the lost road-第35部分

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silence。　　There　was　a　pause；　and　then　the　ring　of　steel　upon　the
stone　floor。　　There　was　another　pause；　and　Monica　heard　the
voice　of　her　brother。　　Broken；　as　though　with　running；　it　still
retained　its　level　accent；　its　note　of　insolence。

〃So；〃　it　said；　〃I　have　caught　you？〃

Monica　struggled　toward　the　lighted　vault；　but　around　her　Everett
threw　his　arm。

〃Come　away！〃　he　begged。

Monica　fought　against　the　terror　of　something　unknown。　　She　could
not　understand。　　They　had　come　only　to　prevent　a　meeting　between
her　brother　and　Peabody；　and　now　that　they　had　met；　Everett　was
endeavoring　to　escape。

It　was　incomprehensible。

And　the　money　in　the　vault；　the　yellow　bills　hanging　from　a
cobweb　of　strings；　why　should　they　terrify　her；　what　did　they
threaten？　Dully；　and　from　a　distance；　Monica　heard　the　voice
of　Peabody。

〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃I　have　caught　you！　And　I've　had　a　hell　of　a
time　doing　it！〃

Monica　tried　to　call　out；　to　assure　her　brother　of　her　presence。
But；　as　though　in　a　nightmare；　she　could　make　no　sound。　　Fingers
of　fear　gripped　at　her　throat。　　To　struggle　was　no　longer　possible。

The　voice　of　Peabody　continued：

〃Six　months　ago　we　traced　these　bills　to　New　Orleans。　　So　we　guessed
the　plant　was　in　Central　America。　　We　knew　only　one　man　who　could
make　them。　　When　I　found　you　were　in　Amapala　and　they　said　you　had
struck　'buried　treasure'the　rest　was　easy。〃

Monica　heard　the　voice　of　her　brother　answer　with　a　laugh。

〃Easy？〃　he　mocked。　　〃There's　no　extradition。　　You　can't　touch　me。
You're　lucky　if　you　get　out　of　here　alive。　　I've　only　to　raise　my　voice〃

〃And；　I'll　kill　you！〃

This　was　danger　Monica　could　understand。

Freed　from　the　nightmare　of　doubt；　with　a　cry　she　ran　forward。
She　saw　Peabody；　his　back　against　a　wall；　a　levelled　automatic　in
his　hand；　her　brother　at　the　entrance　to　a　tunnel　like　the　one　from
which　she　had　just　appeared。　　His　arms　were　raised　above　his　head。
At　his　feet　lay　a　revolver。　　For　an　instant；　with　disbelief；　he　stared
at　Monica；　and　then；　as　though　assured　that　it　was　she；　his　eyes
dilated。　　In　them　were　fear　and　horror。　　So　genuine　was　the　agony
in　the　face　of　the　counterfeiter　that　Everett；　who　had　followed；
turned　his　own　away。　　But　the　eyes　of　the　brother　and　sister
remained　fixed　upon　each　other；　hers；　appealingly；　his；　with
despair。　　He　tried　to　speak；　but　the　words　did　not　come。　　When
he　did　break　the　silence　his　tone　was　singularly　wistful；　most
tenderly　kind。

〃Did　you　hear？〃　he　asked。

Monica　slowly　bowed　her　head。　　With　the　same　note　of　gentleness
her　brother　persisted：

〃Did　you　understand？〃

Between　them　stretched　the　cobweb　of　strings　hung　with　yellow
certificates；　each　calling　for　five　hundred　dollars；　payable　in　gold。
Stirred　by　the　night　air　from　the　open　tunnels；　they　fluttered　and
flaunted。

Against　the　sight　of　them；　Monica　closed　her　eyes。　　Heavily；　as
though　with　a　great　physical　effort；　again　she　bowed　her　head。

The　eyes　of　her　brother　searched　about　him　wildly。　　They　rested　on
the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。

