1i?'.1-
S
i
EVENING PUBL10 LEDGER-PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, .DECEMBER 7. 191? K ' '-r"i vjc,,-
"HE AUTOBIOGRAPHY o A PENN5YLVANIAN
By Samue W. ' Pcnnypackor
Pennsylvania 'Most Zealous
$$, and AnerAettc Governor
Jr & J 9k
v n35sya
v. g&m!&i
i' i-iS 'V air a.T.
(Coin rliilil, 117, by thn Public t.tdzer Company.)
CHAPTER VI (Continued)
TN 1863 I began the practice of keeping a sort of record of my
reauing, giving me name ot me autnor, tnc title ot tne dook, uic
number of pages and the excerpts of those thoughts which im
pressed me as most pleasing and forcible. This practice I have
continued ever since nnd it has resulted in four manuscript volumes
which have been of great service ns well as satisfaction, furnishing
me with ready quotations for papers and addresses from my own
study. On one occasion while I was Governor a representative of
the North American, a worthless sheet, published in Philadelphia,
came to.Pcnnypacker's Mills to pry into some action of the Govern
ment supposed to bo then in contemplation nnd asked me for an
interview. I had learned by experience that whether I saw him or
not an interview would appear in the paper, since the discipline in
tho office -required that something must be brought back in his bag.
Therefore I told, him I would give him an interview. He took out
his pencil, and memorandum book and made ready, and I proceeded:
"Celerity ought to be contempcrcd with cunctatlon."
"Won't you please repeat what you said?" he asked.
"Certainly. Celerity ought to be contempercd with cuncta
tlon." "Would you object to spelling that last word for me?"
"Not at all; c-u-n-c-t-a-t-i-o-n."
He went back to the city, hunted up his dictionary and wrote
two or three columns, and the poper has not yet entirely recovered
from the shock.
The First Book
While dabbling occasionally in verse and other forms of literary
expression, especially in my young manhood, my chief study, apart
from professional activities, has been in the way of historical re
search. My father set me the example by writing, in 1843, at the
'request of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, ti local history in
two manuscript volumes of Schuylkill Township, Chester County,
Pa. I used this material, adding to it, and published in 1872 "The
Annals of Phoenixville and Vicinity." Recently Mr. Albert Cook
Myers prepared for the Pennsylvania History Club a bibliography of
my, printed books and papers. Thoy number in all about eighty
and in the course of years I have come to have an extended reputa
tion and a clientele for this kind of production. The "Hcndrick Pan-
nebecker," given away in the family, on those rare occasions when it
Is offered for sale brings $25. The "Weedon's Orderly Book," pub
lished at $5, sells for $10, and the "Settlement of Germantown," which
was put on the market at $3.50, has produced us high as $74 for a
single copy. Tho publisher buys back every copy he can get and is
willing topay for it $15. Taking all of these books together, how
ever, they have never paid me anything, but they wore not written
with the expectation of profit and I have had the satisfaction of
elucidating by original research tome of tho interesting characters
in the annals of the State. I have made Peter Cornelius Plockhoy
and Christopher Dock known over the world. I have clarified and
Jrhwxai-4
fe
lrUrWa-wlUto iuju Ul Vuc M,
fot tL, iuodUXr 1-C 'V(
AU, lLT Uf- tv O U. rwtf- riL. liuiv'l
W-Gu w' Ugl, (foe&j ijritU
" uJLJS -- fiWCO. r'-IW
UP
The title page of the manuscript of Governor Pennypacker's
first book, a history of Phoenixville. It was published
in 1872.
enhanced the reputation of both David Rittenhouse and Anthony
Wayne. I have furnished mnterial out of which many subsequent
writers have constructed their books. Somo years ag6 Daniel K.
Cassel, a well meaning but illiterate and entirely untrained old
man, concluded he would like to write a history of the Mcnnonltcs.
