my buried treasure-第3部分

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〃I　MUST　have　one　other　man；〃　repeated　Edgar；　〃a　man　who　is　strong
enough　to　dig；　and　strong　enough　to　resist　the　temptation　to　murder
me。〃　The　retort　was　so　easy　that　I　let　it　pass。　Besides；　on　Edgar；
it　would　have　been　wasted。

〃I　THINK　you　will　do；〃　he　said　with　reluctance。　〃And　now　the
conditions！〃

I　smiled　agreeably。

〃You　are　already　sworn　to　secrecy；〃　said　Edgar。　〃And　you　now　agree
in　every　detail　to　obey　me　implicitly；　and　to　accompany　me　to　a
certain　place；　where　you　will　dig。　If　I　find　the　treasure；　you
agree；　to　help　me　guard　it；　and　convey　it　to　wherever　I　decide　it
is　safe　to　leave　it。　Your　responsibility　is　then　at　an　end。　One
year　after　the　treasure　is　discovered；　you　will　be　free　to　write
the　account　of　the　expedition。　For　what　you　write；　some　magazine
may　pay　you。　What　it　pays　you　will　be　your　share　of　the　treasure。〃

Of　my　part　of　the　million　dollars；　which　I　had　hastily　calculated
could　not　be　less　than　one…fifth；　I　had　already　spent　over　one
hundred　thousand　dollars　and　was　living　far　beyond　my　means。　I　had
bought　a　farm　with　a　waterfront　on　the　Sound；　a　motor…boat；　and；　as
I　was　not　sure　which　make　I　preferred；　three　automobiles。　I　had　at
my　own；　expense　produced　a　play　of　mine　that　no　manager　had
appreciated；　and　its　name　in　electric　lights　was　already　blinding
Broadway。　I　had　purchased　a　Hollander　express　rifle；　a　REAL　amber
cigar　holder；　a　private　secretary　who　could　play　both　rag…time　and
tennis；　and　a　fur　coat。　So　Edgar's　generous　offer　left　me　naked。
When　I　had　again　accustomed　myself　to　the　narrow　confines　of　my
flat；　and　the　jolt　of　the　surface　cars；　I　asked　humbly：

〃Is　that　ALL　I　get？〃

〃Why　should　you　expect　any　more？〃　demanded　Edgar。　〃It　isn't　YOUR
treasure。　You　wouldn't　expect　me　to　make　you　a　present　of　an
interest　in　my　mills；　why　should　you　get　a　share　of　my　treasure？〃
He　gazed　at　me　reproachfully。　〃I　thought　you'd　be　pleased；〃　he
said。　〃　It　must　be　hard　to　think　of　things　to　write　about；　and　I'm
giving　you　a　subject　for　nothing。　I　thought；〃　he　remonstrated；
〃you'd　jump　at　the　chance。　It　isn't　every　day　a　man　can　dig　for
buried　treasure。〃

〃That's　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃Perhaps　I　appreciate　that　quite　as
well　as　you　do。　But　my　time　has　a　certain　small　value；　and　I　can't
leave　my　work　just　for　excitement。　We　may　be　weeks；　months　How
long　do　you　think　we〃

Behind　his　eye…glasses　Edgar　winked　reprovingly。

〃That　is　a　leading　question；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　pay　all　your
legitimate　expensestransportation；　food；　lodging。　It　won't　cost
you　a　cent。　And　you　write　the　storywith　my　name　left　out；〃　he
added　hastily；　〃it　would　hurt　my　standing　in　the　trade；〃　he
explained　〃and　get　paid　for　it。〃

I　saw　a　sea　voyage　at　Edgar's　expense。　I　saw　palm　leaves；　coral
reefs。　I　felt　my　muscles　aching　and　the　sweat　run　from　my　neck　and
shoulders　as　I　drove　my　pick　into　the　chest　of　gold。

〃I'll　go　with　you！〃　I　said。　We　shook　hands　on　it。　〃When　do　we
start？〃　I　asked。

〃Now！〃　said　Edgar。　I　thought　he　wished　to　test　me；　he　had　touched
upon　one　of　my　pet　vanities。

〃You　can't　do　that　with　me！〃　I　said。　〃My　bags　are　packed　and　ready
for　any　place　in　the　wide　world；　except　the　cold　places。　I　can
start　this　minute。　Where　is　it；　the　Gold　Coast；　the　Ivory　Coast；
the　Spanish　Main〃

Edgar　frowned　inscrutably。　〃Have　you　an　empty　suit…case？〃　he　asked。

〃Why　EMPTY？〃　I　demanded。

〃To　carry　the　treasure；〃　said　Edgar。　〃I　left　mine　in　the　hall。　We
will　need　two。〃