With　his　lowered　arm　he　pointed。

〃Who　is　that？〃　he　cried。

Instinctively　the　others　turned。

It　was　for　an　instant。　　The　instant　sufficed。

Monica　saw　her　brother　throw　himself　upon　the　floor；　felt　herself
flung　aside　as　Everett　and　the　detective　leaped　upon　him；　saw　her
brother　press　his　hands　against　his　heart；　the　two　men　dragging
at　his　arms。

The　cavelike　room　was　shaken　with　a　report；　an　acrid　smoke
assailed　her　nostrils。　　The　men　ceased　struggling。　　Her　brother　lay
still。

Monica　sprang　toward　the　body；　but　a　black　wave　rose　and
submerged　her。　　As　she　fainted；　to　save　herself　she　threw　out　her
arms；　and　as　she　fell　she　dragged　down　with　her　the　buried
treasure　of　Cobre。

Stretched　upon　the　stone　floor　beside　her　brother；　she　lay　motionless。
Beneath　her；　and　wrapped　about　and　covering　her；　as　the　leaves
covered　the　babes　in　the　wood；　was　a　vast　cobweb　of　yellow　bills；
each　for　five　hundred　dollars；　payable　in　gold。


A　month　later　the　harbor　of　Porto　Cortez　in　Honduras　was　shaken
with　the　roar　of　cannon。　　In　comparison；　the　roaring　of　all　the　cannon
of　all　the　revolutions　that　that　distressful　country　ever　had　known；
were　like　fire…crackers　under　a　barrel。

Faithful　to　his　itinerary；　the　Secretary　of　State　of　the　United　States
was　paying　his　formal　visit　to　Honduras；　and　the　President　of　that
republic；　waiting　upon　the　Fruit　Company's　wharf　to　greet　him；　was
receiving　the　salute　of　the　American　battle…ships。　　Back　of　him；　on
the　wharf；　his　own　barefooted　artillerymen　in　their　turn　were　saluting；
excitedly　and　spasmodically；　the　distinguished　visitor。　　As　an　honor
he　had　at　last　learned　to　accept　without　putting　a　finger　in　each　ear；
the　Secretary　of　State　smiled　with　gracious　calm。　　Less　calm　was　the
President　of　Honduras。　　He　knew　something　the　Secretary　did　not
know。　　He　knew　that　at　any　moment　a　gun　of　his　saluting　battery
might　turn　turtle；　or　blow　into　the　harbor　himself；　his　cabinet；　and
the　larger　part　of　his　standing　army。

Made　fast　to　the　wharf　on　the　side　opposite　to　the　one　at　which
the　Secretary　had　landed　was　one　of　the　Fruit　Company's　steamers。
She　was　on　her　way　north；　and　Porto　Cortez　was　a　port　of　call。
That　her　passengers　might　not　intrude　upon　the　ceremonies；　her
side　of　the　wharf　was　roped　off　and　guarded　by　the　standing　army。
But　from　her　decks　and　from　behind　the　ropes　the　passengers；　with
a　battery　of　cameras；　were　perpetuating　the　historic　scene。

Among　them；　close　to　the　ropes；　viewing　the　ceremony　with　the
cynical　eye　of　one　who　in　Europe　had　seen　kings　and　emperors
meet　upon　the　Field　of　the　Cloth　of　Gold；　was　Everett。　　He　made
no　effort　to　bring　himself　to　the　attention　of　his　former　chief。　　But
when　the　introductions　were　over；　the　Secretary　of　State　turned
his　eyes　to　his　fellow　countrymen　crowding　the　rails　of　the
American　steamer。　　They　greeted　him　with　cheers。　　The　great
man　raised　his　hat；　and　his　eyes　fell　upon　Everett。　　The　Secretary
advanced　quickly；　his　hand　extended；　brushing　to　one　side　the
standing　army。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded。

