£«talDl tailed 1850. I |OL. XLIV No. ». | Oldest Nev/soaper in the Wvomine Vallev PITTSTON LUZERNE COUNTY, PA., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1898. A Weekly Local and Family Journal. (•I.OO m Tnt in AdruiM. passengers, only four ol whom spoke our language, so that the conversation was mostly carried on in rudimentary Spanish. "And the water might have been so lumpy that careful sounding would have been out of the question." masters Delow lor .Mcrnerson, anu m a few minutes he appeared in the doorway. Glancing along the deck to se» ■that no one was within hearing, the captain closedi the door and said: and 1890 the Kanakas at Yap murdered every Spaniard in the place, just after that affair in which the German warship litis tried to grab the Caroline? for the kaiser." pried me with ail sorts 01 questions concerning my countrywomen, our American customs, and the differences between our respective countries. Halstead seemed quite taken with her, ■and. as captain of the steamer, his attentions were highly appreciated. The only other woman, aside from the stewardess, was going to Pouynipete with her husband; but, being of Philippine birth, she was scarcely In the same caste with the Palacios. So, beD- jond a marked courtesy to each other —a prominent East Indian trait, by the way—the two girls had little to say. Stopped Short of Insanity. "Hardly. attempt to sound in bad weather, unless for their own safety. Still, Ihey might not have happened to try it when they were over the exact spot, and the shifting of the monsoon might make anything like an accurate search impossible. Oh, I wouldn't venture to say thai there is no reef there; its existence and position are not definitely known, that's all. But suppose there is. Suppose for the sake of argument that its lagoon isn't more than 100 feet or so deep, how much ohance do you think there would be of finding even the fragments of a hulk lost there 120 years ago? Why, man, it would have a coral jacket on so thick that you'd have to use dynamite If it were above water. Coral deposit increases at the rate of an eighth of an inch a year, or more, according to Agassiz; that would make make a thickness of about 15 inches. Adding shell-fish and other marine growth, it would be safe to figure two or three feet, wouldn't It?" CHAPTER n "Mac, I've known you aiulDStevens so long that I thought you should be better acquainted with each other. We were talking of the voyages you and I have sailed together, and thought we'd like to have you join with us1 in a little speculation. Whether there will be much of anj'thing in it or not we can't say; in fact, it wouldn't be fair to raise your anticipations by goinginto the particulars. Hut we are willing to agree that if the scheme should l}e successful we'll do what's right. I guess you know me pretty well, and'111 answer for Stevens. Now, are you willing to help us with no more of an explanation than that?" "That's a pretty formidable lot of 'ifs,' I should say. How many people do you suppose know anything about thii particular wreck?" The captain's cabin was an exceedingly comfortable one, with a large chart table iu the middle, cushioned transoms around the sides, aud several luxurious rattan chairs. It was Fltuated upon the hurricane deck directly under the wheel-house, and had large windows instead of the usual torts, so that we had an uninterrupted view of everything that was going on. While I smoked an after-dinner cigar end enjoyed the breeze which blew through our quarters, the strange and rapid succession of events that had lesulted in my being bound for the most forgotten corner of the earth's surface struck me very forcibly. Every few moments some reminiscence of eld times would occur to one or the -Dtner of us, and I finally asked Halnlead if he were married. "That depends how often Padre Julian has talked of it in his cups. When he found that he must have said something to me about the affair during one of his irresponsible periods, he attempted to pass it off as a yarn; then he shut up on the subject like a clam. 1 doubt his having an idea that it would be possible to recover anything from the galleon, or that he thinks the matter anything more than a church secret which his regulations would forbid him to reveal. In that case, possibly two other priests besides himself tnay know of the facts; but it isn't likely that they have disturbed the old A young woman rescued in the nick of time from a fate more terrible than death. Her friends had despaired of saving for. We sat over our dinner for quite awhile, discussing- various subject*; then, excusing ourselves upon the plea of being responsible for the navigation, Ha 1st tad and I climbed to our quarters on the hurricane deck. We were then passing Banton island, in the open strait, and could dimly make out its 2,000 feet of rock in the starlight. The whole voyage from Manila •bay to the San Bernardino passage is one grand panorama of preci{Jttous volcano peaks and rocky islands, covered along their bases with luxuriant tropical foliage, which takes on an indescribably rich coloring in the sunlight and fills the air with fragrant odors that lull the senses into an oriental semi-consciousness which ia simply delightful. Even in the half darkmess it seemed like a dream of enchantment as the steamer slipped through the motionless water, softly purring black smoke from her fun- Tel and hissing gently as the spray lippled alongside. It was so still that echoes of voices floated from all parts of the Bhip; liquid, blackguard patois from the crew, lounging about the foc's'le head; limpid Andalusian laughter, with now and then a snatch of song in a clear girlish voice, from somewhere down on the main deck; muffled echoes from the stoker-hold ventilators. On the verge of insanity, Mia Hattie King, of Ithaca, N. Y, was checked In the course that was her rapidly to the grave, and restored to her friends in sound physical and mental health and had *o realization of what die was doing. ▼e feared aha would have to be to aa asylum for treatment. " The beet phyvdans and many proprietary medicines tailed to do her any food. J* had read of wonderful cures by Dr. Williams' Pink Pffls for Pale People! and at length decided to give them a trial, ▼e purchased some at the drug store of Vhite & Burdick, in hhaca. Soon after -* - * Clareoce Herbert hew. [Copyright, 189?, by J. B. Llppincott Co.] my plans for me." Hauteaa looicea thoughtful as he read the message which I handed him. We had reached the club quay, and were climbing to the balcony, where the boy presently brought us cigars and coffee.  CHAPTER I. "Henry M. Stevens, Manila (via Hong- Kong): regained happiness. The change for the better in this charming young woman, net yet eighteen yean old, is m great that when the reappeared in pubUc her friende could hardly believe the evidence that their eye* clearly showed them. "Aa think ye needna' ask m# thit, Ilaalstead. Ye kin mak' yerseP easy thit Aa'll do onything ye saay wi' little adoo aboot it. We be three amang faariners oot in this parrt o' the warld, an' Aa fancy we'd best pull tagither." "Business suspended. Cancel unshipped orders. Draw Larrinaga & Co. balance to date, COO. LANTINE & COMPANY." fray's coffin to verify them. On the other hand, there is a chance that his teason for leaving the island where he has remained so long may be a determination to consult nautical authorities in Manila and fife are out the practicability of locating the wreck." — C■ the began taking the pilk riattie began to improve. Firtt htr headache* disappeared, then the attacks of 4atiatm ceased and the cough likewise dfcappeared. One alter another the alarming symotoms kft her. She gained iteadUy in weight and (trengtk. The change for the better hi body J»%d mind kalmeet incredible. kD all «he mm taken ae Wxn of Dr. Wfi-1W Pink PUk for P.k People, and now •he k in perfect health." Mr. Burnett (wore to the accuracy of hk account, formally, before C R. Volcott, a Notary Public. When the Mood k weakened and lack* the element* needed to build up new tfc. •oca, body and mmi both Buffer, as in the case of Miss King. All of the many diseases due to derangements of the blood and nirvra system are cured by Dr. flliam* Pink PHI. for Pale People. They •upply in vegetable farm the elements that are lacking, and restore perfect health. All dnwgkte sell Dr. Williams' Pink Pilk for Pab People. One bos for SO cents, or six boxes foe |2JQ.  "M-m-m-m—how long will it  you to close matters up for the com- I remember as if it happened but yesterday the queer feeling which came over me when I read: the foregoin g mUc. It hud been an;  warm day for March, ancj.1 wriS tr/lrig to keep cool in the lounging-room of the European club', on the river bank, • shert distance from the city. My business in Manila was practically finished, and I was anticipating a few days of recreation before the Hong- Kong steamer left, upon the following Tuesday, when the message was hand«d me by one of the native boys employed by the club. "No," he said; "I'm not. I was just going to ask the same question. It seems rather odd that we two should have reached the age of—let's see; I'm 35. and you can't be' far from it— without settling down. !Do you know, eld chap, I'm beginning to think I haven't made much of a success in life." "That's what I thought you'd say, Mas. Xow, it seems to me necessary that Stevens should get to Guajun as soon as he possibly can. He will go ashore there and start things moving. Whethes we will be able to communicate with him ngain this trip is rather doubtful; but if we d-on't, 3'ou and I have got to put it up for another voyage out here when we see Ramirez. If the compania happen to'have the other boat ready, it'll be no fool of a job, either. _ The question just now is, how are we going to change our course without getting into trouble with the government? With some ironclad, reasonable excuse, we might do it. How much coal have you?" Mia* Kin* became gently weakened ky a complication of physlol troubles, and wm looked upon By her friend* »»fD family u one doomed to early death. Her itep father, Charles M. Burnett, talk •i ker strange cure as fallow* i " Hattle first complained of  which steadily grew worse. 44 She suffered with nausea and attacks d vomiting j could keep but little on her stomach. "They're settled now, as far as anything I can do. It will be a mont-h before they can get letters out here, but the orders already shipped will have to be paid for. Larrinaga's people told me this evening that they knew old man I.antine to be individually good for all the house bought. This cable, however, winds up my connection with them for the present." pany?" "Probably; but I thought that coral, diatomaceae. and foraminifera deposited perpendicularly on these volcanic atolls?" "Then, even if we should consider: the matter seriously, there would be no time to procure diving-apparatus from Yokohama or elsewhere? If the padre really has anything of the kind in view he might complete his preparations and return by the next steamer, at the latest, mightn't he?" "That's so. If the wreck lay in a bold position some of her side timbers might still be exposed, or at least covered very thinly. Harry, what crazy notion have you got in your head? There isn't one chance in a million of an attempt to raise that treasure being successful. It would be folly to think of trying without a fully equipped wrecking steamer, and even then you'd have piracy to contend with among your crew." "Oh, I don't know. You're likely to have a ship as long as you want to go to sea, aren't you? And the bouse would probably offer a fairly good berth ashoie, if you felt like taking it.'' Kidney disease attacked her. She was pale, thin, and her blood, when a drop was drawn by the prick of a needle, was almost as calories* as water. "Her heart was affected. Ska would frequently faint from the slight exertion of rising from bed or from a chair. "She coughed continually, so that ker friends feared she was consumptive. "She lost flesh rapidly; would be confined to her bed for two or three weeks at a time. "And you haven't decided what you're going to do next?" "Not yet. I'll probably go to Hong- Kong on Tuesday and see how things look there." "Easily. That would give him six months away—time enough to get almost anything he wanted. But, old chap—it is the strangest coincidence I ever knew—there are a complete diving-suit and equipments on this very steamer, now, in the after hold." It was such a thorough surprise that for several moments I did not realize the position In which it placed me. I had been the eastern representative of Lantine & Company for over two years, and, although my savings had disappeared through " series of ill-advised investments, my position seemed such * secure one that money matters seldom troubled me. Now,  after drawing from the Manila banking and shipping house the amount mentioned in the dispatch, my entire capital consisted of something less than three hundred dollars, and I had no idea which way to look foifemploynient."I suppote so, as long as the present management remains unchanged. But, even so, there's no chance of making a fortune at it. Here we are. you and I, two men in the prime of life, and able thoroughly to enjoy all the good things in it, yet T suppose we are likely to keep on drudging for some one else a* long as we live. In the long run the fellow who persistently drudges comes out ahead, and then he's too old to enjoy his good fortune. Il takes a young man to appreciate the things that money will buy. Now why can't we strike a bit of luck somewhere, find a buried treasure or something of the sort, and then live like princes in London or New York, instead of frying our gizzards out in the East Indies? Isn't there a fairy godmother that we might propitiate?" •'Why not take a little vacation? You've been working hard, and a rest would do you good. Run out to the Ladrones with me. It's a line voyage at this time of year, and I'm so sick of talking mixed languages that it'll be a perfect godsend to have an old friend along. Come now, what do you say?" "Well, I became Interested in the story. And then the idea occurred to me that, being out of a job, there ■would be nothing to hinder my investigating the thing a little. Just for the sake of Ci"gument, now—we might as well amuse ourselves with this as anything. —suppose I were to leave the steamer at Gua.ian; that's the biggest and most southerly Ladrone, isn't it? Bight. Then suppose I should happen to get hold of Fray Ignacio's account of the shipwrecked officer, and shonld find In it just where the galleon went down. I'd very likely get myself into a serious scrape, but just suppose 1 should manage to see the document after all. Then suppose I took it little trip some day on one of those flying catamarans— they make 23 knots sometimes, if 1 remember correctly—and succeeded in locating this reef. Suppose I had a diviiig suit with me; there probably isn't such a thing between 'Frisco and the Yokohama navy yard, but imagination is cheap. Suppose I actually found something that looked like an old wreck, crusted over with coral, and tried a dynamite cartridge on it. Suppose I found something there, and stowed it away until you could join me. eh?" "Saemthing oonder a thoosan' ton. Tha government 'ill pay for but nine knots an hoor, an' thit'll leave a plenty for emairgencies, oover an* abuve what Au'll burrn in tha foor wiks." "What! You don't mean it! Why, how the dev—" We were glaring at each other excitedly and with an almost superstitious feeling. From mere speculation, the subject was assuming a tangible reality that was fairly startling. 