He came to me and coyly suggested that he would be helped if I
should prepare a chapter for him. I told him I had no timo to devote
to the task but that if he found anything serviceable in my pub
lished papers I should not interfere with his making uso of them.
When his book appeared I found, much to my surprise and amuse
ment, that half of it was mado up of these papers text, notes and
citations from authors in other languages which he was unablo to
read, word for word, as I had written them. Ono day he came to my
office and said: "Tho subscription price of my book is a dollar and
a half, but I got a good deal of information from you, so I will sell
you a copy for a dollar." Ho was entirely sincere and tho Joke
upon me was too manifest not to be enjoyed. I was not willing,
however, that the value of my work should be measured at fifty
cents, and, therefore, I paid him the full price, much to his relief.
In November, 1867, I heard Charles Dickens read in Musical
Fund Hall selections from his novels, including the chapter upon the
death of little Paul Dombcy and extracts frcm the Pickwick Papers.
Ho had his hair twisted into a sort of curl, ho wore a velvet vest and
carried an unnecessarily heavy gold watch chain, and on the whole
gave the suggestion of a want of thorough breeding, perhaps even
of commonness. Ho read with something of a cockney accent but
with considerable dramatic effect.
Among the observances of tho Centennial Celebration in 1876, a
Congress of Authors from over the country assembled in Independ
ence Hall on the Fourth of July, and each author there deposited a
sketch written by himself of somo one of the worthies of tho Revo
lution. Mark Twain was one of those who participated. It was the
only time 1 ever saw him, and I remember him ns u slim man with
a light complexion and a large mustache, wearing a white, or nearly
white, suit of clothes. I wrote a paper upon Colonel Samuel John
Atlee, who commanded the Pennsylvania Musketry Battalion in that
war.
On the sixth of October, 1883, tho Germans of America cele
brated the two hundredth anniversary of the coming of the Ger
mans to Germantown, which was the beginning of that great immi
gration, and I made the address at the Academy of Music before an
immense concourse of people. It was translated into German and re
published in Hamburg. One day the German Consul of Philadelphia
came to my office bringing to me in person tho official thanks of
Prince Bismarck. The Germans have always shown mo great
favor, electing me one of the Archive Committee of tho Deutsche
Gesellschafft nnd an honorary member of the Cannstatter Volksfest
Verein and the Maenncrchor, and when they erected a statue
of Schiller in Fairmount Park, I delivered the oration.
Some Physical Peculiarities
I have certain physical peculiarities. When a rabbit is seen
sitting upon his haunches it will be observed that he is continually
spreading wide his nostrils. No doubt this power was a physical
advantago to animals, enabling them to increase their scent and
thus learn of the presence of enemies or prey. I have the power of
voluntarily using the muscles which dilate the nostrils. I likewise
have control of the muscles which spread the toes of the feet, thus,
to some extent, making them prehensile. Darwin, who spent much
time in fathering facts from whiclullko inferences may be drawn,
had not discovered these and I wrote him a letter calling his atten
tion to them. Ho replied in an autograph note expressing recogni
tion of the value of these facts in elucidation of his theory.
Ono of the descendants of Edward 'Lane, a beautiful woman,
became the wife of Lieutenant A. J. Slemmer, who at the outset of
the War of the Rebellion acquired fame through his command of
Fort Pickens in Florida, which was ono of the two forts, the other
being Fort Sumter in South Carolina, retained by the North in the
seceded States. Soon afterward Slemmor died and she went over
to England and there married Professor Jebb, the celebrated Greek
scholar connected with Oxford University. Then she sent for her
niece, and this niece married George, the son of Sir Charles Darwin.
At the time of the dinner given by the American Philosophical
Society to celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of
Franklin, Sir George Darwin, who was thero with many other
scientists, came over to me and said: "My wife, who is here, tells
me that you and she arc cousins." She sat in the gallery and when
I arose to speak to a toast I made reference to her presence.
