Part 37 (2/2)
Only one or two persons in all the world knew that he was alive, and they were not capable, under any circu him And where noas Beatrice? In the power of this man whom Brandon had just left Had she seen him as he came and went? Had she heard his voice as he spoke in that assumed tone? But Brandon found it necessary to crush down all thoughts of her
One thing gave him profound satisfaction, and this was that Potts did not suspect him for an instant And no could he deal with Potts?
The man had become wealthy and powerful To cope with him needed wealth and power How could Brandon obtain these? At the utmost he could only count upon the fifteen thousand pounds which Coainst his enemy He had written to Compton that he had fallen overboard and been picked up, and had told the saent under the strictest secrecy, so as to be able to get the ot it all, ould be the benefit? First of all, wealth was necessary
Now more than ever there came to his mind the ancestral letter which his father had inclosed to hie from old Ralph Brandon in the treasure-shi+p It was a wild, mad hope; but was it unattainable? This he felt was now the one object that lay before hi else could be atteht of till it had been tried If he failed, then other things ht, in sight of his ancestral hoain, after which he once e froue due northe of a smalle islet northe of the Islet of Santa Cruz northe of San Salvador----I Ralphe Brandon in my shi+ppe Phoenix am becalmed and surrounded by a Spanish fleete----My shi+ppe is filled with spoyle the Plunder of III galleons----wealth which dom-tresure equalle to an Empyr's revenue----Gold and jeweles in countless store----and God forbydde that itt shall falle into the hands of the Eneood wyl and intente and that of all my men sink this shi+ppe rather than be taken alyve----I send this by it ith IX others tolde off by lot will trye to escape in the Boate by nighte----If this cometh haply into the hands of my sonne Philip let him herebye knowe that in this place is all this tresure----which haply atherd from the sea----the Islet is knowne by III rockes that be pushed up like III needles from the sande
”Ralphe Brandon”
Five days afterward Brandon, with his Hindu servant, was sailing out of the Mersey River on his way to Quebec
CHAPTER XIX
THE DEAD ALIVE
It was early in the ust when Brandon visited the quarantine station at Gosse Island, Quebec A loooden building stood near the landing, with a sign over the door containing only the word ”OFFICE”
To this building Brandon directed his steps On entering he saw only one clerk there
”Are you the superintendent?” he asked, bowing courteously
”No,” said the clerk ”He is in Quebec just now”
”Perhaps you can give me the information that I want”
”What is it?”
”I have been sent to inquire after soers that came out here last year”
”Oh yes, I can tell all that can be told,” said the clerk, readily ”We have the registration books here, and you are at liberty to look up any names you wish Step this way, please” And he led the way to an inner office
”What year did they come out in?” asked the clerk
”Last year”
”Last year--an awful year to look up 1846--yes, here is the book for that year--a year which you are aas an unparalleled one”
”I have heard so”
”Do you know the name of the shi+p?”
”The _Tecumseh_”
”The _Tecumseh_!” exclaimed the clerk, with a startled look ”That is an awful name in our records I am sorry you have not another name to examine, for the _Tecumseh_ was the worst of all”