44 Her mind was affected. At time* she gieam spread across xne nm-rena. tingelng every line of the steamer's rigging- and the sides of her funnel a deep crimson. Down on the main deck, the barefooted second mate, Moreno, was directing a stream from the hose over everything in sight, while his men of the starboard watch scrubbed and holystoned the planking. wine, and Innumerable clgarrtlloa, tar several years. It takes a good deal of genius to work an Influential relatlr* In the cortes." "Why, I don't know. I'd like nothing better, if—m-m-m-m—there's really no reason why I shouldn't. When do you sail?" We had made ourselves comfortable at the starboard end of the bridge, and Diaz, the mate, was lounging over the rail to port, humming a love ditty to himself. Had Ave grounded on a rock or run into another ship, he probably would have plumped down on the gratings and pattered out prayers to the saints; but outside of woaergencies he seemed to be a pretty fair officer. "Then you could, safely shove her up to 12 or 13 knots, if we wanted to hustle a little, without running short?" "His six years must have nearly expired by this time; I notice the aenorlta's gown isn't exactly up to date." 'That's the fault of her blasted cousins in Manila. I lost my temper, the day before we left, when they sent a lot of clothes down to the steamer for me to take to her. There was nothing but a flimsy string around the package, and when the quartermaster accidentally dropped It on deck It bursted open; so I had the fun of raking together those female belonging* and trying to guess which matched and which didn't. If the girl finds out that I saw some of the things, I'm afraid there'll be a coolnes* between us. Yoo see, they're—well, mixed gear, I should say. What makes me so mad is the fact that those women in Manila have spent the money she sent last voyage on their own new clothes, and have sent her a lot of duds four years out ef style. I suppose they think that, being out of the world In those islands, •he'll never know the difference, and that they are plenty good enough." "Yes, I do mean it. It seems as if the fairy godmother had determined to shake our skepticism just when we were denying her existence. Old Appleby, in Singapore, had an idea a year ago that he wanted one of the best and latest improved diving-suits that- money could buy. Whether he intended to go hunting for treasure himself or not, I don't know—the Malay pirates lost hundreds of their luggers in the strait—but when we were loading for London he handed me 50 sovereigns to buy one for him, and on reaching port I got the finest thing of the kind to be had. It can be used either with or without an air-pump. There is a knapsack chamber which is provided with chemical arrangements for renewing the oxygen and can be charged with compressed air by means of a geared pump so that the wearer may stay under water for three hours; I believe it's an improvement on the Rouquayrol idea. Well, I was quite pleased with the thing, and knew Appleby would like it; but when I made Singapore again they told me the cholera had been too much for the poor fellow, and his executors refused to accept the package. There was no mention of it in his accounts, and no one wanted to buy the suit; so, as I seemed to have fallen heir to It, I stowed the thing away in the lay.areet. and have lugged it abound ever since." •»y; ye can have mair ef necessary. She's made her foorteen in. smooth water." "Av • "About midnight.'* "What, to-night?" I only came ashore to get my papers from the custom house, and should be getting down there as soon a« I finish this cigar. The mail's on board now, I guess. You're stopping at the Oriente, of course; how long will it/fake to get your duds together?" "Fifteen minutes. But how about a passport? The commandante's office closed at noon." "Sure Two of the leadingManila merchants happened to be in the club at the time, aud, after canceling the purchases I had made from them on behalf of my house, I cabled to Hong-Kong- and Shanghai in the hope of heading off shipments ordered there during the previous month. Then, driving to my hotel in Binondo—the Oriente—I settled matters as fur as lay in my power, and was ready for dinner before eight o'clock. "Well, the Yap people are the only ones who would really kick. Even they would stand five or six days all right as far as leaving for Manila goes. But If we happen to have any sea-sick passengers, they'll never forgive the extra days of unpleasantness as long as they live; and I don't remember whether any of them are going to Tomil or not—" Although there is plenty of water all through the San Bernardino passage, It has been but imperfectly surveyed and Is thick with submerged rocks, navigation among which is rendered *tlll more dangerov* by a rapid current setting in from the Pacific; and a feverish desire to be at work made us doubly anxioui to reach open water without nccident. Halstetedhad been through the strait several times and knew his bearings perfectly, but we were well around the end of Ticao before he ventured below for breakfast.Dick not only had good taste in the way of cigars, but he kne w jaat where to "M-m-m, I don't seem to remember any in my family. But, speaking of treasure, aren't we sailing over pretty much the same track as that followed by the old galleons?" "That's right; same track, to a mile. To-raorrow morning I'll show you Port San Jacinto, on the island of Ticao, where they used to wait for a favorable wind in beating through the San Bernardino passage. Anson's ships watched for them just outside the 'Embocadero,' as it is called in Spanish, and they all stopped at the Ladrones for pigs and water on the voyage across." all right. No one'll stop you on a government launch, and I'll take care of the rest. Come along." "There's but cne for Yap—tha cura— tha yoongest of tha twa padres." The Oriente, being new and' progressive, sets one of the best tables in Che east, and, as experience with oriental life brings the conviction that neither hurry nor worry is conducive to good health. I took my time over the meal. Then, lighting a cheroot, I walked down the Escolta as far as the Puenie d'Espana. which connects Binondo with the old walled citadel of Manila, and, leaning against the handD-rail uuder a solitary electric light, watched the canoes and buncos on the Pasig while I tried to do 9. little figuring as to my immediate prospects. Three hundred dollars would land me in New York by careful management, but there was no certJtinty of employment when I reached there; and the other foreign, houses were so well represented between Yokohama and Singapore that an immediate opening in the east seemed unlikely. I At first I could think of nothh/g but my uncomfortable predicametn. But after awhile the influence of a good dinner and the soothing qualities of the climate began to make themselves felt. I found myself watching the motley crowd of all nationalities which passed and repassed across the bridge, the crowds of laughing Mestiza and Visaya girls strolling along through the Paseo to hear the military band at Luneta, groups of Chinamen aauntering about after the day's business, and Spanish officers driving" in carromatas with the ladies of their families. Down the river were rows of «mall coasting steamers and brigs, each spar and funnel outlined distinctly by electric lights on the quays; beyond them, a red spark from the lighthouse upon the northern mole, and scattered lights from larger vessels which lay at anchor two or three miles out in the bay. In three-quarters of an hour Halstead and I reached the quay with my "And one padre is fifty times wore® to deal with than the ordinary passenger; the chances are that he can turn the whole machinery of government against a fellow if he chooses." Sailing over smooth water between the different islands, there had been no suggestion of sea-sickness among our passengers, and the ladiea had been on deck since sunrise, watching the magnificent scenery; so when'we put in an appearance the captain wait plied with all sorts of inquiries concerning the different headlands, when we would be finally clear of the shore, whether it would be very rough outside, etc., etc. "Ay, thlt's verra true. But ef ye've tha padre's eenfiuence wi' ye. It's quite anither matter. Aa've a thocht in ma haid thit ye may arrange It wi' these twa." Halstead was filling his pipe as I spoke, but his fingers trembled a little He took several long, meditative puffs without saying a word. Then he got up and began to pace the deck, up and down, back and forth. Presently he cleared the table and spread upon it an Iniray chart of the western Pacific between New Guinea and Japan. After studying this closely for several moments. he took down Flndlay's Directory of the North Pacific, which he als.i consulted. The conversation had drifted casually into this channel from its association with the Ladrone voyage, but the subject was taking hold of us with the grip that such seeming impossibilities often will; and all sorts of wild absurdities flashed through my mind as I watched the captain's face. After what seemed an hour of calculation over the chart and directory, he said:  "Well, weren't they usually loaded with a pretty rich cargo?" "Rich! Why. man, the Acapulco gal- Iron brought between two and three millions—in silver dollars, gold doubloons, and indigo—to Manila, once or twice every year. You see, the junks used to come down from Hong-Kong ir. March or April, loaded with silk brocades, fine linen, gold ornaments and jewels, which the Manila Spaniards bought and, after keeping what they wanted for personal use, shipped to Acapulco on speculation. Mexico was a viceregal province then, and the Philippines was a subdependency. The return galleon brought the proceeds of these speculations; though, as the boletas. or shipping permits for transportation space, were issued by the gobernadors for revenue, they practically amounted to a Philippine sub- "Let's have It, Mac. That's what we want to get at." "What a beastly shame!" "Weel, tha oold padre's a verra eenflential mon. Aa'm toold thlt he'e tae be tha haid o'all tha Ledrrones, an' he's ainxious tae reach Saipan at once; he's bezzlness there on Padre Julian's accont. Tha yoong one says but little, yet Aa nootice thit he's verra deeferentlal whin th' Ither's moond. Noo, Aa'm thinkin' thit ef Aa wair ta« stop th' aingine—say three days from this—an' gaive oot thlt ma shaft walr cracked, ye might say ye wair foorced tae put In at Apra, where ye'll get a coople o' rings from tha wrickaige o' the Dutch tramp thlt wair cast aslioore there twa year agoo. Aa kin scrratch tha shaft sae-'twiil hae th' appearance o' a crrack tae ma Spennish aingineets, an' there's na ither plcss where ye'll be laik tae find a bit o' macheeuery. Then ye'll aixplain tha seetuation tae tha padre, an' saay thit ef he'll prie a repoort In Maneela hoo tha chenge o' fhe coorse kem aboot, ye'll carry him tae Saipan —thet he'll not hae tha treep tae mak* on a prooa." "Yea; isn't it devilish-! And that little girl likes to be well dressed just as much as they do. Got a heap better taate, too. Here, just look at these things In the box, will you  almost aa antiquated as the drees she's wearing in the picture." We gingerly lifted out one garment after another, apeculating as to the use of those we were not sure about. Diaz, the mate, was loiiaglng aver th« rail. get them, and the box we had opened that afternoon were a little ahead of anything I had ever smoked,—neither too heavy nor too damp, but of exquisite flavor and thoroughly seasoned. At noon we were in the outer passage, between Calantas Bock and Capul, and by dinner-time were standing due east in the open sea north of Espiritu Santo. As on the previous evening, we stopped to chat with the passengers, the two padres and the Palacios especially, for an hour or so after the meal, then went on deck to size up the situation. "Well, I'll be—! Say. Dick, this seems to pretty effectually dispose of your biggest 'if:' how about the others? See here, old fellow; you and I may go to our graves without ever seeing u million of money, or the hundredth part of it; yet I don't believe there are two men