〃On　my　way　home；　sir；〃　said　Everett。　　〃I　couldn't　leave　sooner；　there
werepersonal　reasons。　　But　I　cabled　the　department　my　resignation
the　day　Mendoza　gave　me　my　walking…papers。　　You　may　remember；〃
Everett　added　dryly；　〃the　department　accepted　by　cable。〃

The　great　man　showed　embarrassment。

〃It　was　most　unfortunate；〃　he　sympathized。　　〃We　wanted　that　treaty；
and　while；　no　doubt；　you　made　every　effort〃

He　became　aware　of　the　fact　that　Everett's　attention　was　not
exclusively　his　own。　　Following　the　direction　of　the　young　man's
eyes　the　Secretary　saw　on　the　deck　just　above　them；　leaning　upon
the　rail；　a　girl　in　deep　mourning。

She　was　very　beautiful。　　Her　face　was　as　lovely　as　a　violet　and　as　shy。
To　the　Secretary　a　beautiful　woman　was　always　a　beautiful　woman。
But　he　had　read　the　papers。　　Who　had　not？　He　was　sure　there　must
be　some　mistake。　　This　could　not　be　the　sister　of　a　criminal；　the
woman　for　whom　Everett　had　smashed　his　career。

The　Secretary　masked　his　astonishment；　but　not　his　admiration。

〃Mrs。　Everett？〃　he　asked。　　His　very　tone　conveyed　congratulations。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　ex…diplomat。　　〃Some　day　I　shall　be　glad　to　present
you。〃

The　Secretary　did　not　wait　for　an　introduction。　　Raising　his　eyes
to　the　ship's　rail；　he　made　a　deep　and　courtly　bow。　　With　a　gesture
worthy　of　d'Artagnan；　his　high　hat　swept　the　wharf。　　The　members
of　his　staff；　the　officers　from　the　war…ships；　the　President　of
Honduras　and　the　members　of　his　staff　endeavored　to　imitate　his
act　of　homage；　and　in　confusion　Mrs。　Everett　blushed　becomingly。

〃When　I　return　to　Washington；〃　said　the　Secretary　hastily；　〃come
and　see　me。　　You　are　too　valuable　to　lose。　　Your　career〃

Again　Everett　was　looking　at　his　wife。　　Her　distress　at　having　been
so　suddenly　drawn　into　the　lime…light　amused　him；　and　he　was
smiling。　　Then；　as　though　aware　of　the　Secretary's　meaning；　he
laughed。

〃My　dear　sir！〃　he　protested。　　His　tone　suggested　he　was　about　to
add　〃mind　your　own　business；〃　or　〃go　to　the　devil。〃

Instead　he　said：　〃I'm　not　worrying　about　my　career。　　My　career　has
just　begun。〃





THE　BOY　SCOUT




A　rule　of　the　Boy　Scouts　is　every　day　to　do　some　one　a　good　turn。
Not　because　the　copybooks　tell　you　it　deserves　another；　but　in
spite　of　that　pleasing　possibility。　　If　you　are　a　true　scout；　until
you　have　performed　your　act　of　kindness　your　day　is　dark。　　You
are　as　unhappy　as　is　the　grown…up　who　has　begun　his　day　without
shaving　or　reading　the　New　York　Sun。　　But　as　soon　as　you　have
proved　yourself　you　may；　with　a　clear　conscience；　look　the　world
in　the　face　and　untie　the　knot　in　your　kerchief。

Jimmie　Reeder　untied　the　accusing　knot　in　his　scarf　at　just　ten
minutes　past　eight　on　a　hot　August　morning　after　he　had　given　one
dime　to　his　sister　Sadie。　　With　that　she　could　either　witness　the
first…run　films　at　the　Palace；　or　by　dividing　her　fortune　patronize
two　of　the　nickel　shows　on　Lenox　Avenue。　　The　choice　Jimmie
left　to　her。　　He　was　setting　out　for　the　annual　encampment　of
the　Boy　Scouts　at　Hunter's　Island；　and　in　the　excite