A third physical peculiarity is the fact that I have five incisor
teeth in the lower jaw. One day I said to my colleague on the
bench, Judge Mayer Sulzberger:
"Judge, did you know that I was a monstrosity?"
"No; what peculiar phase of monstrosity do you exhibit?"
"I have five incisor teeth in the lower jaw."
"There is nothing strange about that; look at mine."
And he had five incisor teeth on the lower jaw. Monstrosities
were a majority of the Court.
For many years I corresponded with Dr. J. G. De Hoop Schcffer,
of Amsterdam, the historian of the Reformation in the Netherlands,
and one of the most learned scholars of Europe. When in Amster
dam in 1890 I called on him and found him a very genial old
gentleman, with white hair, living in a house which indicated the
presence of every necessary comfort. I presume at his suggestion
I was elected a member of the Maatschappij van Nederlandsche
Lcttcrkunde of Leyden. When our correspondence began I said to
him that my acquaintance with Dutch was limited, but that if he
would write in either French or German I could get along comfort
ably. He gave no attention to this suggestion, but wrote to me in
English.
v3V0 " w:;'ff fli!
WVTt " T ' ' "' '" . -V?" v
fttM
HLHr
Wm
m
wmmmmmmmm l . ' ., LUWWUILJL'AH'11'
WfKZ$?'' wK?f Wi4Vf
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is, ;.. v . . - , y;- Avo V ' 'i
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f k jc'4:jr'V:iwrt-V'ft-T',' - mm
o j v: .- ;. i :v.i -- i... z. - .,' th j a
FF-ii. .'-- vT. " JT w I , I v . .! e iM- i"i.-c Aral - jVsM
4'vK.VVVX"lWiWfcji&.iVSS,.;-v; wu wiu niu no nua come lrum uu argument, oeiorc an auaivor,"
1 .I'tsiV.rv-V'iJll.r7. ( , Hj?WrftiL4: claiming a fund which had been the assets of a defunct hospital. $
?& Wtr. ShA'' -v vr,'' Vk- -Hf '''t
Typical pages from Governor Pennypacker's notebook in
which he kept quotations from his readings. Above are
shown in the original language Pennsylvania Dutch proverbs
and quotations from English and French writers. Below
is the record of a year's reading. A total of 27,698 pages was
read that year as follows: Latin, 239; Dutch, 1204; French,
1327; German, 1855, and English, 23,093.
The Compte de Paris, the Bourbon claimant of the throne of
France and aide-de-camp upon the staff of General George B. Mc
Clellan, when he was engaged in the preparation of his history of
the War of the Rebellion, wrote to me a letter or two concerning
the manufacture of the Griffen gun at Phoenixville. That is as
near as I have ever come to association with royalty except that I
once dined at the Hotel Bellevue with the present King of the Bel
gians. He had come over here to view the country, no doubt as a
means of enlarging his scope and preparing him for his prospective
duties. I chatted with him for a while in French and found him
polito but very much like other people who are met at dinners.
When I came to the bar my dear, good mother said that she had
only two ambitions for me which she would like to have gratified.
She would like me at some time to reach the bench and she would
like to see me a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania. No
doubt, in her early married life, my father, coming directly from
the medical school, had impressed her with the dignity and impor
tance of the board of trustees, who in their formal visits to the
college seemed to him to be both grave and august. When John
Welsh, who had been at the head of the Centennial Exposition and
had been Minister from tho United States to England, died, in 1886,
I was elected to take his place on the board of trustees. Gener
ally these places are filled by selections from among people of
large means and of social consequence, but somehow it happened.
It has been a satisfaction to me as I have gone through life to know
that all of the institutions with which I have been associated, and
many of the persons with whom I have been upon friendly terms,
have secured advantages from the association to a greater extent
than could have been reasonably anticipated. The University is
no exception, and, even in the way of financial aid, it has received
more through my efforts than from many others of vcrr lam.
resources. One day on going down Sixteenth street I met a lawysr'1'"
wuu turn niu no nua cumc lrum uu argument ueiore an auuitor, '
claiming a fund which had been the assets of a defunct hospital.