on earth who could enjoy life more if they had such a sum. At this moment I don't know where to turn for an immediate income. If you should get into difficulties with your owners you might be pretty short for awhile, yourself. Now, the whole combination of circumstances since yesterday afternoon seems providential to me, and I feel like making a determined attempt to get that money. Why, suppose we should have the luck to recover a million each! Do you know what such a sum would mean in London or New York?" Almost every one has experienced the rest and momentary inaction which come between periods of excessive mental or physical effort, especially upon the eve 'of some decisive attempt that is likely to be a severe tax upon the energies. It was something of this feeling which gave additional relish to the tobacco as we Bat there in the starlight, thinking, planning, speculating. Diaz understood but little EngSsh, and, with the full length of the bridge between u», there was scarcely a possibility of his comprehending what we said; so now and then we ventured a remark which showed the drift of our thoughts. At first the possibilities and obstacles of the undertaking filled our mindi; but after awhile the narcotic influence of the tobacco and our silent gliding along through the tropic night setua to castle-building. I've been often told by men who are now beyond the possibility of want of the relief and overconfidence which come with the first entail successes in lorrnne-ouwuiug. They are rays of light which brighten the years of weary effort and discouragement; and the eternal, irrepressible hope that they bring with them often stimulates a belief in continued success which leads to many a bad cropper in the struggles yet to come; yet what would humanity ever accomplish without those same rays of hope and sunshine? "Look here, Dick; you don't happen to have any nice, stylish dresses on board, do you?" "Sl. Senor I" "No, I don't. I'm carrying hardware and stores this trip." "To begin with," said I, when we were finally 6ecure from interruption in our quarters, "where am I least likely to attract attention when I go ashort at Agana? Will it be advisame to take lodgings in a private house, or had I better go to the best hotel?" luggage, and 20 minutes later we were climbing the Countess of Devon's accommodation ladder, out in the bay. The Spanish mate stood at the top and touched his cap. Halsteud looked along the gangway and said: Afterward the conversation drifted into a description of the kind of life I might expect to find among the Islands, suggestions in regard to the handling of catamarans at sea, and othe? details of my proposed movements; but I couldn't keep the Senorita de Garma out of my mind. It seemed likely that I should see a good deal of her before I left Agana, and the meanness of her Manila cousins made me speculate somewhat a* to the effect of such surroundings upon a a girl of refined tastes. Finally an idea occurred to me. But, fearing his objections upon various grounds, I didst mention it to the captain at the time. II seemed somewhat risky, yet after another look at the photograph— which I absently put in my pocket— I determined to carry it out if possibly "That reef hasn't been found by any vessel since 1740, but It isn't safe to ac- sidy." "That's about as I remember it. There were a good many galleons wrecked on the coral islands, weren't there?" "All the passengers aboard, Mr, "That reef hewi't be«n found by any vessel Halstead's eyes opened in amazement, then a broad grin appeared through his beard: Diaz?" "Si, senor." "Pilot come off with Mr. MoPher- "Lots of them; they were great unwieldy tubs, always loaded beyond their carrying capacity. And, by the way, that reminds me of an instance which I happen to know about, more or less directly. Last voyage, Padre Julian, who has been in charge of tht mission on Saipan for 30 or 40 years came home with me. The old char is a good deal of a student, and lias the history of these islands at hif finger-ends—best judge of rum and .sherry I ever saw. I used to fill hilt up with good liquor, just to see him enjoy it and hear the stories he told when the stuff got into his blood Among other things, he told me one night about the loss of Nuestra Scnora de Sevilla in 1769 on the Santa Rosa IJeef, somewhere south of Gu-tjiin. The padre was pretty mellow, and 1 guess said more than he meant to, for I never could get another word out of him about the wreck. It seems that a native in one of the flying proas—the island catamarans, you've heard of them—found an unconscious officer lashed to a spar several miles out at sea, and turned him over to Fray Ignacio, who was then running the church at Agana, when he camp in. The fray and his brother priests succeeded in restoring 4he man long •nough to get his account of the wreck, together with the approximate position of the galleon when she struck; then he died. Being methodical old chaps, they jotted the story all down, and Fray Ignacio signed it. Then, like the pious old imbeciles that they were, they buried the document, with several others, in the fray'? sarcophagus when he got through with life. I believe he and his box are now in the crypt under the church The story seemed straight enough, and I guess there's no doubt of there being two or three millions of good rusty money lying at the bottom of the ocean, south of Guajan, to this day. It might as well be in the Hank of England as far as we are concerned. Another case of life's little ironies, isn't it?" son?" "Oh, I should stop at the best hotel, by all means, if there were such a thing within a thousand miles. You would be far more likely to attract attention in any of the private houses, which are made of. bamboo thatched with cocoa leaves and have a pounded mud floor; there's usually but one room, you know, and the whole family live in that quite sociably. Say, old man, what kind of a metropolis did you think you were going to? Why, besides the forts, the church, and government quarters, there aren't a dozen 3tone buildings in the town. No; being a white and presumably wealthy stranger, you will find yourself a big gun in Agana. And ordnance of your caliber are usually quartered upon the governor himself—free of charge, mind you. Fortunately, I happen to know Col. De Garma; Ferdinand Jose Felipe Jesus de Garma y de Lope* is his cvery-day name. You want to commit It to memory, too; because if you happen to get it De Somethlng-or-other wrong, it might make considerable hard feeling. I've been thinking over the matter a little, and have concluded that your staying in the government house as his guest will be rather favorable to our plan than otherwise. He's one of the most hospitable men 1 ever met—give you anything he's got, except his daughter, and she's pretty enough to eat. Here's a picture of them, with the oilicers of the colonel's staff, takeu with the patio. It's a pretty fair likeness of the crowd, considering the size. What do you think of them?" "Si, senor." "All right.'' Get your anchor up and find how much she's drawing. Tell Mr. Moreno to be careful that iron buoy doesn't foul the screw this time, and have the quartermaster bring Mr. Stevens' luggage up to my room. The steward can give the passengers biscuits and coffee if they want it before turning in—there are only a dozen, I think—and seat the ladies' party at my table in the morning. Now, old chap" (turning to me), "I'm going to give you the extra berth in my cabin, and you can do as you please on board. Go to sleep now, if you like, or bring a stool up on the bridge and smoke. 1 shan't turn in Jintil after hreaVfast." "If that s the case, 111 stay with you. Just to humor my fool curiosity, I wish you'd explain why you start at such an ungodly hour. There's no bar to cross, so the tides can't make any difference." Halsteadand I looked at each other. McPhersou's idea seemed practical and plausible. There was no question whatever that a padre of sufficiently good standing could smooth over bbout anything he pleased, and, if an obligation to himself were part of the iregularity, it seemed very likely that he would see there were no questions asked. While we were discussing the matter, I couldn't help mentioning my instinctive dislike to Padre Sebastian. lie was one of your plausible, fat and oily men, who study human nature almost from their infancy and lead your thoughts in spite of you. In fact, my acquaintance with the Jesuits in the east had given me a wholesome respect for that marvelous penetration which is so important a fcctor In the influence t.hey exert upon all classes. Both the captain and the engineer agreed with me that the padre was a dangerous man in more ways than one, but could see no reason why his peculiar influence should be exerted against us. "Do I? Well—1 By the great horn spoon, I'm with you, llarry! But how in—? I can't leave the ship, you know. And it would be folly to depend upor. bting ssnt out here next trip. The Countess is only (-bartered, and the} hate like the mischief to employ anything but Spanish bottoms—" While watching these, I noticed i government launch coming up the river. The landing steps of the quay were but a few paces bridge, and I could easily see' the faces of two men as they stepped ashore from her. They were both strange to me, but there was something about the walk of one which seemed familiar. I presume my own face must have been distinct, as I leaned over the rail, for the man glanced searchingly at me as he climbed to the street level. At first he turned and walked away several steps, evidently under the impression that he had ntad« a mistake, then came back, as if to cross the- bridge in front of me. We looked each other In the eye for a To ba Conth uod» since 1740." ▲ Loil Baronet. "Well, now, hold on; one thing at a time, and we'll get ahead faster. Hov long before you expect to get through the Islands this trip? There may be time enough to do something." The story of Sir Arthur Curtis' disappearance on the way to the Klondike reads •ept the fact as conclusive evidence against its present existence. It is a difficult matter to fix the position of any ship exactly on a chart. Compass deviation, or trifling errors in the adjustment of a sextant, may easily make a difference of several miles. Then again, these islands are probably the most unfrequented portion of the earth's surface. I don't know of a spot so seldom visited as the Ladrones; the government itself only communicates with them four times a year. Now, that galleon would have been approaching from almost due east, making for Guajan—Port %San Luis d' Apra. The prevailing winds, being no'theaR' to eas', would drift the coral fragments over to west'ard, forming a shoal lagoon and breaking an entrance to It on the lee side. In that case, a ship under fair headway would either drive firmly on to the first bold ledge or shove herself over the ridge into the lagoon. So that, reasoning from pure theory, the chances are against her having sunk along the more precipitous face, which may go straight down a thousand fathoms or more. The same prevailing no'thea«terly wind anJ waves which break and scatter the coral grit to leeward would have a tendency to crumble the deposit on a hulk in the same direction, leaving one 6ide, or one end, more or less exposed If Nuestra Senora de Sevilla was heading about west when she struck, with the intention of just clearing Cocos reef at the south end of Quajan, and if she lodged firmly in that position when she sank, her for'ard part would be pretty well sealed In with coral, but the high poop, where most of the specie was carried, might not have more than an inch or two of incrustation. Theoretically, the possibilities of recovering any of that money amount to this: If the Santa Itosa reef exists today as it did In 1769, If that galleon drove upon It as I have been figuring out, if a man were provided with diving apparatus which would enable him to make a careful and protracted examination of the ledge under water, also pick and cartridges to work with, and if it were possible to preserve absolute secrecy as to his operations, or to transport the stuff without exciting suspicion, there's just about one chance in a thousand that he might get as far as a civilized country with It. As for taking any natives into his confidence—well, the old navigators named them 'Ladrones' when the islands were discovered. That means 'thieves' in English, and from my experience there last voyage I should say the hereditary taint is not yet extinct. They're a peaceable lot generally, but JUU Vftftl dftfieod upon 1ft 18SP like a The party left A f1'croft. B. C., In April last and from the start enoountered the roughest weather. When but a few days out, ten of the pack of animals broke away. Sir Arthur joined in the ohase after then. Since his departure from oamp nothing has been seen or heard of him, although the remaining members of the party spent nine days searching for traces. It is from one of these, who has returned to Vanoouver, that news of th« ill fated expedition was learned. Sir Arthur, the son of a brave sailor, who was among those honored for saving Spanish lives after the bombardment of Gibraltar, was only 41 years of age.