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a desperate but only partially successful effort to turn
the talk on to a less ghastly topic； he was conscious
that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her
attention； and her eyes were constantly straying past him
to the open window and the lawn beyond。 It was certainly
an unfortunate coincidence that he should have paid his
visit on this tragic anniversary。
〃The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest； an
absence of mental excitement； and avoidance of anything
in the nature of violent physical exercise；〃 announced
Framton； who laboured under the tolerably wide…spread
delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances
are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and
infirmities； their cause and cure。 〃On the matter of
diet they are not so much in agreement；〃 he continued。
〃No？〃 said Mrs。 Sappleton； in a voice which only
replaced a yawn at the last moment。 Then she suddenly
brightened into alert attention … but not to what Framton
was saying。
〃Here they are at last！〃 she cried。 〃Just in time
for tea； and don't they look as if they were muddy up to
the eyes！〃
Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the
niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic
comprehension。 The child was staring out through the
open window with dazed horror in her eyes。 In a chill
shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat
and looked in the same direction。
In the deepening twilight three figures were walking
across the lawn towards the window； they all carried guns
under their arms； and one of them was additionally
burdened with a white coat hung over his shoulders。 A
tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels。
Noiselessly they neared the house； and then a hoarse
young voice chanted out of the dusk： 〃I said； Bertie； why
do you bound？〃
Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat； the
hall…door； the gravel…drive； and the front gate were
dimly…noted stages in his headlong retreat。 A cyclist
coming along the road had to run into the hedge to avoid
an imminent collision。
〃Here we are； my dear；〃 said the bearer of the white
mackintosh； coming in through the window； 〃fairly muddy；
but most of it's dry。 Who was that who bolted out as we
came up？〃
〃A most extraordinary man； a Mr。 Nuttel；〃 said Mrs。
Sappleton； 〃could only talk about his illnesses； and
dashed off without a word of good…bye or apology when you
arrived。 One would think he had seen a ghost。〃
〃I expect it was the spaniel；〃 said the niece
calmly； 〃he told me he had a horror of dogs。 He was once
hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the
Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs； and had to spend the
night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling
and grinning and foaming just above him。 Enough to make
anyone their nerve。〃
Romance at short notice was her speciality。
THE TREASURE SHIP
THE great galleon lay in semi…retirement under the
sand and weed and water of the northern bay where the
fortune of war and weather had long ago ensconced it。
Three and a quarter centuries had passed since the day
when it had taken the high seas as an important unit of a
fighting squadron … precisely which squadron the learned
were not agreed。 The galleon had brought nothing into
the world； but it had； according to tradition and report；
taken much out of it。 But how much？ There again the
learned were in disagreement。 Some were as generous in
their estimate as an income…tax assessor； others applied
a species of higher criticism to the submerged treasure
chests； and debased their contents to the currency of
goblin gold。 Of the former school was Lulu； Duchess of
Dulverton。
The Duchess was not only a believer in the existence
of a sunken treasure of alluring proportions； she also
believed that she knew of a method by which the said
treasure might be precisely located and cheaply
disembedded。 An aunt on her mother's side of the family
had been Maid of Honour at the Court of Monaco； and had
taken a respectful interest in the deep…sea researches in
which the Throne of that country； impatient perhaps of
its terrestrial restrictions； was wont to immerse itself。
It was through the instrumentality of this relative that
the Duchess learned of an invention； perfected and very
nearly patented by a Monegaskan savant； by means of which
the home…life of the Mediterranean sardine might be
studied at a depth of many fathoms in a cold white light
of more than ball…room brilliancy。 Implicated in this
invention （and； in the Duchess's eyes； the most
attractive part of it） was an electric suction dredge；
specially designed for dragging to the surface such
objects of interest and value as might be found in the
more accessible levels of the ocean…bed。 The rights of
the invention were to be acquired for a matter of
eighteen hundred francs； and the apparatus for a few
thousand more。 The Duchess of Dulverton was rich； as the
world counted wealth； she nursed the hope； of being one
day rich at her own computation。 Companies had been
formed and efforts had been made again and again during
the course of three centuries to probe for the alleged
treasures of the interesting galleon； with the aid of
this invention she considered that she might go to work
on the wreck privately and independently。 After all； one
of her ancestors on her mother's side was descended from
Medina Sidonia； so she was of opinion that she had as
much right to the treasure as anyone。 She acquired the
invention and bought the apparatus。
Among other family ties and encumbrances； Lulu
possessed a nephew； Vasco Honiton； a young gentleman who
was blessed with a small income and a large circle of
relatives； and lived impartially and precariously on
both。 The name Vasco had been given him possibly in the
hope that he might live up to its adventurous tradition；
but he limited himself strictly to the home industry of
adventurer； preferring to exploit the assured rather than
to explore the unknown。 Lulu's intercourse with him had
been restricted of recent years to the negative processes
of being out of town when he called on her； and short of
money when he wrote to her。 Now； however； she bethought
herself of his eminent suitability for the direction of a
treasure…seeking experiment； if anyone could extract gold
from an unpromising situation it would certainly be Vasco
… of course； under the necessary safeguards in the way of
supervision。 Where money was in question Vasco's
conscience was liable to fits of obstinate silence。
Somewhere on the west coast of Ireland the Dulverton
property included a few acres of shingle； rock； and
heather； too barren to support even an agrarian outrage；
but embracing a small and fairly deep bay where the
lobster yield was good in most seasons。 There was a
bleak little house on the property； and for those who
liked lobsters and solitude； and were able to accept an
Irish cook's ideas as to what might be perpetrated in the
name of mayonnaise； Innisgluther was a tolerable exile
during the summer months。 Lulu seldom went there
herself； but she lent the house lavishly to friends and
relations。 She put it now at Vasco's disposal。
〃It will be the very place to practise and
experiment with the salvage apparatus；〃 she said； 〃the
bay is quite deep in places； and you will be able to test
everything thoroughly before starting on the treasure
hunt。〃
In less than three weeks Vasco turned up in town to
report progress。
〃The apparatus works beautifully；〃 he informed his
aunt； 〃the deeper one got the clearer everything grew。
We found something in the way of a sunken wreck to
operate on； too！〃
〃A wreck in Innisgluther Bay！〃 exclaimed Lulu。
〃A submerged motor…boat； the SUB…ROSA；〃 said Vasco。
〃No！ really？〃 said Lulu； 〃poor Billy Yuttley's boat。
I remember it went down somewhere off that coast some
three years ago。 His body was washed ashore at the
Point。 People said at the time that the boat was
capsized intentionally … a case of suicide； you know。
People always say that sort of thing when anything tragic
happens。〃
〃In this case they were right；〃 said Vasco。
〃What do you mean？〃 asked the Duchess hurriedly。
〃What makes you think so？〃
〃I know；〃 said Vasco simply。
〃Know？ How can you know？ How can anyone know？ The
thing happened three years ago。〃
〃In a locker of the SUB…ROSA I found a water…tight
strong…box。 It contained papers。〃 Vasco paused with
dramatic effect and searched for a moment in the inner
breast…pocket of his coat。 He drew out a folded slip of
paper。 The Duchess snatched at it in almost indecent
haste and moved appreciably nearer the fireplace。