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his back to the sand…hill； was asleep。 Edgar with one hand was
waving away the mosquitoes and in the other was holding one of the
magazines he had bought on the way down。 I could even see the page
upon which his eyes were riveted。 It was an advertisement for
breakfast food。 In my indignation the spade slipped through my
cramped and perspiring fingers； and as it struck the bottom of the
pit； something a band of iron； a steel lock； an iron ring gave
forth a muffled sound。 My heart stopped beating as suddenly as
though Mr。 Corbett had hit it with his closed fist。 My blood turned
to melted ice。 I drove the spade down as fiercely as though it was
a dagger。 It sank into rotten wood。 I had made no sound； for I
could hardly breathe。 But the slight noise of the blow had reached
Edgar。 I heard the springs of the hack creak as he vaulted from it；
and the next moment he was towering above me； peering down into the
pit。 His eyes were wide with excitement； greed； and fear。 In his
hands he clutched the two suit…cases。 Like a lion defending his
cubs he glared at me。
〃Get out！〃 he shouted。
〃Like hell！〃 I said。
〃Get out！〃 he roared。 〃I'll do the rest。
That's mine； not yours！ GET OUT！〃
With a swift kick I brushed away the sand。 I found I was standing
on a squat wooden box； bound with bands of rusty iron。 I had only
to stoop to touch it。 It was so rotten that I could have torn it
apart with my bare hands。 Edgar was dancing on the edge of the pit；
incidentally kicking sand into my mouth and nostrils。
〃You PROMISED me！〃 he roared。 〃You PROMISED to obey me！〃
〃You ass！〃 I shouted。 〃Haven't I done all the work？ Don't I
get〃
〃You get out！〃 roared Edgar。
Slowly； disgustedly； with what dignity one can display in crawling
out of a sand…pit； I scrambled to the top。
〃Go over there；〃 commanded Edgar pointing； 〃and sit down。〃
In furious silence I seated myself beside Rupert。 He was still
slumbering and snoring happily。 From where I sat I could see
nothing of what was going forward in the pit； save once； when the
head of Edgar； his eyes aflame and his hair and eye…glasses
sprinkled with sand； appeared above it。 Apparently he was fearful
lest I had moved from the spot where he had placed me。 I had not；
but had he known my inmost feelings he would have taken the axe
into the pit with him。
I must have sat so for half an hour。 In the sky above me a
fish…hawk drifted lazily。 From the beach sounded the steady beat of
the waves； and from the town across the marshes came the puffing of
a locomotive and the clanging bells of the freight trains。 The
breeze from the sea cooled the sweat on my aching body； but it
could not cool the rage in my heart。 If I had the courage of my
feelings； I would have cracked Edgar over head with the spade；
buried him in the pit； bribed Rupert； and forever after lived
happily on my ill…gotten gains。 That was how Kidd； or Morgan； or
Blackbeard would have acted。 I cursed the effete civilization which
had taught me to want many pleasures but had left me with a
conscience that would not let me take human life to obtain them；
not even Edgar's life。
In half an hour a suit…case was lifted into view and dropped on the
edge of the pit。 It was followed by the other； and then by Edgar。
Without asking me to help him； because he probably knew I would
not； he shovelled the sand into the hole； and then placed the
suitcases in the carriage。 With increasing anger I observed that
the contents of each were so heavy that to lift it he used both
hands。
〃There is no use your asking any questions；〃 he announced； 〃because
I won't answer them。〃
I gave him minute directions as to where he could go； but instead
we drove in black silence to the station。 There Edgar rewarded
Rupert with a dime； and while we waited for the train to New York
placed the two suit…cases against the wall of the ticket office and
sat upon them。 When the train arrived he warned me in a hoarse
whisper that I had promised to help him guard the treasure； and
gave me one of the suit… cases。 It weighed a ton。 Just to spite
Edgar； I had a plan to kick it open； so that every one on the
platform might scramble for the contents。 But again my infernal New
England conscience restrained me。
Edgar had secured the drawing…room in the parlor…car； and when we
were safely inside and the door bolted my curiosity became stronger
than my pride。
〃Edgar；〃 I said； 〃your ingratitude is contemptible。 Your suspicions
are ridiculous； but； under these most unusual conditions； I don't
blame you。 But we are quite safe now。 The door is fastened；〃 I