—Critic. "About 17 or 18 days, from the time we arrive at Yap to the day we leave Guajan. But, don't you see, that won't help us any. Guajan is the last stop; I go straight back to Manila from there. You might get from Yap to Guajan on one of the catamarans, but the natives are uo navigators, and it would be pretty risky business." Halstcad's tastes, like those of moat seafaring men, ran to snug country places on shore, racing studs, and good company, though all within sight and sound of the ocean. Mine, on the contrary, like most men who sail the sea for itr witching pleasure and know nothing of tops'l reefing or foc's'le liellishness, were centered upon thousand-ton steam yachts, alternations between delightful cruises and months in a perfectly equipped town house. "No; there's plenty of water, but after passing Cape Santiago there isn't another light in the strait. Ther* are two dim ones on the no'theas' corner of Burias island, but they're not visible to west'ard, and I want to see where I'm navigating between Buria? and Ticao. We'll get there about five o'clock to-morrow morning,—ought to pass Santiago at breakfast time today,—so that during the night we'll have plenty of elbow room." second; then he stopped, and said "If you're not Harry Stevens, of New York, I've made the biggest mistake of my life." "It would be out of the question to make Ouajan first, I suppose?" Having come to a definite understanding that we would investigate the wreck of the galleon as far as lay in our power, it was difficult to get the matter out of our minds. Several times we were -pn the point of taking McPlierson more fully Into. our confidence, but, while we trusted him is one of ourselves, it seemed that matters were scarcely ripe for that yet; and I don't think he had the faintest suspicion as to the exact nature of the scheme. What the tie was between him and Halstead I never knew, but tt was sufficiently strong to make the engineer rfciiow my irieno s suggestions blindly; and his assurance that.Muc should be squarely treated If the speculation proved successful ceenied to have all the weight of a bond. We agreed that it would be unwise for us to be seen in frequent conversation;, so, beyond an occarional inspection of the machinery in his company, I saw very little of Mc- Pherson. "Rather. Of course it might be done, but at the risk of losing my commission and getting into hot water besides. You see, the regular trip for years has been to make Yap first, because the Caroline and Pclew governments there include two lieutenant colonels as gobernadors, against one in the Ladrones. From Yap the ship goes to Pouvnipete, or Ponape, the largest Island in the Carolines, and from there to Guajan. This trip, as It happens, I'm instructed to take in Kusaie also, at the east end of the group; so you see a change of course might raise considerable unpleasantness."I grasped the outstretched hand and began to see something familiar behind the brown beard. Csrlylc and His Clothes. He would mutter, between the puffs of smoke, "Gad, old chap, a fellowcould have one of the finest places in Surrey and keep house parties going all the year round on the income of a million!" To which I would grunt an appreciative assent, followed by, "And think of the clipper yacht, triple-expansion and celluloid bottom, that a man could keep in commission; yes. and the town house, too. I could build one in the middle of Mayfair, with electric lights, modern plumbing, marble baths, and plenty of ground around it, for a hundred and fifty thousand." By which you will see that the captain and I were counting our chickens not only before they were hatched, but even while the eggs lay at the bottom of the western Pacific. This realization came to us after awhile with crushing force, along toward midnight, when the air had become pretty damp and we had smoked too many cigars. I could feel my heart sink down, down, like a lump of lead. But, before turning In, I thought: "Well, the voyage will make a new man of me, anyhow, and the excitement of the attempt will besomething worth remembering, whether we succeed or not,"—In which my friend quite agreed with me. Some Interesting aneodotes of Oarlyle are contributed to a contemporary by • lady who once staid in the same house with Mrs. Carlyle. Tho writer says: "Mr. Carlyle was with his relatives in Sootland. Letters came from him every day, and they were read with eagerness. One of those letters oontalned a suiall pattern of tweed cloth, which sbe (Mrs. Carlyle) showed me, saying, 'He wants my opinion on this and to know whether I advise him to have a suit made of It.' Genorally, she said, such matters were entirely settled by her, so much so that when the tailor's man came to try on a frock ooat he always asked for her decision. Turning to her, h« would say, 'Should you like a velvet collar, madam f " "Yes, I'm Harry Stevens, but—hold on a minute. Weren't you with the Oceanic Steamship company, several years ago? By Jove! It can't be Dick Halstead? What? Well, I'm blessed! Where on earth did you drop from? You have changed, and no mistake." "We won't. This is the morning of March 29, isn't it? Well, two weeks from to-morrow it'll be sultry, and still, and hot as Tophet. After that the air'll smell like a furnace until April 24. Then there'll be a hurricane in this bay that will send a pile of ships ashore and spread corrugated iron roofs all over the landscape, and from that time to about the first of October the weather'll be simply hellish—rain, hurricanes, fever and mud. In other words, the southwest monsoon will have set in for six months. You ought to know when the monsoon changes, It you've been out here two years." "Suppose you strike rain or fog?" I examined the photograph care- fully "Possibly. But you haven't, old chap; I'd know you anywhere. Say, look here, we've got a heap to talk about; come up to theclub. No, never mind the carromata; it's cooler on the rlrer. We'll go up in the launch." "Why, they're full-blooded Spanlards, aren't They look like educated people. "Ilmpf! If it comes to blood, De Garnia can trace his family back to n branch oi the Braganzas on the distaff 6ide; the family are Portuguese, not Spanish, though they've lived In Granada f'jr generations. But what do you think of the girl—Senorita Dorotea? Isn't she a peach?" "If these islanders were afflicted with either push or discipline, It might. But they seem to take life pretty easy—don't trouble themselves about little things. Couldn't we think up a valid excuse for changing the course — machinery or uoal —- something of that kind?" "But—how the deuce? I thought •he belonged to the government?" "That's right. So do I, for the present." Wr had taken our (seats in flie aiern, ana were gliding- up the motionless stream. "I've been of that tramp, the Counteas of Devon,for over a year—you see her lights out there, two miles from the mole—and the biggest stockholder in the company that owns her is old Leon Ramirez, of Liverpool and this place. So when the Isla de Ponape, that used to carry mail to the Carolines and Ladrones, ran ashore on Espiritu Santo, Ramirez chartered the Countess to the government here until the companla could spare anotherof their own boats with big enough coal capacity to make the trip. That was last September, and they manage things so slowly that I' m still running supplies out to those islanders, once in three months, with a Scotch engineer and a Spanish crew, connecting with the Messagerie« boata at Saigon the rest of the time Now tell me under what the canopy brings you out here." Manning—I ventured to ask Miss Winsum If she loved me, and she evaded the question by saying that she respected me. Forfeit*. "How deep is the water there?" "Well, I suppose I should, but I've spent the summers in Yokohama and SLanghai. and they don't make ao much difference up there." "Well, the Alert got from 2,000 to 4.000 fathoms near there in 1881—say two to four miles. Why, were you thinking of diving for it?" "She is a beauty, isn't she? What an infernal pity to hide away a girl like that in a forgotten hole where all the advantages she should have are denied her!" Manning—Yea; I must do something to forfeit her respect. —Boston Transcript. '•» Wiggins—Rather a damper upon you. "Coal wouldn't do. We're carrying more than enough to get back on. and there's little or none In the Islands. As for machinery—m'—w-e-l-l— Look here, Harry; w» can't put a thine like this through without assistance. We'll have to take some one into our confidence, though it may not be necessary to do so entirely Now, McPherson my engineer, has sailed with me, off and on for several years, and is under obligations to me besides. The nature of those obligations I won't discuss; it is sufficient that while 1 don't take any stock in average human nature, I can rely upon Lis doing anything in the world for me; and if we should get hold of that money I'd like Mac to have a share of It, even if It were only r email one. We won't tell him the whole scheme at first, but he can help "s more than anyone else, and wil' CHAPTER III It was a perfect night. The wind had died down until there was scarcely a ripple on the water and each particular star was reflected in it. The lights of Cavite, on our left, were fast dropping astern; and, approaching Corregidor island at the eptrance of the bay, about three o'clock, the mountains of the Piquito on the south head with the Sierra de Mariveles on the north rose like dark bine ghosts 4,000 feet in the air. Corregidor itself stood over 600 feet above high water, the light on its summit filling the rocks with grotesque shadows as we passed close under it. "Not exactly 1 meant the depth on Cultivation of the Padre Sebastian, In a quiet way, seemed an obvious policy in the light of our recent determination; but we found it necessary to be constantly 011 our guard against his subtle questioning. He seemed un- that reef." "I thirk, myself, that Agana is no place for her; yet she won't stay there always, and she Isn't by anj' means the untutored barbarian you imagine her to be. They lived in Granada and Madrid until she was 17." Igrvv *LL NAT'^;^gj ■r of the Globe for f RHEUMATISM,! I HiunATiBTA and OamplsinU, J and prepared under the stringent M LGERMAN MEDICAL scri bed by sminwt phyaic:a - IKi DR. RICHTER'S (fJA I World renowned! Remsrlcsbly roccenfal? ■ ■ F. id. Ucktei "-Co., 2*5 Pearl St., New Tort. ■ ■ 13 Prtuioh Honses. Own Glassworks, ■ 0 UulMth. ill. ■■■■C■« M ■ UUI * FEl'l, to Luhh 1km, O.C.SUCK, M S.rtk lata Stc—t, J. H. HOCCK, 4 (*rth lata SI. rimnts, DR'wcmtw*®® 1 wfftMMi" gromcHAt "Oh, Santa Rosa ? 1 couldn't tell you that. There are no soundings of it, even on the Spanish charts, though it was laid down on Dairymple's and Cantova's older maps. Dampier said he found it in 1686, four fathoms under water. One of the galleons struck on it in trying to avoid his ships while they were lying at Uuajan, and had a deuce of a time getting off, but no captain has seen the slightest indication yf a reef there since that time. Most of these islands are volcanic, you know, and it may have sunk to the three or four mile level." warrantably curious to ascertain my business on the steamer, and, thinking the bare truth might be the safest thing I could give him under the circumstances, I frankly detailed' the severing of my connection with T.antlne & Co. aud the overworked condition which had induced me to take the voyage with my friend. These facts he could easily verify, anil, for various reasons, 1 preferred not to be caught lying. Shortly after four o'clock I heard him tumble out of his bunk, and, being too restless to sleep, I soon followed. It was not yet daylight, but the gray shadows In the east were tinged with a rosy reflection against which were outlined the bold promontories of Point Bugui, the northwesterly limit of Masbate island and Point Sur, on Burlas, the passage between being about eight miles in width. As we gradually altered our course around Point Sur, heading northeast toward Port Sorsogon, on Luion, In order to clear San Miguel islet at the northerly end of Ticao, great flames of red shot up across the eastern horizon. The grayness overhead lifted, like a fog bank. There was a fresh and exhilarating dampness In the air* Then, as the jljft oj (sua apg«y«d( broad "Then what the devil did they ever—" ""Come to the Ladrones for? Business; all in the line of business. As lieutenant colonel, the old man's ordinary salary of 2,700 a year didn't cut much ice in Madrid. Out here, as gobernador of the Ladrones, he gets about 400 more, besides the pickings." "Pickings?" Halstead occasionally called my attention to some prominent point, but he was too closely occupied in watching the different bearings to talk very ciuch; and, although we didn't drop the pilot until well past Cape Santiago, 2 could see that my friend preferred to know himself just how his ship was being navigated. After a six-o'clock breakfast we turned in and slept until noon. Then we went below and jown At jta»t gtea.1 wjtli the "Yes. What he can squeeze out of the barrangays, or tax districts. Gobernadwrs don't work for their health, any more than United States senators. Then Guajan is one of the most delightful Islands in the Pacific, and it costs them little or nothing to live there. At the end of his six years they get their passage home at government expense, and carry with them quite « respectable pot of evringv, T&U'll feqHcflrtJfc. "Very likely. Still, the ships that looked for it might have been there at a time of year when the -weather was unfavorable for a search." Among the other passengers were C\ rich old wine merchant and his daughter, from Seville, who were making a tour of the Spanish colonies and intended returning to Manila on the steamer. They were delightful people, the Senorita Gracia especially, and. mustering my very best Spanish, 1 began to cultivate their acquaintance. Shewas & Veautifui,|foltand she "Business, of course; you didn't think I was traveling on my money, did you? I've been buying China goods, assorted devils, and Manila matting forLantine &Co. about two years. Up to three o'clock this afternoon I expected to keep on buying them until nj U»er refused to atand the climate. "You mean-?" keep his mouth shut, too. What do you say? Shall we let him in?" ''That, as is quite probable, they may have been cruising during the summer. That would be the southwest monsoon, wouldn't it? Rain, fog, hur- "By all means. From what I've seen of Mac I like him very much; and, as you say, we need all the assistance we cau sufely get." ricanes—" "That's a«." Halsteud' seat quarter-
Masthead Pittston Gazette, Volume 49 Number 9, October 21, 1898