I hastened to the auditor, claimed the fund for the University f .
Pennsylvania, and, although the testimony had been closed, sue-
ceeded in getting a hearing. The auditor awarded the fund to rao ;
nnd on exceptions and argument his report was confirmed by the
Court of Common Pleas. Although through too much earnestness -I
gained the antipathy of Lawrence Lewis, Jr., who had expected to
get the sum for an institution which he represented, I carried a
cnccit lor nearly six mousanu uonurs 10 me trustees in iriumpo. ivf
In numerous papers I pointed out the relations which had existed 'c 'I'
between the State and tho University and did much to bring about t?hM
their restoration. When I became Governor, by the act of May lBifea
isiuo, uu uppropnuuou oi one nunurca uiousuna aouars was maw ypm
lor inc maintenance oi uie university, tnus setting a preceaeat yujf
which has been followed since. It has gradually come about that taffi'l
1 1. j .1 - em- . .1 .... ... . w . V'$
almost au oi me enorts oi tne institution Deiore me -ijeirisiatura ijjs
and the Councils of the city I have been called upon to be a spokes- ii
man.
Before I became a trustee the University always traced its '
itnmn 4-r n nnninVlftf Vffvitnn Tt. 1?n1ltn in 1740 liit T nt.Ml
in proving that it really began with a charity school for which1! aisKS
building was erected in 1740, thus adding nine years to its life t&
the other end and making it antedate Princeton. Since my pre- rSJg
sentation of proofs to the trustees the catalogues have all borne) -fcf
the data of 1740. When I entered the bodrd of trustees, at
hnnd of fhf institution s.it the tirnvost. Dr. Willinm Punrwr. in fcfi'3
time and in various lines of work one of the most capable meniRf4ff
it- ! i !.: 1 i-j i j i it WlV
inc cuy. no a pajaiuiuii, uu uuu u mrgs unu lucrative practice. , H
Short in stature, with little flesh, with light eyes and a nose curviBjr vr
slightly, ho had a bland smile and a most persuasive mariner. ,t;y$M
Politicians gave mm tne create ot rivaling me ablest in political ;
skill. As a physician he entered the sick chamber, smiled on thePf
woman natient. crave her confidence, made her better and chareed Vir '?$M
$500. Mrs. Haldeman, of Harrisburg, daughter of Simon Cameron, $
always kept his portrait hanging in her parlor. Indefatigable and -( SS
persistent, he was ever at work and died young. He could go to $
sleep whenever ho chose and, sitting in his carriago talking, would ' 4
say, "Excuse me for five minutes," and drop off into a nap, from
which, at tne appointed time, ne arousea. Tne original American .m
Pfciffer came among the German peasants to Lebanon County and. ;la
going from there to Philadelphia about 1790, built a brewery; f
made a fortune and founded a family. Nothing of his antecedents llkr
. !.. t.l 1 I t J il i Ji LI. J j .... iM
Known, out uuiu pnysicui unu inemui traits in nis uescenoants su j;?,
guest a Hebrew lineage. Uoctor Fepper was' the real founder of tMv
present great fortunes of the University and under his managemeatjte
it advanced with huge strides. Charles C. Harrison, short, stout,'fej
with dark eyes, succeeded him and has devoted the efforts of a llfe-&
time to the benefit of the institution. He is more direct in hiela
memoas, stronger in cnaracter ana intelligence, ana possesses a larger
- -, ., ---- -...... m 0-.v. vw. , ..w uww. w M.V BWOV'J
object. I know no other instance of such self-sacrifice for the sake of
general good. Under his direction the institution has made stlll;;??js
Krc&ier proKrcBB in 1111 wuya, uuu Jiua ian.cn uKuin its iormer Diaca-
in the foremost rank of American universities. ,
(CONTINUED TOMOHROW)
RAINBOW'S END
By REX BEACH
Author ef "I1i SBoltr." "Th Brrlr." "Hrt f th Sunnt.'
