my buried treasure-第4章

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wind…driven　pines。　His　words　came　back　to　me。

〃So　many　what…you…may…call…'ems。〃　Were　these　pines　the　three
somethings　from　something；　the　what…you…may…call…'ems？　The　thought
chilled　me　to　the　spine。　I　gazed　at　them　fascinated。　I　felt　like
falling　on　my　knees　in　the　sand　and　tearing　their　secret　from　them
with　my　bare　hands。　I　was　strong　enough　to　dig　them　up　by　the
roots；　strong　enough　to　dig　the　Panama　Canal！　I　glanced　tremulously
at　Edgar。　His　eyes　were　wide　open　and；　eloquent　with　dismay；　his
lower　jaw　had　fallen。　He　turned　and　looked　at　me　for　the　first　time
with　consideration。　Apology　and　remorse　were　written　in　every　line
of　his　countenance。

I'm　sorry；　he　stammered。　I　had　a　cruel　premonition。　I　exclaimed
with　distress。

〃You　have　lost　the　map！〃　I　hissed。

〃No；　no；〃　protested　Edgar；　〃but　I　entirely　forgot　to　bring　any
lunch！〃

With　violent　mutterings　I　tore　off　my　upper　and　outer　garments　and
tossed　them　into　the　hack。

〃Where　do　I　begin？〃　I　asked。

Edgar　pointed　to　a　spot　inside　the　triangle　formed　by　the　three
trees　and　equally　distant　from　each。

〃Put　that　horse　behind　the　bank；〃　I　commanded；　〃where　no　one　can
see　him！　And　both　you　and　Rupert　keep　off　the　sky…line！〃　From　the
north　and　south　we　were　now　all　three　hidden　by　the　two　high　banks
of　sand；　to　the　east　lay　the　beach　and　the　Atlantic　Ocean；　and　to
the　west　stretches　of　marshes　that　a　mile　away　met　a　wood　of　pine
trees　and　the　railroad　round…　house。

I　began　to　dig。　I　knew　that　weary　hours　lay　before　me；　and　I
attacked　the　sand　leisurely　and　with　deliberation。　It　was　at　first
no　great　effort；　but　as　the　hole　grew　in　depth；　and　the　roots　of
the　trees　were　exposed；　the　work　was　sufficient　for　several　men。
Still；　as　Edgar　had　said；　it　is　not　every　day　that　one　can　dig　for
treasure；　and　in　thinking　of　what　was　to　come　I　forgot　my　hands
that　quickly　blistered；　and　my　breaking　back。　After　an　hour　I
insisted　that　Edgar　should　take　a　turn；　but　he　made　such　poor
headway　that　my　patience　could　not　contain　me；　and　I　told　him　I　was
sufficiently　rested　and　would　continue。　With　alacrity　he　scrambled
out　of　the　hole；　and；　taking　a　cigar　from　my　case；　seated　himself
comfortably　in　the　hack。　I　took　my　comfort　in　anticipating　the
thrill　that　would　be　mine　when　the　spade　would　ring　on　the
ironbound　chest；　when；　with　a　blow　of　the　axe；　I　would　expose　to
view　the　hidden　jewels；　the　pieces　of　eight；　coated　with　verdigris；
the　string　of　pearls；　the　chains　of　yellow　gold。　Edgar　had　said　a
million　dollars。　That　must　mean　there　would　be　diamonds；　many
diamonds。　I　would　hold　them　in　my　hands；　watch　them；　at　the　sudden
sunshine；　blink　their　eyes　and　burst　into　tiny；　burning　fires。　In
imagination　I　would　replace　them　in　the　setting；　from　which；　years
before；　they　had　been　stolen。　I　would　try　to　guess　whence　they　came
from　a　jewelled　chalice　in　some　dim　cathedral；　from　the　breast　of
a　great　lady；　from　the　hilt　of　an　admiral's　sword。