Full Text £«talDl tailed 1850. I |OL. XLIV No. ». | Oldest Nev/soaper in the Wvomine Vallev PITTSTON LUZERNE COUNTY, PA., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1898. A Weekly Local and Family Journal. (•I.OO m Tnt in AdruiM. passengers, only four ol whom spoke our language, so that the conversation was mostly carried on in rudimentary Spanish. "And the water might have been so lumpy that careful sounding would have been out of the question." masters Delow lor .Mcrnerson, anu m a few minutes he appeared in the doorway. Glancing along the deck to se» ■that no one was within hearing, the captain closedi the door and said: and 1890 the Kanakas at Yap murdered every Spaniard in the place, just after that affair in which the German warship litis tried to grab the Caroline? for the kaiser." pried me with ail sorts 01 questions concerning my countrywomen, our American customs, and the differences between our respective countries. Halstead seemed quite taken with her, ■and. as captain of the steamer, his attentions were highly appreciated. The only other woman, aside from the stewardess, was going to Pouynipete with her husband; but, being of Philippine birth, she was scarcely In the same caste with the Palacios. So, beD- jond a marked courtesy to each other —a prominent East Indian trait, by the way—the two girls had little to say. Stopped Short of Insanity. "Hardly. attempt to sound in bad weather, unless for their own safety. Still, Ihey might not have happened to try it when they were over the exact spot, and the shifting of the monsoon might make anything like an accurate search impossible. Oh, I wouldn't venture to say thai there is no reef there; its existence and position are not definitely known, that's all. But suppose there is. Suppose for the sake of argument that its lagoon isn't more than 100 feet or so deep, how much ohance do you think there would be of finding even the fragments of a hulk lost there 120 years ago? Why, man, it would have a coral jacket on so thick that you'd have to use dynamite If it were above water. Coral deposit increases at the rate of an eighth of an inch a year, or more, according to Agassiz; that would make make a thickness of about 15 inches. Adding shell-fish and other marine growth, it would be safe to figure two or three feet, wouldn't It?" CHAPTER n "Mac, I've known you aiulDStevens so long that I thought you should be better acquainted with each other. We were talking of the voyages you and I have sailed together, and thought we'd like to have you join with us1 in a little speculation. Whether there will be much of anj'thing in it or not we can't say; in fact, it wouldn't be fair to raise your anticipations by goinginto the particulars. Hut we are willing to agree that if the scheme should l}e successful we'll do what's right. I guess you know me pretty well, and'111 answer for Stevens. Now, are you willing to help us with no more of an explanation than that?" "That's a pretty formidable lot of 'ifs,' I should say. How many people do you suppose know anything about thii particular wreck?" The captain's cabin was an exceedingly comfortable one, with a large chart table iu the middle, cushioned transoms around the sides, aud several luxurious rattan chairs. It was Fltuated upon the hurricane deck directly under the wheel-house, and had large windows instead of the usual torts, so that we had an uninterrupted view of everything that was going on. While I smoked an after-dinner cigar end enjoyed the breeze which blew through our quarters, the strange and rapid succession of events that had lesulted in my being bound for the most forgotten corner of the earth's surface struck me very forcibly. Every few moments some reminiscence of eld times would occur to one or the -Dtner of us, and I finally asked Halnlead if he were married. "That depends how often Padre Julian has talked of it in his cups. When he found that he must have said something to me about the affair during one of his irresponsible periods, he attempted to pass it off as a yarn; then he shut up on the subject like a clam. 1 doubt his having an idea that it would be possible to recover anything from the galleon, or that he thinks the matter anything more than a church secret which his regulations would forbid him to reveal. In that case, possibly two other priests besides himself tnay know of the facts; but it isn't likely that they have disturbed the old A young woman rescued in the nick of time from a fate more terrible than death. Her friends had despaired of saving for. We sat over our dinner for quite awhile, discussing- various subject*; then, excusing ourselves upon the plea of being responsible for the navigation, Ha 1st tad and I climbed to our quarters on the hurricane deck. We were then passing Banton island, in the open strait, and could dimly make out its 2,000 feet of rock in the starlight. The whole voyage from Manila •bay to the San Bernardino passage is one grand panorama of preci{Jttous volcano peaks and rocky islands, covered along their bases with luxuriant tropical foliage, which takes on an indescribably rich coloring in the sunlight and fills the air with fragrant odors that lull the senses into an oriental semi-consciousness which ia simply delightful. Even in the half darkmess it seemed like a dream of enchantment as the steamer slipped through the motionless water, softly purring black smoke from her fun- Tel and hissing gently as the spray lippled alongside. It was so still that echoes of voices floated from all parts of the Bhip; liquid, blackguard patois from the crew, lounging about the foc's'le head; limpid Andalusian laughter, with now and then a snatch of song in a clear girlish voice, from somewhere down on the main deck; muffled echoes from the stoker-hold ventilators. On the verge of insanity, Mia Hattie King, of Ithaca, N. Y, was checked In the course that was her rapidly to the grave, and restored to her friends in sound physical and mental health and had *o realization of what die was doing. ▼e feared aha would have to be to aa asylum for treatment. " The beet phyvdans and many proprietary medicines tailed to do her any food. J* had read of wonderful cures by Dr. Williams' Pink Pffls for Pale People! and at length decided to give them a trial, ▼e purchased some at the drug store of Vhite & Burdick, in hhaca. Soon after -* - * Clareoce Herbert hew. [Copyright, 189?, by J. B. Llppincott Co.] my plans for me." Hauteaa looicea thoughtful as he read the message which I handed him. We had reached the club quay, and were climbing to the balcony, where the boy presently brought us cigars and coffee. CHAPTER I. "Henry M. Stevens, Manila (via Hong- Kong): regained happiness. The change for the better in this charming young woman, net yet eighteen yean old, is m great that when the reappeared in pubUc her friende could hardly believe the evidence that their eye* clearly showed them. "Aa think ye needna' ask m# thit, Ilaalstead. Ye kin mak' yerseP easy thit Aa'll do onything ye saay wi' little adoo aboot it. We be three amang faariners oot in this parrt o' the warld, an' Aa fancy we'd best pull tagither." "Business suspended. Cancel unshipped orders. Draw Larrinaga & Co. balance to date, COO. LANTINE & COMPANY." fray's coffin to verify them. On the other hand, there is a chance that his teason for leaving the island where he has remained so long may be a determination to consult nautical authorities in Manila and fife are out the practicability of locating the wreck." — C■ the began taking the pilk riattie began to improve. Firtt htr headache* disappeared, then the attacks of 4atiatm ceased and the cough likewise dfcappeared. One alter another the alarming symotoms kft her. She gained iteadUy in weight and (trengtk. The change for the better hi body J»%d mind kalmeet incredible. kD all «he mm taken ae Wxn of Dr. Wfi-1W Pink PUk for P.k People, and now •he k in perfect health." Mr. Burnett (wore to the accuracy of hk account, formally, before C R. Volcott, a Notary Public. When the Mood k weakened and lack* the element* needed to build up new tfc. •oca, body and mmi both Buffer, as in the case of Miss King. All of the many diseases due to derangements of the blood and nirvra system are cured by Dr. flliam* Pink PHI. for Pale People. They •upply in vegetable farm the elements that are lacking, and restore perfect health. All dnwgkte sell Dr. Williams' Pink Pilk for Pab People. One bos for SO cents, or six boxes foe |2JQ. "M-m-m-m—how long will it you to close matters up for the com- I remember as if it happened but yesterday the queer feeling which came over me when I read: the foregoin g mUc. It hud been an; warm day for March, ancj.1 wriS tr/lrig to keep cool in the lounging-room of the European club', on the river bank, • shert distance from the city. My business in Manila was practically finished, and I was anticipating a few days of recreation before the Hong- Kong steamer left, upon the following Tuesday, when the message was hand«d me by one of the native boys employed by the club. "No," he said; "I'm not. I was just going to ask the same question. It seems rather odd that we two should have reached the age of—let's see; I'm 35. and you can't be' far from it— without settling down. !Do you know, eld chap, I'm beginning to think I haven't made much of a success in life." "That's what I thought you'd say, Mas. Xow, it seems to me necessary that Stevens should get to Guajun as soon as he possibly can. He will go ashore there and start things moving. Whethes we will be able to communicate with him ngain this trip is rather doubtful; but if we d-on't, 3'ou and I have got to put it up for another voyage out here when we see Ramirez. If the compania happen to'have the other boat ready, it'll be no fool of a job, either. _ The question just now is, how are we going to change our course without getting into trouble with the government? With some ironclad, reasonable excuse, we might do it. How much coal have you?" Mia* Kin* became gently weakened ky a complication of physlol troubles, and wm looked upon By her friend* »»fD family u one doomed to early death. Her itep father, Charles M. Burnett, talk •i ker strange cure as fallow* i " Hattle first complained of which steadily grew worse. 44 She suffered with nausea and attacks d vomiting j could keep but little on her stomach. "They're settled now, as far as anything I can do. It will be a mont-h before they can get letters out here, but the orders already shipped will have to be paid for. Larrinaga's people told me this evening that they knew old man I.antine to be individually good for all the house bought. This cable, however, winds up my connection with them for the present." pany?" "Probably; but I thought that coral, diatomaceae. and foraminifera deposited perpendicularly on these volcanic atolls?" "Then, even if we should consider: the matter seriously, there would be no time to procure diving-apparatus from Yokohama or elsewhere? If the padre really has anything of the kind in view he might complete his preparations and return by the next steamer, at the latest, mightn't he?" "That's so. If the wreck lay in a bold position some of her side timbers might still be exposed, or at least covered very thinly. Harry, what crazy notion have you got in your head? There isn't one chance in a million of an attempt to raise that treasure being successful. It would be folly to think of trying without a fully equipped wrecking steamer, and even then you'd have piracy to contend with among your crew." "Oh, I don't know. You're likely to have a ship as long as you want to go to sea, aren't you? And the bouse would probably offer a fairly good berth ashoie, if you felt like taking it.'' Kidney disease attacked her. She was pale, thin, and her blood, when a drop was drawn by the prick of a needle, was almost as calories* as water. "Her heart was affected. Ska would frequently faint from the slight exertion of rising from bed or from a chair. "She coughed continually, so that ker friends feared she was consumptive. "She lost flesh rapidly; would be confined to her bed for two or three weeks at a time. "And you haven't decided what you're going to do next?" "Not yet. I'll probably go to Hong- Kong on Tuesday and see how things look there." "Easily. That would give him six months away—time enough to get almost anything he wanted. But, old chap—it is the strangest coincidence I ever knew—there are a complete diving-suit and equipments on this very steamer, now, in the after hold." It was such a thorough surprise that for several moments I did not realize the position In which it placed me. I had been the eastern representative of Lantine & Company for over two years, and, although my savings had disappeared through " series of ill-advised investments, my position seemed such * secure one that money matters seldom troubled me. Now, after drawing from the Manila banking and shipping house the amount mentioned in the dispatch, my entire capital consisted of something less than three hundred dollars, and I had no idea which way to look foifemploynient."I suppote so, as long as the present management remains unchanged. But, even so, there's no chance of making a fortune at it. Here we are. you and I, two men in the prime of life, and able thoroughly to enjoy all the good things in it, yet T suppose we are likely to keep on drudging for some one else a* long as we live. In the long run the fellow who persistently drudges comes out ahead, and then he's too old to enjoy his good fortune. Il takes a young man to appreciate the things that money will buy. Now why can't we strike a bit of luck somewhere, find a buried treasure or something of the sort, and then live like princes in London or New York, instead of frying our gizzards out in the East Indies? Isn't there a fairy godmother that we might propitiate?" •'Why not take a little vacation? You've been working hard, and a rest would do you good. Run out to the Ladrones with me. It's a line voyage at this time of year, and I'm so sick of talking mixed languages that it'll be a perfect godsend to have an old friend along. Come now, what do you say?" "Well, I became Interested in the story. And then the idea occurred to me that, being out of a job, there ■would be nothing to hinder my investigating the thing a little. Just for the sake of Ci"gument, now—we might as well amuse ourselves with this as anything. —suppose I were to leave the steamer at Gua.ian; that's the biggest and most southerly Ladrone, isn't it? Bight. Then suppose I should happen to get hold of Fray Ignacio's account of the shipwrecked officer, and shonld find In it just where the galleon went down. I'd very likely get myself into a serious scrape, but just suppose 1 should manage to see the document after all. Then suppose I took it little trip some day on one of those flying catamarans— they make 23 knots sometimes, if 1 remember correctly—and succeeded in locating this reef. Suppose I had a diviiig suit with me; there probably isn't such a thing between 'Frisco and the Yokohama navy yard, but imagination is cheap. Suppose I actually found something that looked like an old wreck, crusted over with coral, and tried a dynamite cartridge on it. Suppose I found something there, and stowed it away until you could join me. eh?" "Saemthing oonder a thoosan' ton. Tha government 'ill pay for but nine knots an hoor, an' thit'll leave a plenty for emairgencies, oover an* abuve what Au'll burrn in tha foor wiks." "What! You don't mean it! Why, how the dev—" We were glaring at each other excitedly and with an almost superstitious feeling. From mere speculation, the subject was assuming a tangible reality that was fairly startling. 