A novel of love, hidden treasure and rebellion in beautiful, mvo
the exciting daya of the revolt against Spain.
terious Cuba during
Copyrlfht, 1017. Harper fc Dros.
CHAPTER XXV (Continued)
OTtEILLY did Indeed feci that he was
making-'himself ridiculous, nevertheless,
he' made the rope fast and Bwuns himself
down out of the sunlight, lcavlne Jacket to
stand guard over him. Perhaps fifteen min
utes later ne reappeared, iiaminp irum nm
exertions. Ho was wet, slimy; hln, clothes
were streaked and stained with mud. Jacket
began to laugh shrilly at his appearance.
"Hal What a blr lizard Is tills? Your
ejfceautlful garments are spoiled. And the
Treasure? Where Is It?" The lad was de
lighted, lie bent douuie with mirtn; ne
slapped his bare legs and stamped his feet
in glee.-
O'Reilly Keeps His Secret
fynlilv arrlnned cood-naturedlv. and re
placed the planks which had covered the
brlflce, then hid the rope In eome nearby
lf,lho On their way back he endured his
young friend's banter absent-mindedly, but
aa'iney nearea asciibiu a iwuoo .o .tn
Jacket by saying. "Can you manage to find
a plck-ax or a crowbar?"
Jacket's eyes opened; he Btopped In the
middle of the dusty road. "What did you
see down there, compadre? Tell me."
"Nothing much. Just enough to make me
want to see more. Do you think you can
teal some sort ot a tool for me?"
"i can try." . J . ...
fpiease do. And remember, say nothing
before Asenslo .or his wife."
MOSS, met U iteuiy jul insma me uuui,
and af .sight of her he uttered an exclama
tion of surprise, for during his absence she
t.a.4 ..mnvid the stain from her face and
discarded that disfigurement which Bvange-
Una had nitea io ner oacK prior m mvir
departure from the Pan de Matanxas.
h tnod before him now. straight and
lUm and graceful the llosa of his dreams.
only Verx Win, vcrjr iraue. not yvitr
tatters only enhanced her prettlness, bo he
I'D... itanr! Do Vou think this Is oulte'
safe?" he ventured, doubtfully.
angellna, wno wh uenainx ocr ner
jai slrajghtened herielf and. came for
ward with a smile upon ner duck race.
, 8M U oeauuiui, UI lou ucauuiui to
at i Yvam i v
was in -ueiiaiiwur voniusiun at
' irl4ant aumriae and admlrktlon.
cept to grow more beautiful, l.vangcllna Is
right; you aro too beautiful to look at. But
wait!" He drew her aside and whimpered.
"I've been down In the ell." Home tremor
In Ills olce, some glint In his eyes, caused
the girl to seize him eagerly, fiercely. "I
may he wrong." ho said, hurriedly; "there
may be nothing In It and yet I saw some
thing." "What?"
"Wooden beams, timbers of borne sort, be
hind the stone curbing." It was plain Itosa
did not comprehend, so he hurried on. "At
first I noticed nothing unusual, except that
the bottom of the well Is nearly dry filled
up, you know, with debris and stuff that
has fallen In from the curbing alxne, then
I raw that although the well Is dug through
rock, nevertheless It Is entirely curbed up
with stones laid In mortar. That struck me
as queer."
"Yes?"
"I noticed, too, In one place that thero
was wood behind as If timbers had been
placed there to cover the entrance to a cave.
You know this Cuban rock Is full of
caverns."
Itosa clasped her hands, she began to
tremble. "You have found It. O'llellly. You
have I" she whispered.
"No, no, I've found nothing yet But I ve
sent Jacket for a pick or a bar and tonight
I'm going to pull down those stones and
see what Is behind them.
'Tonight? You must let me go. too. I
want to help."
