Part 13 (2/2)

Then presently he brought a box to the table. He laid out a money-belt.

Then from the box he took bundles of bills, of money; and then came a half dozen fat pouches. That this was gold we had no doubt. The paper money and bags of gold Duran soon had transferred to the money-belt. And this he hung about his waist, with straps over the shoulders. A light jacket concealed the whole. He put away the box again.

His preparations were soon completed, and he went out of the room, having put out the lights.

It was then Marat gave us the account of that which he had heard.

”Well,” I said, ”if he's going to his schooner, we'll have to get a move on us.”

I professed that I wanted to see the place Duran got that box from. And Norris confessed a like curiosity. ”And I want to see how this door works,” he said. So we two lingered, while the others hurried down the pa.s.sage, meaning to have an eye on Duran when he should start off toward his s.h.i.+p.

Norris and I crawled through the little door. We first put lights to the candles, and looked to the security of the door. And then came search for a secret recess. After some minutes survey, we found a marble slab of the floor, next the wall, showing dust about the edges. Hung on the wall was a hook of metal. With this we succeeded to pull up an end of the slab.

To take out the stone and thrust our hands into the recess, where it extended under the wall, was the effort of two moments. We pulled forth the box.

It now held only two objects: a small account book, and a gold ring having the form of a serpent. The ring I pocketed. The book held some figures--amounts with many ciphers, and a number of addresses. One in Paris, others in Porto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba--the Cambons' among them. I tore out a leaf and made copies of them.

”That's right, Wayne,” said Grant Norris. ”They might be of value.”

Soon we were out in the pa.s.sage.

Down in the bed of the stream we found Robert awaiting us.

”He's gone,” said Robert. ”We were in time to see him and one black man go off through the woods.”

Robert led the way; and soon we were on a trail going toward the sea.

We hurried to catch up with the others, and in a little, came upon Julian and Ray, lingering to make sure we'd found the way.

”I suppose you two are now sporting a money-belt apiece,” said Ray.

I showed him the serpent ring.

”Ugh!” he grunted. ”That voodoo's coat of arms, I guess.”

We'd covered about two miles when we got sight of Captain Marat and Carlos. Carlos kept well ahead; and he was never long without a glimpse of Duran and his black, whose progress was slow, because of a burden.

That Duran was on his way to the gold mine, there was little doubt.

Carlos a.s.sured us that it was always this way he went when he meant to conceal his movements. And on these occasions he would sail away in his schooner in the night. And it was this had made it impossible for Carlos to follow him to the place. That his father had never travelled to the mine by a water route Carlos was quite sure, though he had been much too young to have much judgment in the matter, or over much curiosity.

Duran's sailors had proven uncorruptible. Voodoo superst.i.tion had had much to do with it, doubtless, and they were liberally paid by their master. Carlos knew of only one black who had deserted Duran's service; and he had afterward been found murdered, in the city.

The character of the growth changed as we approached the sea. The greater trees were less plentiful; there were more open s.p.a.ces; bamboo, tall gra.s.ses, came in our way; cocoa palms, royal palms, cabbage palms, looked down upon us as we pa.s.sed. And then came vistas, giving view of the blue sea. Here the course turned east.

In the comparative sparsity of the growth, there was less need for a path, so now Carlos soon had lost the trail of Duran and his black. He recommended that we remain where we then were, while he was gone forward, to seek for signs of the two.

”Thanks, Carlos,” said Ray, throwing himself on the ground, ”I never was so hot, and done up.”

All were glad of a rest, except perhaps Grant Norris, who was always for going forward. Now, though, the heat must have taken, temporarily, some of the go out of him, for he lay immovable for so much as ten minutes.

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