〃And　your　trunks？〃　I　said。

〃There　aren't　going　to　be　any　trunks；〃　said　Edgar。　From　his　pocket
he　had　taken　a　folder　of　the　New　Jersey　Central　Railroad。　〃If　we
hurry；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃　we　can　catch　the　ten…thirty　express；　and
return　to　New　York　in　time　for　dinner。〃

〃And　what　about　the　treasure？〃　I　roared。

〃We'll'　bring　it　with　us；〃　said　Edgar。

I　asked　for　information。　I　demanded　confidences。　Edgar　refused
both。　I　insisted　that　I　might　be　allowed　at　least　to　carry　my
automatic　pistol。　〃Suppose　some　one　tries　to　take　the　treasure　from
us？〃　I　pointed　out。

〃No　one；〃　said　Edgar　severely；　〃would　be　such　an　ass　as　to　imagine
we　are　carrying　buried　treasure　in　a　suit…case。　He　will　think　it
contains　pajamas。〃

〃For　local　color；　then；〃　I　begged；　〃I　want　to　say　in　my　story　that
I　went　heavily　armed。〃

〃Say　it；　then；〃　snapped　Edgar。　〃But　you　can't　DO　it！　Not　with　me；
you　can't！　How　do　I　know　you　mightn't〃　He　shook　his　head
warily。

It　was　a　day　in　early　October；　the　haze　of　Indian　summer　was　in　the
air；　and　as　we　crossed　the　North　River　by　the　Twenty…　third　Street
Ferry　the　sun　flashed　upon　the　white　clouds　overhead　and　the
tumbling　waters　below。　On　each　side　of　us　great　vessels　with　the
Blue　Peter　at　the　fore　lay　at　the　wharfs　ready　to　cast　off；　or　were
already　nosing　their　way　down　the　channel　toward　strange　and
beautiful　ports。　Lamport　and　Holt　were　rolling　down　to　Rio；　the
Royal　Mail's　MAGDALENA；　no　longer　〃white　and　gold；〃　was　off　to
Kingston；　where　once　seven　pirates　swung　in　chains；　the　CLYDE　was
on　her　way　to　Hayti　where　the　buccaneers　came　from；　the　MORRO
CASTLE　was　bound　for　Havana；　which　Morgan；　king　of　all　the　pirates；
had　once　made　his　own；　and　the　RED　D　was　steaming　to　Porto　Cabello
where　Sir　Francis　Drake；　as　big　a　buccaneer　as　any　of　them；　lies
entombed　in　her　harbor。　And　I　was　setting　forth　on　a
buried…treasure　expedition　on　a　snub…nosed；　flat…　bellied；
fresh…water　ferry…boat；　bound　for　Jersey　City！　No　one　will　ever
know　my　sense　of　humiliation。　And；　when　the　Italian　boy　insulted　my
immaculate　tan　shoes　by　pointing　at　them　and　saying；　〃Shine？〃　I
could　have　slain　him。　Fancy　digging　for　buried　treasure　in　freshly
varnished　boots！　But　Edgar　did　not　mind。　To　him　there　was　nothing
lacking；　it　was　just　as　it　should　be。　He　was　deeply　engrossed　in
calculating　how　many　offices　were　for　rent　in　the　Singer　Building！

When　we　reached　the　other　side；　he　refused　to　answer　any　of　my
eager　questions。　He　would　not　let　me　know　even　for　what　place　on
the　line　he　had　purchased　our　tickets；　and；　as　a　hint　that　I　should
not　disturb　him；　he　stuffed　into　my　hands　the　latest　magazines。　〃At
least　tell　me　this；〃　I　demanded。　〃Have　you　ever　been　to　this　place
before　to…day？〃

〃0nce；〃　said　Edgar　shortly；　〃last　week。　That's　when　I　found　out　I
would　need　some　one　with　me　who　could　dig。〃

〃How　do　you　know　it's　the　RIGHT　place？〃　I　whispered。

The　summer　season　was　over；　and　of　the　chair　car　we　were　the　only
occupants；　but；　before　he　answered；　Edgar　looked　cautiously　round
him　and　out　of　the　window。　We　had　just　passed　Red　Bank。

〃Because　the　map　told　me；〃　he　answered。　〃Suppose；〃　he　continued
fretfully；　〃you　had　a　map　of　New　York　City　with　the　streets　marked
on　it　plainly？　Suppose　the　map　said　that　if　you　walked　to　where
Broadway　and　Fifth　Avenue　meet；　you　would　find　the　Flatiron
Building。　Do　you　think　you　could　find　it？〃

〃Was　it　as　easy　as　THAT？〃　I　gasped。

〃It　was　as　easy　as　THAT！〃　said　Edgar。

I　sank　back　into　my　chair　and　let　the　magazines　slide　to　the　floor。
What　fiction　story　was　there　in　any　one　of　them　so　enthralling　as
the　actual　possibilities　that　lay　before　me？　In　two　hours　I　might
be　bending　over　a　pot　of　gold；　a　sea　chest　stuffed　with　pearls