"Very well. But meanwhile you mustn't
let your hopes rise too high, for there Is
every chance that you will be disappointed.
And don't mention It to Kvangellna. Now
then, I've a few pennies left and I'm going
to buy some candles."
Itosa embraced her lover Impulsively.
"Something tells me It Is true! Spmethlng
tells me you are going to savo us all."
EvangeUna In the Jar corner of the hut
muttered to her husband: "Such lovebirds 1
They are like parrakeets, forever kissing
and cooing 1"
Jacket returned at dusk and with 'him he
brought a rusty three-foot iron bar. evi
dently part ot a window grating. The boy
was tired, disgusted, and In a vile temper,
"A nlck-axl A crowbar 1" He cursed elo.
quently. "One might as well try to steal a
cannon out of San Severlno. I'm ready to
qo anyuiina wimin reaiun, uui
xnis win oo nicety; it is just what
Jieiliy rnin Dm. .
owned the house may a bad lightning split
him he ran after me until I nearly expired.
If my new knife had been sharp I would
have turned and sent him home with It be
tween his ribs. Tomorrow 1 shall put an
edge on It Believe me, I ran until my lungs
burst."
Little food remained In the hut. barely
enough for Asenslo and the woman, and
Inasmuch as O'llellly had spent his last
centavo for candles he and Jacket were
forced to go hungry again. Late that
evening, after the wretched prison quarters
had grown quiet, the threo treasure hunters
stolo out of their hovel and wound up the
hill. In spite of their excitement they
went slowly, for none, of them had the
Btrength to hurry. Fortunately, there were
few prowlers within tho lines, hunger hav
ing robbed the reconcentrndos of the spirit
to venture forth, and In consequence Spanish
vigilance had relaxed; It was not confined
to tho far-flung girdle of Inlrenchments
which encircled the city. The trio en
countered no one.
The Quest
Leaving Jacket on guard at tho crest of
the hill, O'llellly Btattoned Itosa at the
mouth of the well, then lowered himself
once more into it. Lighting hln candle, he
made a careful examination of the place,
with the result that Ksteban's theory of
the' missing riches seemed even 'less Im
probable than It had earlier In the day.
The masonry work, he discovered, had been
done with a painstaking thoroughness which
spoke ot the abundance ot slave labor, and
time had barely begun to affect It. Here
and there a piece of the mortar had loosened
and come away, but for the most part It
Btood as solid as the stones between which
It was laid. Shoulder high to O'llellly there
appeared to be a bectlon of the curbing
less smoothly fitted than the rest, and
through an Interstice In this he detected
what seemed to be a damp wooden beam.
At this point he brought his iron bar Into
play.
It was not long before he discovered that
his work was cut out for him. The cement
was like flint and his blunt, makeshift im
plement was almost uselebsi against It.
Ankle-deep In the muddy wafer, he patiently
fiecked and pounded and chipped,. endeavor
ng to enlarge the crevice so as to use his
bar as a lever. The sweat streamed from
htm and he became dismayed at bla own
weakness. He was forced to rest fre-
spells he could discern her white face dimly
Illumined by the candle light from below.
After he had worked for an hour or
two he made a report: "It beglnsto look
as If there really was a bulkhead or a
door In there."
The girl clapped her hands and laughed
with delight. "Do hurry, dear; I'm dying
of suspense."
O'ltellly groaned: "That fellow, Sebastian,
knew his business. This cement Is like
steel, and I'm afraid ot breaking my crow
bar." Itosa found a leaf, folded a kiss Into It
and dropped It to him. "That will give you
strength," she declared.
O'llellly lost all count of time after a
while and he was Incredulous when Jacket
came to warn him that daylight was less
than an hour away. "Why. I haveh't
started !" lie protested. He discovered, much
to his surprise, that he was ready to drop
from fatigue and that his hands were torn
and blistered; when he had clmbed tho
rope to the upper air he fell exhausted In
the deep grass. "I I'm not myself at all."
he apologized; "nothing to eat. you know.