44 Her mind was affected. At time* she gieam spread across xne nm-rena. tingelng every line of the steamer's rigging- and the sides of her funnel a deep crimson. Down on the main deck, the barefooted second mate, Moreno, was directing a stream from the hose over everything in sight, while his men of the starboard watch scrubbed and holystoned the planking. wine, and Innumerable clgarrtlloa, tar several years. It takes a good deal of genius to work an Influential relatlr* In the cortes." "Why, I don't know. I'd like nothing better, if—m-m-m-m—there's really no reason why I shouldn't. When do you sail?" We had made ourselves comfortable at the starboard end of the bridge, and Diaz, the mate, was lounging over the rail to port, humming a love ditty to himself. Had Ave grounded on a rock or run into another ship, he probably would have plumped down on the gratings and pattered out prayers to the saints; but outside of woaergencies he seemed to be a pretty fair officer. "Then you could, safely shove her up to 12 or 13 knots, if we wanted to hustle a little, without running short?" "His six years must have nearly expired by this time; I notice the aenorlta's gown isn't exactly up to date." 'That's the fault of her blasted cousins in Manila. I lost my temper, the day before we left, when they sent a lot of clothes down to the steamer for me to take to her. There was nothing but a flimsy string around the package, and when the quartermaster accidentally dropped It on deck It bursted open; so I had the fun of raking together those female belonging* and trying to guess which matched and which didn't. If the girl finds out that I saw some of the things, I'm afraid there'll be a coolnes* between us. Yoo see, they're—well, mixed gear, I should say. What makes me so mad is the fact that those women in Manila have spent the money she sent last voyage on their own new clothes, and have sent her a lot of duds four years out ef style. I suppose they think that, being out of the world In those islands, •he'll never know the difference, and that they are plenty good enough." "Yes, I do mean it. It seems as if the fairy godmother had determined to shake our skepticism just when we were denying her existence. Old Appleby, in Singapore, had an idea a year ago that he wanted one of the best and latest improved diving-suits that- money could buy. Whether he intended to go hunting for treasure himself or not, I don't know—the Malay pirates lost hundreds of their luggers in the strait—but when we were loading for London he handed me 50 sovereigns to buy one for him, and on reaching port I got the finest thing of the kind to be had. It can be used either with or without an air-pump. There is a knapsack chamber which is provided with chemical arrangements for renewing the oxygen and can be charged with compressed air by means of a geared pump so that the wearer may stay under water for three hours; I believe it's an improvement on the Rouquayrol idea. Well, I was quite pleased with the thing, and knew Appleby would like it; but when I made Singapore again they told me the cholera had been too much for the poor fellow, and his executors refused to accept the package. There was no mention of it in his accounts, and no one wanted to buy the suit; so, as I seemed to have fallen heir to It, I stowed the thing away in the lay.areet. and have lugged it abound ever since." •»y; ye can have mair ef necessary. She's made her foorteen in. smooth water." "Av • "About midnight.'* "What, to-night?" I only came ashore to get my papers from the custom house, and should be getting down there as soon a« I finish this cigar. The mail's on board now, I guess. You're stopping at the Oriente, of course; how long will it/fake to get your duds together?" "Fifteen minutes. But how about a passport? The commandante's office closed at noon." "Sure Two of the leadingManila merchants happened to be in the club at the time, aud, after canceling the purchases I had made from them on behalf of my house, I cabled to Hong-Kong- and Shanghai in the hope of heading off shipments ordered there during the previous month. Then, driving to my hotel in Binondo—the Oriente—I settled matters as fur as lay in my power, and was ready for dinner before eight o'clock. "Well, the Yap people are the only ones who would really kick. Even they would stand five or six days all right as far as leaving for Manila goes. But If we happen to have any sea-sick passengers, they'll never forgive the extra days of unpleasantness as long as they live; and I don't remember whether any of them are going to Tomil or not—" Although there is plenty of water all through the San Bernardino passage, It has been but imperfectly surveyed and Is thick with submerged rocks, navigation among which is rendered *tlll more dangerov* by a rapid current setting in from the Pacific; and a feverish desire to be at work made us doubly anxioui to reach open water without nccident. Halstetedhad been through the strait several times and knew his bearings perfectly, but we were well around the end of Ticao before he ventured below for breakfast.Dick not only had good taste in the way of cigars, but he kne w jaat where to "M-m-m, I don't seem to remember any in my family. But, speaking of treasure, aren't we sailing over pretty much the same track as that followed by the old galleons?" "That's right; same track, to a mile. To-raorrow morning I'll show you Port San Jacinto, on the island of Ticao, where they used to wait for a favorable wind in beating through the San Bernardino passage. Anson's ships watched for them just outside the 'Embocadero,' as it is called in Spanish, and they all stopped at the Ladrones for pigs and water on the voyage across." all right. No one'll stop you on a government launch, and I'll take care of the rest. Come along." "There's but cne for Yap—tha cura— tha yoongest of tha twa padres." The Oriente, being new and' progressive, sets one of the best tables in Che east, and, as experience with oriental life brings the conviction that neither hurry nor worry is conducive to good health. I took my time over the meal. Then, lighting a cheroot, I walked down the Escolta as far as the Puenie d'Espana. which connects Binondo with the old walled citadel of Manila, and, leaning against the handD-rail uuder a solitary electric light, watched the canoes and buncos on the Pasig while I tried to do 9. little figuring as to my immediate prospects. Three hundred dollars would land me in New York by careful management, but there was no certJtinty of employment when I reached there; and the other foreign, houses were so well represented between Yokohama and Singapore that an immediate opening in the east seemed unlikely. I At first I could think of nothh/g but my uncomfortable predicametn. But after awhile the influence of a good dinner and the soothing qualities of the climate began to make themselves felt. I found myself watching the motley crowd of all nationalities which passed and repassed across the bridge, the crowds of laughing Mestiza and Visaya girls strolling along through the Paseo to hear the military band at Luneta, groups of Chinamen aauntering about after the day's business, and Spanish officers driving" in carromatas with the ladies of their families. Down the river were rows of «mall coasting steamers and brigs, each spar and funnel outlined distinctly by electric lights on the quays; beyond them, a red spark from the lighthouse upon the northern mole, and scattered lights from larger vessels which lay at anchor two or three miles out in the bay. In three-quarters of an hour Halstead and I reached the quay with my "And one padre is fifty times wore® to deal with than the ordinary passenger; the chances are that he can turn the whole machinery of government against a fellow if he chooses." Sailing over smooth water between the different islands, there had been no suggestion of sea-sickness among our passengers, and the ladiea had been on deck since sunrise, watching the magnificent scenery; so when'we put in an appearance the captain wait plied with all sorts of inquiries concerning the different headlands, when we would be finally clear of the shore, whether it would be very rough outside, etc., etc. "Ay, thlt's verra true. But ef ye've tha padre's eenfiuence wi' ye. It's quite anither matter. Aa've a thocht in ma haid thit ye may arrange It wi' these twa." Halstead was filling his pipe as I spoke, but his fingers trembled a little He took several long, meditative puffs without saying a word. Then he got up and began to pace the deck, up and down, back and forth. Presently he cleared the table and spread upon it an Iniray chart of the western Pacific between New Guinea and Japan. After studying this closely for several moments. he took down Flndlay's Directory of the North Pacific, which he als.i consulted. The conversation had drifted casually into this channel from its association with the Ladrone voyage, but the subject was taking hold of us with the grip that such seeming impossibilities often will; and all sorts of wild absurdities flashed through my mind as I watched the captain's face. After what seemed an hour of calculation over the chart and directory, he said: "Well, weren't they usually loaded with a pretty rich cargo?" "Rich! Why. man, the Acapulco gal- Iron brought between two and three millions—in silver dollars, gold doubloons, and indigo—to Manila, once or twice every year. You see, the junks used to come down from Hong-Kong ir. March or April, loaded with silk brocades, fine linen, gold ornaments and jewels, which the Manila Spaniards bought and, after keeping what they wanted for personal use, shipped to Acapulco on speculation. Mexico was a viceregal province then, and the Philippines was a subdependency. The return galleon brought the proceeds of these speculations; though, as the boletas. or shipping permits for transportation space, were issued by the gobernadors for revenue, they practically amounted to a Philippine sub- "Let's have It, Mac. That's what we want to get at." "What a beastly shame!" "Weel, tha oold padre's a verra eenflential mon. Aa'm toold thlt he'e tae be tha haid o'all tha Ledrrones, an' he's ainxious tae reach Saipan at once; he's bezzlness there on Padre Julian's accont. Tha yoong one says but little, yet Aa nootice thit he's verra deeferentlal whin th' Ither's moond. Noo, Aa'm thinkin' thit ef Aa wair ta« stop th' aingine—say three days from this—an' gaive oot thlt ma shaft walr cracked, ye might say ye wair foorced tae put In at Apra, where ye'll get a coople o' rings from tha wrickaige o' the Dutch tramp thlt wair cast aslioore there twa year agoo. Aa kin scrratch tha shaft sae-'twiil hae th' appearance o' a crrack tae ma Spennish aingineets, an' there's na ither plcss where ye'll be laik tae find a bit o' macheeuery. Then ye'll aixplain tha seetuation tae tha padre, an' saay thit ef he'll prie a repoort In Maneela hoo tha chenge o' fhe coorse kem aboot, ye'll carry him tae Saipan —thet he'll not hae tha treep tae mak* on a prooa." "Yea; isn't it devilish-! And that little girl likes to be well dressed just as much as they do. Got a heap better taate, too. Here, just look at these things In the box, will you almost aa antiquated as the drees she's wearing in the picture." We gingerly lifted out one garment after another, apeculating as to the use of those we were not sure about. Diaz, the mate, was loiiaglng aver th« rail. get them, and the box we had opened that afternoon were a little ahead of anything I had ever smoked,—neither too heavy nor too damp, but of exquisite flavor and thoroughly seasoned. At noon we were in the outer passage, between Calantas Bock and Capul, and by dinner-time were standing due east in the open sea north of Espiritu Santo. As on the previous evening, we stopped to chat with the passengers, the two padres and the Palacios especially, for an hour or so after the meal, then went on deck to size up the situation. "Well, I'll be—! Say. Dick, this seems to pretty effectually dispose of your biggest 'if:' how about the others? See here, old fellow; you and I may go to our graves without ever seeing u million of money, or the hundredth part of it; yet