, who had half a hundred of her lover's letters. "It is fraudulent," she said calmly, handing It back to the man. "Mr. Carson is not a thief." At that moment Jerry, la burning anger, entered the room. Hot, dusty, travel-stained, his skin burned to a deep bronse, he confronted the pair. But whatever doubts may have been in his mind were speedily dissolved. For, with a cry of thankfulness, Leontin? tottered toward him and fell into his arms. His kisses were on her lips, and Diego, standing baffled at this unexpected turn of affairs, was complete^ ly helpless. He did not know what to do. Jerry released the girl and turned upon Diego. He hud mlstukeu hitn for his brother, whom he somewhat resembled; now, seeing his mistake, be wus for the moment equully ut a loss. But he saw Diego trying to conceal the piece of paper, and he remembered Leontine's words which he . hud lieurd as he entered. "1 think you made the suggestion that I wus a thief?" he inquired. | Diego did not unswer; he tried to pocket the paper, but his hand shook so from l'ear that he was unable even to fold it. Ills eyes sought the door Leontlne interposed. "Jerry, he says you gave a recelp for a loan of money to his brother, St bastian," she cried. "lie says yoi borrowed from his brother in America and that you pledged your futhor't property, uiul put the money for it? sale Into your ship instead of repaying him. That Is your receipt." Jerry, stung to the quick, stepped quickly before the door just in tliut to intercept Diego. "Let me see that receipt." he said. "It doesn't matter," answered Diego. "If that is my signature I claim ija right to look at it. Perhaps I shall i honor it." The Argentine, suddenly realizing that Jerry meant business, stepped back quickly. He ran into a desk which had been used by the merchant formerly for the transaction of dom-1 estic affairs, and, stumbling, saw and caught hold of a heavy iron ornament which John Walcott had kept there. ! lie raised it threateningly in his hand and stood confronting Jerry, a sneer on his face, which was, nevertheless, i pale from fear. i Jerry turned toward the girl. "Dearest, will you leave us for a moment?" he asked. Suddenly he saw Leontlne's eyes dilate with fear. She stared over his shoulder. "Jerry !" she shouted. Jerry turned just in time to see Diego with the upraised iron ornament standing behind him. Jerry leaped upon Diego and J snatched the implement from his hand. ' He turned to Leontlne. "Qo, dear," he said. The girl came uncertainly towurd her lover. "Jerry, you won't hurt him?" she asked. "Not if he hands over that forgery," | he answered grimly. "I am Just going to talk to him, my dear." She left the room. At the door she caught a last glimpse of Jerry, stand- | ing with the iron ornament in his! hand, and Diego, with a panther's snurling face, leaning against the desk. ? j When the door closed behind her Jerry turned to the Argentine. "I want that receipt," he said. "I want to see it. You came here to lie to my fiancee and intimidate her. i What action I shall take upon thut | shall be decided later. For the pres- j ent, I want that receipt." With a curse and a snarl Diego | flung himself upon the American. So wild was the fury of his impulse that at first he drove Jerry before him. His hands, with the sinewy strength of the Latin American, twined themselves about Jerry's throat. Jerry felt himself choking. Jerry let the iron ornament slip from his hand and dashed both his, fists into his opponent's face. But I Diego's hands still caught at his throat. The room was turning black. The world swam round him. Ills face, covered with blood from Jerry's blows, Diego fought like the panther? he was. Hound and round the room they j wrestled. Loontirie, who had not gone! very far from the door, heard the I sounds and flew back in terror to the library, where her father was chattine witti Sohoatlnn John Wnlcott. although not privy to I the plot, suspected that Homething was In the wind. When Sebastian sent Diego Into the room across the hullway to talk with Leontine, he was sure of his suspicions. He read them, also, in Sebastian's nervous manner and his shaking hands. Nobody had seen Jerry enter. The big door of the house was always open by day, and communicated directly with the hall. The two rose to their feet as Leontine entered. She