But the work will go faster now, for I've
made a beginning,"
"Do you still think " Itosa hesitated to
voice the question which trembled to her
lips.
"I'll know for sure tonight." He di
rected Jacket to replace the planks over
the well ; then the three of them stole away.
O'llellly spent most ot that day In a
profound stupor of exhaustion, while Itosa
watched anxiously over him. Jacket, It
seemed, had peacefully slumbered on picket
doty, so ho occupied himself by grinding
away at his knife. The last scraps of food
disappeared that evening.
When night fell and It came time to
return to the top of La Cumbre, O'llellly
asked himself if his strength would proo
sufficient for the task In hand.
He was spiritless, sore, weak: he ached
In every bono and muscle, and.lt required
all his determination to propel himself up
the hill. He wondered If he were wise thus
to sacrifice his waning energies on a hope
so forlorn as this, but by now he had begun
to more than half believe In the' existence
of the Varona treasure and he felt an al
most Irresistible .curiosity to learn what
secret. If any, was concealed behind those
water-soaked timbers at the bottom of the , J
escape : but, on the other hand, he reasoned,
with equal force, that If he had Indeed
stumbled upon the missing hoard salvation
for all of them was assured. The stake,
It seemed to him, was worth the hazard.
Given tempered tools to work with, It
would have been no great undertaking to
tear down that cemented wall of atones, Dut,
armed with nothing except his bare hands
and that soft iron bar. O'ltellly spent nearly
the whole night at hlo task. Long before
the laxt rock had yielded, however, he be
held that which caused him to turn a
strained face upward to Itosa,
An Impossible Task
"There's a little door, as sure as you live,"
he told her.
The girl was beside herself with excite
ment. "Yes? What else? What more do
you see?"
"Nothing. It appears to be made of solid
timbers, and has two huge hand-wrought
locks."
"Locks! Then we have found It." Itosa
closed her eyes; the swayed momentarily.
"Kstcban was right. Locks, Indeed! That
means tomethlng to hide. Oh, If I could
only help you."
"God! If I only had something any
thing to woik with!" muttered the Ameri
can as he fell to with redoubled energy. He
no longer tried to conserve hla strength, for
the treasure-seeker's lust beset him. Rosa
looked on, wringing her hands and urging
him to greater haste.
But the low. thick door was built of some
hard, native wood: It was wet and tough
and slippery. O'Reilly's blows made no Im
pression upon It, nor upon the heavy hasps
and staples wltn which It was secured In
Place. The latter were deeply rusted, to be
eure. but they withstood his efforts, and
he was finally forced to rest, baffled, en
raged, half hysterical from weakness and
fatigue.
Daylight was at hand once more, but he
refused to give up, and worked on stub,
bornly. furiously, until Rosa, In an agony,
besought him to desist.
Johnnie again collapsed on the grass and
lay panting while the other two replaced
the planks.
"Another hour and I'd have been Into It."
he declared, huskily.
Tfou wilt kill yourself." Jacket told him.
Rosa bent over htm with shining- eyes and
n&rted Hdb. 'Yea." said aha. "Ri nai..
We will come back, O'Reilly, and tonight we
ah all la H1.I1 "
shall be rich."
Jets of smoke through his nostrils. Ftor a
full moment he scowled forbiddingly at the
sergeant who had asked to see him.
"What's this you are telling me?" he In
quired, finally.
The sergeant, a mean-faced, low-browed
man, stirred uneasily,
"It Is God's truth. There are spirits on
La Cumbre, and I wish to see the priest
about It." v
"Spirits? What kind of spirits?"
The fellow shrugged. "Evil spirits
spirits from hell. The men are buying
charms."
"Bah! I took you to be a sensible per
son." "You don't believe me? Well. I didn't be
lieve them when they told me about It.
But I saw with my own eyes."
Cobo leaned forward, mildly astonished.