I don't believe there are two men on earth who could enjoy life more if they had such a sum. At this moment I don't know where to turn for an immediate income. If you should get into difficulties with your owners you might be pretty short for awhile, yourself. Now, the whole combination of circumstances since yesterday afternoon seems providential to me, and I feel like making a determined attempt to get that money. Why, suppose we should have the luck to recover a million each! Do you know what such a sum would mean in London or New York?" Almost every one has experienced the rest and momentary inaction which come between periods of excessive mental or physical effort, especially upon the eve 'of some decisive attempt that is likely to be a severe tax upon the energies. It was something of this feeling which gave additional relish to the tobacco as we Bat there in the starlight, thinking, planning, speculating. Diaz understood but little EngSsh, and, with the full length of the bridge between u», there was scarcely a possibility of his comprehending what we said; so now and then we ventured a remark which showed the drift of our thoughts. At first the possibilities and obstacles of the undertaking filled our mindi; but after awhile the narcotic influence of the tobacco and our silent gliding along through the tropic night setua to castle-building. I've been often told by men who are now beyond the possibility of want of the relief and overconfidence which come with the first entail successes in lorrnne-ouwuiug. They are rays of light which brighten the years of weary effort and discouragement; and the eternal, irrepressible hope that they bring with them often stimulates a belief in continued success which leads to many a bad cropper in the struggles yet to come; yet what would humanity ever accomplish without those same rays of hope and sunshine? "Look here, Dick; you don't happen to have any nice, stylish dresses on board, do you?" "Sl. Senor I" "No, I don't. I'm carrying hardware and stores this trip." "To begin with," said I, when we were finally 6ecure from interruption in our quarters, "where am I least likely to attract attention when I go ashort at Agana? Will it be advisame to take lodgings in a private house, or had I better go to the best hotel?" luggage, and 20 minutes later we were climbing the Countess of Devon's accommodation ladder, out in the bay. The Spanish mate stood at the top and touched his cap. Halsteud looked along the gangway and said: Afterward the conversation drifted into a description of the kind of life I might expect to find among the Islands, suggestions in regard to the handling of catamarans at sea, and othe? details of my proposed movements; but I couldn't keep the Senorita de Garma out of my mind. It seemed likely that I should see a good deal of her before I left Agana, and the meanness of her Manila cousins made me speculate somewhat a* to the effect of such surroundings upon a a girl of refined tastes. Finally an idea occurred to me. But, fearing his objections upon various grounds, I didst mention it to the captain at the time. II seemed somewhat risky, yet after another look at the photograph— which I absently put in my pocket— I determined to carry it out if possibly "That reef hasn't been found by any vessel since 1740, but It isn't safe to ac- sidy." "That's about as I remember it. There were a good many galleons wrecked on the coral islands, weren't there?" "All the passengers aboard, Mr, "That reef hewi't be«n found by any vessel Halstead's eyes opened in amazement, then a broad grin appeared through his beard: Diaz?" "Si, senor." "Pilot come off with Mr. MoPher- "Lots of them; they were great unwieldy tubs, always loaded beyond their carrying capacity. And, by the way, that reminds me of an instance which I happen to know about, more or less directly. Last voyage, Padre Julian, who has been in charge of tht mission on Saipan for 30 or 40 years came home with me. The old char is a good deal of a student, and lias the history of these islands at hif finger-ends—best judge of rum and .sherry I ever saw. I used to fill hilt up with good liquor, just to see him enjoy it and hear the stories he told when the stuff got into his blood Among other things, he told me one night about the loss of Nuestra Scnora de Sevilla in 1769 on the Santa Rosa IJeef, somewhere south of Gu-tjiin. The padre was pretty mellow, and 1 guess said more than he meant to, for I never could get another word out of him about the wreck. It seems that a native in one of the flying proas—the island catamarans, you've heard of them—found an unconscious officer lashed to a spar several miles out at sea, and turned him over to Fray Ignacio, who was then running the church at Agana, when he camp in. The fray and his brother priests succeeded in restoring 4he man long •nough to get his account of the wreck, together with the approximate position of the galleon when she struck; then he died. Being methodical old chaps, they jotted the story all down, and Fray Ignacio signed it. Then, like the pious old imbeciles that they were, they buried the document, with several others, in the fray'? sarcophagus when he got through with life. I believe he and his box are now in the crypt under the church The story seemed straight enough, and I guess there's no doubt of there being two or three millions of good rusty money lying at the bottom of the ocean, south of Guajan, to this day. It might as well be in the Hank of England as far as we are concerned. Another case of life's little ironies, isn't it?" son?" "Oh, I should stop at the best hotel, by all means, if there were such a thing within a thousand miles. You would be far more likely to attract attention in any of the private houses, which are made of. bamboo thatched with cocoa leaves and have a pounded mud floor; there's usually but one room, you know, and the whole family live in that quite sociably. Say, old man, what kind of a metropolis did you think you were going to? Why, besides the forts, the church, and government quarters, there aren't a dozen 3tone buildings in the town. No; being a white and presumably wealthy stranger, you will find yourself a big gun in Agana. And ordnance of your caliber are usually quartered upon the governor himself—free of charge, mind you. Fortunately, I happen to know Col. De Garma; Ferdinand Jose Felipe Jesus de Garma y de Lope* is his cvery-day name. You want to commit It to memory, too; because if you happen to get it De Somethlng-or-other wrong, it might make considerable hard feeling. I've been thinking over the matter a little, and have concluded that your staying in the government house as his guest will be rather favorable to our plan than otherwise. He's one of the most hospitable men 1 ever met—give you anything he's got, except his daughter, and she's pretty enough to eat. Here's a picture of them, with the oilicers of the colonel's staff, takeu with the patio. It's a pretty fair likeness of the crowd, considering the size. What do you think of them?" "Si, senor." "All right.'' Get your anchor up and find how much she's drawing. Tell Mr. Moreno to be careful that iron buoy doesn't foul the screw this time, and have the quartermaster bring Mr. Stevens' luggage up to my room. The steward can give the passengers biscuits and coffee if they want it before turning in—there are only a dozen, I think—and seat the ladies' party at my table in the morning. Now, old chap" (turning to me), "I'm going to give you the extra berth in my cabin, and you can do as you please on board. Go to sleep now, if you like, or bring a stool up on the bridge and smoke. 1 shan't turn in Jintil after hreaVfast." "If that s the case, 111 stay with you. Just to humor my fool curiosity, I wish you'd explain why you start at such an ungodly hour. There's no bar to cross, so the tides can't make any difference." Halsteadand I looked at each other. McPhersou's idea seemed practical and plausible. There was no question whatever that a padre of sufficiently good standing could smooth over bbout anything he pleased, and, if an obligation to himself were part of the iregularity, it seemed very likely that he would see there were no questions asked. While we were discussing the matter, I couldn't help mentioning my instinctive dislike to Padre Sebastian. lie was one of your plausible, fat and oily men, who study human nature almost from their infancy and lead your thoughts in spite of you. In fact, my acquaintance with the Jesuits in the east had given me a wholesome respect for that marvelous penetration which is so important a fcctor In the influence t.hey exert upon all classes. Both the captain and the engineer agreed with me that the padre was a dangerous man in more ways than one, but could see no reason why his peculiar influence should be exerted against us. "Do I? Well—1 By the great horn spoon, I'm with you, llarry! But how in—? I can't leave the ship, you know. And it would be folly to depend upor. bting ssnt out here next trip. The Countess is only (-bartered, and the} hate like the mischief to employ anything but Spanish bottoms—" While watching these, I noticed i government launch coming up the river. The landing steps of the quay were but a few paces bridge, and I could easily see' the faces of two men as they stepped ashore from her. They were both strange to me, but there was something about the walk of one which seemed familiar. I presume my own face must have been distinct, as I leaned over the rail, for the man glanced searchingly at me as he climbed to the street level. At first he turned and walked away several steps, evidently under the impression that he had ntad« a mistake, then came back, as if to cross the- bridge in front of me. We looked each other In the eye for a To ba Conth uod» since 1740." ▲ Loil Baronet. "Well, now, hold on; one thing at a time, and we'll get ahead faster. Hov long before you expect to get through the Islands this trip? There may be time enough to do something." The story of Sir Arthur Curtis' disappearance on the way to the Klondike reads •ept the fact as conclusive evidence against its present existence. It is a difficult matter to fix the position of any ship exactly on a chart. Compass deviation, or trifling errors in the adjustment of a sextant, may easily make a difference of several miles. Then again, these islands are probably the most unfrequented portion of the earth's surface. I don't know of a spot so seldom visited as the Ladrones; the government itself only communicates with them four times a year. Now, that galleon would have been approaching from almost due east, making for Guajan—Port %San Luis d' Apra. The prevailing winds, being no'theaR' to eas', would drift the coral fragments over to west'ard, forming a shoal lagoon and breaking an entrance to It on the lee side. In that case, a ship under fair headway would either drive firmly on to the first bold ledge or shove herself over the ridge into the lagoon. So that, reasoning from pure theory, the chances are against her having sunk along the more precipitous face, which may go straight down a thousand fathoms or more. The same prevailing no'thea«terly wind anJ waves which break and scatter the coral grit to leeward would have a tendency to crumble the deposit on a hulk in the same direction, leaving one 6ide, or one end, more or less exposed If Nuestra Senora de Sevilla was heading about west when she struck, with the intention of just clearing Cocos reef at the south end of Quajan, and if she lodged firmly in that position when she sank, her for'ard part would be pretty well sealed In with coral, but the high poop, where most of the specie was carried, might not have more than an inch or two of incrustation. Theoretically, the possibilities of recovering any of that money amount to this: If the Santa Itosa reef exists today as it did In 1769, If that galleon drove upon It as I have been figuring out, if a man were provided with diving apparatus which would enable him to make a careful and protracted examination of the ledge under water, also pick and cartridges to work with, and if it were possible to preserve absolute secrecy as to his operations, or to transport the stuff without exciting suspicion, there's just about one chance in a thousand that he might get as far as a civilized country with It. As for taking any natives into his confidence—well, the old navigators named them 'Ladrones' when the islands were discovered. That means 'thieves' in English, and from my experience there last voyage I should say the hereditary taint is not yet extinct. They're a peaceable lot generally, but JUU Vftftl dftfieod upon 1ft 18SP like a The party left A f1'croft. B. C., In April last and from the start enoountered the roughest weather. When but a few days out, ten of the pack of animals broke away. Sir Arthur joined in the ohase after then. Since his departure from oamp nothing has been seen or heard of him, although the remaining members of the party spent nine days searching for traces. It is from one of these, who has returned to Vanoouver, that news of th« ill fated expedition was learned. Sir Arthur, the son of a brave sailor, who was among those honored for saving Spanish lives after the bombardment of Gibraltar, was only 41 years of age.