pointed out ingratiatingly； it and this train doesn't stop for
another forty minutes。 I think this would be an excellent time to
look at the treasure。〃 〃I don't！〃 said Edgar。
I sank back into my chair。 With intense enjoyment I imagined the
train in which we were seated hurling itself into another train；
and everybody； including Edgar； or； rather； especially Edgar； being
instantly but painlessly killed。 By such an act of an all…wise
Providence I would at once become heir to one million dollars。 It
was a beautiful； satisfying dream。 Even MY conscience accepted it
with a smug smile。 It was so vivid a dream that I sat guiltily
expectant； waiting for the crash to come； for the shrieks and
screams； for the rush of escaping steam and breaking window…panes。
But it was far too good to be true。 Without a jar the train carried
us and its precious burden in safety to the Jersey City terminal。
And each； with half a million dollars in his hand； hurried to the
ferry； assailed by porters； news…boys； hackmen。 To them we were a
couple of commuters saving a dime by carrying our own hand…bags。
It was now six o'clock； and I pointed out to Edgar that at that
hour the only vaults open were those of the Night and Day Bank。 And
to that institution in a taxicab we at once made our way。 I paid
the chauffeur； and two minutes later； with a gasp of relief and
rejoicing； I dropped the suit…case I had carried on a table in the
steel…walled fastnesses of the vaults。 Gathered excitedly around us
were the officials of the bank； summoned hastily from above； and
watchmen in plain clothes； and watchmen in uniforms of gray。 Great
bars as thick as my leg protected us。 Walls of chilled steel rising
from solid rock stood between our treasure and the outer world。
Until then I had not known how tremendous the nervous strain had
been； but now it came home to me。 I mopped the perspiration from my
forehead； I drew a deep breath。
〃Edgar；〃 I exclaimed happily； 〃I congratulate you！〃 I found Edgar
extending toward me a two…dollar bill。 〃You gave the chauffeur two
dollars；〃' he said。 〃The fare was really one dollar eighty； so you
owe me twenty cents。〃
Mechanically I laid two dimes upon the table。
〃All the other expenses；〃 continued Edgar； 〃which I agreed to pay；
I have paid。〃 He made a peremptory gesture。 〃I won't detain you any
longer；〃 he said。 〃Good…night！〃
〃Good…night！〃 I cried。 〃Don't I see the treasure？〃 Against the
walls of chilled steel my voice rose like that of a tortured soul。
〃Don't I touch it！〃 I yelled。 〃Don't I even get a squint？ 〃
Even the watchmen looked sorry for me。
〃You do not！〃 said Edgar calmly。 〃You have fulfilled your part of
the agreement。 I have fulfilled mine。 A year from now you can write
the story。〃 As I moved in a dazed state toward the steel door； his
voice halted me。
〃And you can say in your story；〃 called Edgar；〃 that there is only
one way to get a buried treasure。 That is to go； and get it！〃
THE CONSUL
For over forty years； in one part of the world or another； old man
Marshall had； served his country as a United States consul。 He had
been appointed by Lincoln。 For a quarter of a century that fact was
his distinction。 It was now his epitaph。 But in former years； as
each new administration succeeded the old； it had again and again
saved his official head。 When victorious and voracious
place…hunters； searching the map of the world for spoils； dug out
his hiding…place and demanded his consular sign as a reward for a
younger and more aggressive party worker； the ghost of the dead
President protected him。 In the State Department； Marshall had
become a tradition。 〃You can't touch Him！〃 the State Department
would say； 〃why； HE was appointed by Lincoln！〃 Secretly； for this
weapon against the hungry headhunters； the department was
infinitely grateful。 Old man Marshall was a consul after its own
heart。 Like a soldier； he was obedient； disciplined； wherever he
was sent； there； without question； he would go。 Never against
exile； against ill…health； against climate did he make complaint。
Nor when he was moved on and down to make way for some
ne'er…do…well with influence； with a brother…in… law in the Senate；
with a cousin owning a newspaper； with rich relatives who desired
him to drink himself to death at the expense of the government
rather than at their own； did old man Marshall point to his record
as a claim for more just treatment。
And it had been an excellent record。 His official reports； in a
quaint； stately hand； were models of English； full of information；
intelligent； valuable； well observed。 And those f