After　another　hour　I　lifted　my　aching　shoulders　and；　wiping　the
sweat　from　my　eyes；　looked　over　the　edge　of　the　hole。　Rupert；　with
his　back　to　the　sand…hill；　was　asleep。　Edgar　with　one　hand　was
waving　away　the　mosquitoes　and　in　the　other　was　holding　one　of　the
magazines　he　had　bought　on　the　way　down。　I　could　even　see　the　page
upon　which　his　eyes　were　riveted。　It　was　an　advertisement　for
breakfast　food。　In　my　indignation　the　spade　slipped　through　my
cramped　and　perspiring　fingers；　and　as　it　struck　the　bottom　of　the
pit；　something　a　band　of　iron；　a　steel　lock；　an　iron　ring　gave
forth　a　muffled　sound。　My　heart　stopped　beating　as　suddenly　as
though　Mr。　Corbett　had　hit　it　with　his　closed　fist。　My　blood　turned
to　melted　ice。　I　drove　the　spade　down　as　fiercely　as　though　it　was
a　dagger。　It　sank　into　rotten　wood。　I　had　made　no　sound；　for　I
could　hardly　breathe。　But　the　slight　noise　of　the　blow　had　reached
Edgar。　I　heard　the　springs　of　the　hack　creak　as　he　vaulted　from　it；
and　the　next　moment　he　was　towering　above　me；　peering　down　into　the
pit。　His　eyes　were　wide　with　excitement；　greed；　and　fear。　In　his
hands　he　clutched　the　two　suit…cases。　Like　a　lion　defending　his
cubs　he　glared　at　me。

〃Get　out！〃　he　shouted。

〃Like　hell！〃　I　said。

〃Get　out！〃　he　roared。　〃I'll　do　the　rest。

That's　mine；　not　yours！　GET　OUT！〃

With　a　swift　kick　I　brushed　away　the　sand。　I　found　I　was　standing
on　a　squat　wooden　box；　bound　with　bands　of　rusty　iron。　I　had　only
to　stoop　to　touch　it。　It　was　so　rotten　that　I　could　have　torn　it
apart　with　my　bare　hands。　Edgar　was　dancing　on　the　edge　of　the　pit；
incidentally　kicking　sand　into　my　mouth　and　nostrils。

〃You　PROMISED　me！〃　he　roared。　〃You　PROMISED　to　obey　me！〃

〃You　ass！〃　I　shouted。　〃Haven't　I　done　all　the　work？　Don't　I
get〃

〃You　get　out！〃　roared　Edgar。

Slowly；　disgustedly；　with　what　dignity　one　can　display　in　crawling
out　of　a　sand…pit；　I　scrambled　to　the　top。

〃Go　over　there；〃　commanded　Edgar　pointing；　〃and　sit　down。〃

In　furious　silence　I　seated　myself　beside　Rupert。　He　was　still
slumbering　and　snoring　happily。　From　where　I　sat　I　could　see
nothing　of　what　was　going　forward　in　the　pit；　save　once；　when　the
head　of　Edgar；　his　eyes　aflame　and　his　hair　and　eye…glasses
sprinkled　with　sand；　appeared　above　it。　Apparently　he　was　fearful
lest　I　had　moved　from　the　spot　where　he　had　placed　me。　I　had　not；
but　had　he　known　my　inmost　feelings　he　would　have　taken　the　axe
into　the　pit　with　him。

I　must　have　sat　so　for　half　an　hour。　In　the　sky　above　me　a
fish…hawk　drifted　lazily。　From　the　beach　sounded　the　steady　beat　of
the　waves；　and　from　the　town　across　the　marshes　came　the　puffing　of
a　locomotive　and　the　clanging　bells　of　the　freight　trains。　The
breeze　from　the　sea　cooled　the　sweat　on　my　aching　body；　but　it
could　not　cool　the　rage　in　my　heart。　If　I　had　the　courage　of　my
feelings；　I　would　have　cracked　Edgar　over　head　with　the　spade；
buried　him　in　the　pit；　bribed　Rupert；　and　forever　after　lived
happily　on　my　ill…gotten　gains。　That　was　how　Kidd；　or　Morgan；　or
Blackbeard　would　have　acted。　I　cursed　the　effete　civilization　which
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