Of all his villainous troop, this man was
the last one he had credited with Imagina
tion of this sort. "What did you see?"
"A ghost, my Colonel, nothing else. La
Cambre Is no place for an honest Chris
tian." The colonel burst Into a mocking laugh.
"An honest Christian) You I Of all my
vile ruffians, you are the vilest. Why,
you're a thief, a liar and an assassin I
You are lying to me now. Come the truth
for once, before I give you the componte."
"As God is my Judge, I'm telling you the
truth." protested the soldier. "Flog me If
you will rather the componte than another
night In those trenches. You know that
old qulnta?"
"Where Fancho Cueto made a, goat of
himself? Perfectly. Do you mean to say
that you saw old Esteban Varona walking
with his head In his hands?"
"No, but I saw that she-devil who fell In
the well and broke her neck."
"Fh? When did you behold this this
marvel V
"Two nights ago. She was there beside
the well and her face shone through the
night like a lantern. -Christ I There was
fire upon It. She came and went, like a
'moth in the lamplight. I tell you I re
pented of my sins. Some of the men
laughed at me -when I told them, as they
had laughed at the others. But last night
two of the doubters went up there."
"Exactly. And they saw nothing."
"Your pardon, my Colonel. They came
back In a cold sweat., and they i asant tha.
- lit
that, so they said. They heard tho clank-Ci
ing of chains, too, ana the sound ot ham
mers, coming from tho very bowels of the
earth. It Is nil plain enough, when you
know the story. But It Is terrifying,"
Tnis la indeed amazing." Cobo acknowlVif
edged, "but of course there Is some aimpJii1
explanation. SDlrlts. If Indeed thera jm
such things, are made of nothing they arevJ
like thin air. How. then, could they ratUe'.frf
chains? You Drobablv saw soma mtilialF
paclflcos In search of food and Imagined .- ft 1
the rest." , Z&X
"Indeed ! Then what did I hear with &
these very ears? Whispers, murmurs, &'J$&
hntlnn hlmtl TJjm Yilm ulna V, jm -... I
la chained In soma cavern of the mountain. - Sj
Soundless t I'm no baby I I know whea-3
I'm asleep, and I know when I'm awkHVj
'met ma la n nma. ,a r a.
.UB1.V11.W - -vuiouu, miu a wan, no mora al
Colonel Cobo's Decision 'S.K&?
Cobo fell Into frowning meditation, allow-'; -
... ...a .aa.ca vu BlllViUCI UUWIl UJIUirK.
hlirnaH hla thlrlr flncrara ITa w. .,,.... .'
superstitious man, and he put no faith isn !
mo supernatural, nevenneiesa ne was OM-
vincea mat nis sergeant was not lying, i
reference to Pancho Cueto had sat hla m
to working along strange channels. Ha I
Known cueto wen, and the letter's M
born belief In the existence of that Van
treasure naa more man once imp
him. He wondered now If others i
that faith, or It by chance thav had
covered a clue to the whereabouts ! of
money ana were conducting a secret sei
It was a fantastic idea, nevertheless?
iota mmaeu inai it people were pr
about those deserted premises It was '
some object, and their actions would '
rant observation. The presence of.
woman a woman witn tne glow of,)
pnorus upon ner race was puzzling, bi
whole affair was Duzzllnr. Ha datar
to Investigate. After a time he raursM
"I should like to see this sptrlt," 7
The sergeant shrurred. It vraa
from his expression that he ;could"
account ior sucn a aesire. -'Another :
la AAmlna" aaia fe
.a w,hh, a . v. - ,..'.
"Good -T shall vWt the.plaoe. and
see aaytunc hmmmU - welLI ebaU
T"S. '?JT "Pes.""-
Eb ' St
. quentiy, . i
?1 Bbu hung over the Sort Ace above.!' e-
w h w r&.'&xi1'. ii-
i I'm. clad to ,br I
. -i.
BlM tan .UM4r taMaA ' MgNU W