—Critic. "About 17 or 18 days, from the time we arrive at Yap to the day we leave Guajan. But, don't you see, that won't help us any. Guajan is the last stop; I go straight back to Manila from there. You might get from Yap to Guajan on one of the catamarans, but the natives are uo navigators, and it would be pretty risky business." Halstcad's tastes, like those of moat seafaring men, ran to snug country places on shore, racing studs, and good company, though all within sight and sound of the ocean. Mine, on the contrary, like most men who sail the sea for itr witching pleasure and know nothing of tops'l reefing or foc's'le liellishness, were centered upon thousand-ton steam yachts, alternations between delightful cruises and months in a perfectly equipped town house. "No; there's plenty of water, but after passing Cape Santiago there isn't another light in the strait. Ther* are two dim ones on the no'theas' corner of Burias island, but they're not visible to west'ard, and I want to see where I'm navigating between Buria? and Ticao. We'll get there about five o'clock to-morrow morning,—ought to pass Santiago at breakfast time today,—so that during the night we'll have plenty of elbow room." second; then he stopped, and said "If you're not Harry Stevens, of New York, I've made the biggest mistake of my life." "It would be out of the question to make Ouajan first, I suppose?" Having come to a definite understanding that we would investigate the wreck of the galleon as far as lay in our power, it was difficult to get the matter out of our minds. Several times we were -pn the point of taking McPlierson more fully Into. our confidence, but, while we trusted him is one of ourselves, it seemed that matters were scarcely ripe for that yet; and I don't think he had the faintest suspicion as to the exact nature of the scheme. What the tie was between him and Halstead I never knew, but tt was sufficiently strong to make the engineer rfciiow my irieno s suggestions blindly; and his assurance that.Muc should be squarely treated If the speculation proved successful ceenied to have all the weight of a bond. We agreed that it would be unwise for us to be seen in frequent conversation;, so, beyond an occarional inspection of the machinery in his company, I saw very little of Mc- Pherson. "Rather. Of course it might be done, but at the risk of losing my commission and getting into hot water besides. You see, the regular trip for years has been to make Yap first, because the Caroline and Pclew governments there include two lieutenant colonels as gobernadors, against one in the Ladrones. From Yap the ship goes to Pouvnipete, or Ponape, the largest Island in the Carolines, and from there to Guajan. This trip, as It happens, I'm instructed to take in Kusaie also, at the east end of the group; so you see a change of course might raise considerable unpleasantness."I grasped the outstretched hand and began to see something familiar behind the brown beard. Csrlylc and His Clothes. He would mutter, between the puffs of smoke, "Gad, old chap, a fellowcould have one of the finest places in Surrey and keep house parties going all the year round on the income of a million!" To which I would grunt an appreciative assent, followed by, "And think of the clipper yacht, triple-expansion and celluloid bottom, that a man could keep in commission; yes. and the town house, too. I could build one in the middle of Mayfair, with electric lights, modern plumbing, marble baths, and plenty of ground around it, for a hundred and fifty thousand." By which you will see that the captain and I were counting our chickens not only before they were hatched, but even while the eggs lay at the bottom of the western Pacific. This realization came to us after awhile with crushing force, along toward midnight, when the air had become pretty damp and we had smoked too many cigars. I could feel my heart sink down, down, like a lump of lead. But, before turning In, I thought: "Well, the voyage will make a new man of me, anyhow, and the excitement of the attempt will besomething worth remembering, whether we succeed or not,"—In which my friend quite agreed with me. Some Interesting aneodotes of Oarlyle are contributed to a contemporary by • lady who once staid in the same house with Mrs. Carlyle. Tho writer says: "Mr. Carlyle was with his relatives in Sootland. Letters came from him every day, and they were read with eagerness. One of those letters oontalned a suiall pattern of tweed cloth, which sbe (Mrs. Carlyle) showed me, saying, 'He wants my opinion on this and to know whether I advise him to have a suit made of It.' Genorally, she said, such matters were entirely settled by her, so much so that when the tailor's man came to try on a frock ooat he always asked for her decision. Turning to her, h« would say, 'Should you like a velvet collar, madam f " "Yes, I'm Harry Stevens, but—hold on a minute. Weren't you with the Oceanic Steamship company, several years ago? By Jove! It can't be Dick Halstead? What? Well, I'm blessed! Where on earth did you drop from? You have changed, and no mistake." "We won't. This is the morning of March 29, isn't it? Well, two weeks from to-morrow it'll be sultry, and still, and hot as Tophet. After that the air'll smell like a furnace until April 24. Then there'll be a hurricane in this bay that will send a pile of ships ashore and spread corrugated iron roofs all over the landscape, and from that time to about the first of October the weather'll be simply hellish—rain, hurricanes, fever and mud. In other words, the southwest monsoon will have set in for six months. You ought to know when the monsoon changes, It you've been out here two years." "Suppose you strike rain or fog?" I examined the photograph care- fully "Possibly. But you haven't, old chap; I'd know you anywhere. Say, look here, we've got a heap to talk about; come up to theclub. No, never mind the carromata; it's cooler on the rlrer. We'll go up in the launch." "Why, they're full-blooded Spanlards, aren't They look like educated people. "Ilmpf! If it comes to blood, De Garnia can trace his family back to n branch oi the Braganzas on the distaff 6ide; the family are Portuguese, not Spanish, though they've lived In Granada f'jr generations. But what do you think of the girl—Senorita Dorotea? Isn't she a peach?" "If these islanders were afflicted with either push or discipline, It might. But they seem to take life pretty easy—don't trouble themselves about little things. Couldn't we think up a valid excuse for changing the course — machinery or uoal —- something of that kind?" "But—how the deuce? I thought •he belonged to the government?" "That's right. So do I, for the present." Wr had taken our (seats in flie aiern, ana were gliding- up the motionless stream. "I've been of that tramp, the Counteas of Devon,for over a year—you see her lights out there, two miles from the mole—and the biggest stockholder in the company that owns her is old Leon Ramirez, of Liverpool and this place. So when the Isla de Ponape, that used to carry mail to the Carolines and Ladrones, ran ashore on Espiritu Santo, Ramirez chartered the Countess to the government here until the companla could spare anotherof their own boats with big enough coal capacity to make the trip. That was last September, and they manage things so slowly that I' m still running supplies out to those islanders, once in three months, with a Scotch engineer and a Spanish crew, connecting with the Messagerie« boata at Saigon the rest of the time Now tell me under what the canopy brings you out here." Manning—I ventured to ask Miss Winsum If she loved me, and she evaded the question by saying that she respected me. Forfeit*. "How deep is the water there?" "Well, I suppose I should, but I've spent the summers in Yokohama and SLanghai. and they don't make ao much difference up there." "Well, the Alert got from 2,000 to 4.000 fathoms near there in 1881—say two to four miles. Why, were you thinking of diving for it?" "She is a beauty, isn't she? What an infernal pity to hide away a girl like that in a forgotten hole where all the advantages she should have are denied her!" Manning—Yea; I must do something to forfeit her respect. —Boston Transcript. '•» Wiggins—Rather a damper upon you. "Coal wouldn't do. We're carrying more than enough to get back on. and there's little or none In the Islands. As for machinery—m'—w-e-l-l— Look here, Harry; w» can't put a thine like this through without assistance. We'll have to take some one into our confidence, though it may not be necessary to do so entirely Now, McPherson my engineer, has sailed with me, off and on for several years, and is under obligations to me besides. The nature of those obligations I won't discuss; it is sufficient that while 1 don't take any stock in average human nature, I can rely upon Lis doing anything in the world for me; and if we should get hold of that money I'd like Mac to have a share of It, even if It were only r email one. We won't tell him the whole scheme at first, but he can help "s more than anyone else, and wil' CHAPTER III It was a perfect night. The wind had died down until there was scarcely a ripple on the water and each particular star was reflected in it. The lights of Cavite, on our left, were fast dropping astern; and, approaching Corregidor island at the eptrance of the bay, about three o'clock, the mountains of the Piquito on the south head with the Sierra de Mariveles on the north rose like dark bine ghosts 4,000 feet in the air. Corregidor itself stood over 600 feet above high water, the light on its summit filling the rocks with grotesque shadows as we passed close under it. "Not exactly 1 meant the depth on Cultivation of the Padre Sebastian, In a quiet way, seemed an obvious policy in the light of our recent determination; but we found it necessary to be constantly 011 our guard against his subtle questioning. He seemed un- that reef." "I thirk, myself, that Agana is no place for her; yet she won't stay there always, and she Isn't by anj' means the untutored barbarian you imagine her to be. They lived in Granada and Madrid until she was 17." Igrvv *LL NAT'^;^gj ■r of the Globe for f RHEUMATISM,! I HiunATiBTA and OamplsinU, J and prepared under the stringent M LGERMAN MEDICAL scri bed by sminwt phyaic:a - IKi DR. RICHTER'S (fJA I World renowned! Remsrlcsbly roccenfal? ■ ■ F. id. Ucktei "-Co., 2*5 Pearl St., New Tort. ■ ■ 13 Prtuioh Honses. Own Glassworks, ■ 0 UulMth. ill. ■■■■C■« M ■ UUI * FEl'l, to Luhh 1km, O.C.SUCK, M S.rtk lata Stc—t, J. H. HOCCK, 4 (*rth lata SI. rimnts, DR'wcmtw*®® 1 wfftMMi" gromcHAt "Oh, Santa Rosa ? 1 couldn't tell you that. There are no soundings of it, even on the Spanish charts, though it was laid down on Dairymple's and Cantova's older maps. Dampier said he found it in 1686, four fathoms under water. One of the galleons struck on it in trying to avoid his ships while they were lying at Uuajan, and had a deuce of a time getting off, but no captain has seen the slightest indication yf a reef there since that time. Most of these islands are volcanic, you know, and it may have sunk to the three or four mile level." warrantably curious to ascertain my business on the steamer, and, thinking the bare truth might be the safest thing I could give him under the circumstances, I frankly detailed' the severing of my connection with T.antlne & Co. aud the overworked condition which had induced me to take the voyage with my friend. These facts he could easily verify, anil, for various reasons, 1 preferred not to be caught lying. Shortly after four o'clock I heard him tumble out of his bunk, and, being too restless to sleep, I soon followed. It was not yet daylight, but the gray shadows In the east were tinged with a rosy reflection against which were outlined the bold promontories of Point Bugui, the northwesterly limit of Masbate island and Point Sur, on Burlas, the passage between being about eight miles in width. As we gradually altered our course around Point Sur, heading northeast toward Port Sorsogon, on Luion, In order to clear San Miguel islet at the northerly end of Ticao, great flames of red shot up across the eastern horizon. The grayness overhead lifted, like a fog bank. There was a fresh and exhilarating dampness In the air* Then, as the jljft oj (sua apg«y«d( broad "Then what the devil did they ever—" ""Come to the Ladrones for? Business; all in the line of business. As lieutenant colonel, the old man's ordinary salary of 2,700 a year didn't cut much ice in Madrid. Out here, as gobernador of the Ladrones, he gets about 400 more, besides the pickings." "Pickings?" Halstead occasionally called my attention to some prominent point, but he was too closely occupied in watching the different bearings to talk very ciuch; and, although we didn't drop the pilot until well past Cape Santiago, 2 could see that my friend preferred to know himself just how his ship was being navigated. After a six-o'clock breakfast we turned in and slept until noon. Then we went below and jown At jta»t gtea.1 wjtli the "Yes. What he can squeeze out of the barrangays, or tax districts. Gobernadwrs don't work for their health, any more than United States senators. Then Guajan is one of the most delightful Islands in the Pacific, and it costs them little or nothing to live there. At the end of his six years they get their passage home at government expense, and carry with them quite « respectable pot of evringv, T&U'll feqHcflrtJfc. "Very likely. Still, the ships that looked for it might have been there at a time of year when the -weather was unfavorable for a search." Among the other passengers were C\ rich old wine merchant and his daughter, from Seville, who were making a tour of the Spanish colonies and intended returning to Manila on the steamer. They were delightful people, the Senorita Gracia especially, and. mustering my very best Spanish, 1 began to cultivate their acquaintance. Shewas & Veautifui,|foltand she "Business, of course; you didn't think I was traveling on my money, did you? I've been buying China goods, assorted devils, and Manila matting forLantine &Co. about two years. Up to three o'clock this afternoon I expected to keep on buying them until nj U»er refused to atand the climate. "You mean-?" keep his mouth shut, too. What do you say? Shall we let him in?" ''That, as is quite probable, they may have been cruising during the summer. That would be the southwest monsoon, wouldn't it? Rain, fog, hur- "By all means. From what I've seen of Mac I like him very much; and, as you say, we need all the assistance we cau sufely get." ricanes—" "That's a«." Halsteud' seat quarter-