sprang to her father's side, her face white with fear. "Gome and help! Come and help!" she cried. "He Is fighting him; he tried to murder him." Now, for the first time. Wnlcott and Sebastian could hear the sounds of' the fight. "Who Is trying to murder whom?" he asked. "Diego is murdering Jerry." "What! Tou are talking nonsense 1" Trrr'1 ? i"H TTI! Nhouted John Walcott. "I tell you Jerry has come back? hack from the dead. Cornel Cornel** She pulled her father toward the door, while Sebastian, who was of much more courageous make-up than his brother, and alarmed for his safety, took the Initiative. At the door were the house servants, white, termed, and shaken, Jabbering in excitement. . The rumor of Jerry Carson's return had already reached them. Inside the room Jerry had, by a supreme effort, contrived to shake Diego's hands from his face. The Argentine wai badly battered. Jerry released him and stooped to pick up the forged receipt, which had fullen to the ground. As he did so, Diego, misinterpreting the action, and thinking that Jerry was about to nttuck' him again, stumbled as he tried to escape, slipped and fell backward, striking hia head upon the heuvy ornament which Jerry had thrown down. His head crushed on the knobbed metal. He threw up his hands and struggled to rise. A singular change passed over his face; he opened his lips, muttered, and then fell back and lay still. Jerry stooped over the prostrate man. Diego was dead. Horrified, Jerry rose to his feet and stood staring dowu at the dead man. He picked up the iron ornament, now stained and splotched with blood. "I Tell You Jerry Has Come Back." Holding it in his hand, he became aware that the door had opened and that a crowd of men and women wus with him. He turned dully. There stood Leontine aud her father, side by side with the crying, gesticulating house-servunts. Sebastian darted from the group and ran toward his brother's side. Disregarding Jerry, he raised the dead man's head upon his knee and ruised the eyelids. They fell again. He tried once more, and they remained open. Sebastian burst into uncontrollable weeping. He got up. He approached .Terry. "Murderer!" he cried, shaking his flst in his face. "You have killed him. The law und God shall avenge him." At the words Leontine darted between them. She flung her arm's about her lover's neck and stood there, facing Sebastian in hot defiance. f "You lie!" she cried. "It was you who planned your brother's coming to me with that forged document in order to trick me. it was he who tried to kill Jerry, coming upon him from behind with the paperweight. If he is dead, he was the would-be murderer." ( "I did not kill him," said Jerry. "He had forged my name to a receipt. I 1 demanded the paper. He refused it. I tried to take it from him and ho attacked me and nearly strangled me. In falling he struck his head upon the paperweight." "You lie!" screamed Sebastian, leap ? " ' ~ infi, nil n III II <111*1 M1I1K1IIK I11S Ill'ST again, while the tears streamed down his cheeks. "It was no forgery. It was true. It was your receipt for the money which I lent you in New York last year, to he repaid out of your father's property. And you embezzled the money and invested it in the crazy ship in which you sailed upon your j madman's error. Here It is !" He snatched the paper from the ground, where it had fallen, and held it out before the merchant. Jerry saw John YVulcott read the signature and nod his head slowly; and suddenly it dawned upon him that he stood on treacherous ground, that everything was being misinterpreted. "There Is his reason for the murder! Is It not good? Is It not sound?'* shouted Sebastian, still beside himself with passion. | "I tell you he fell and struck his S head on the paperweight," shouted Jerry. "Look at the back of his head where he bruised It." ) "Look at his face!" screamed 8e- v, baatlan, "where you struck him again '! and again. No fist could strike a face |1 and leave such scars aa those.'* r He stopped suddenly and east bis eyes toward the middle of Jerry's ^ breast. A malignant smile crept across i his features." l "Where Is the paperweight?" heshouted. And suddenly Jerry understood why all had turned against him, why John j Walcott had heeded Sebastian's lmpassloucd words and his own not at all. He was holding In his own hand the I