mg.cyro-第7节

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　　Secretly；　Danforth　Gaudrin's　ne'er…do…well　son　was　listening　in　on　an　important　conference。　From　his　hiding　place；　Luke　Gaudrin　was　seeking　facts　from　this　private　discussion。　From　high　up　in　the　passage；　a　tiny　window　admitted　feeble　daylight。　That　glimmer　showed　Luke　Gaudrin's　face。
　　The　sallow　countenance　wore　an　eagerness；　mingled　with　desperation。
　　Whatever　the　subject　that　lay　between　Danforth　Gaudrin　and　Dunwood　Marr；　it　was　apparent　that　Luke　Gaudrin　was　staking　much　upon　whatever　he　might　learn。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　VI　
　　　PAWNED　WEALTH　
　　WITHIN　the　study；　Danforth　Gaudrin　and　Dunwood　Marr　were　reclining　in　easy　chairs。　The　two　had　lighted　fresh　cigars。　Tall　glasses　in　hand；　they　had　settled　down　to　a　fortable　chat。　Yet　there　was　a　contrast　in　their　bearing。
　　Gaudrin；　elderly　and　aristocratic；　seemed　troubled；　while　Marr；　vigorous　and　pleasant；　was　enjoying　himself　immensely。　The　reason　for　the　difference　was　financial。　Danforth　Gaudrin　was　at　the　end　of　his　resources；　Dunwood　Marr　was　a　reputed　millionaire。
　　〃Marr；〃　Gaudrin　opened　negotiations；　〃I　feel　that　I　owe　you　an　explanation。〃
　　〃On　what　score？〃　quizzed　Marr；　in　surprise。
　　〃Regarding　the　Nautilus；〃　stated　Gaudrin。　〃I　have　had　word　from　Captain　Emory。〃
　　〃Nothing　has　happened　to　the　yacht？〃
　　〃No；　but　the　arrival　will　be　delayed。〃
　　〃That　does　not　matter。　I　do　not　need　the　yacht　immediately。〃
　　Gaudrin　gave　a　slight　sigh　of　relief。　He　clicked　the　ice　in　his　glass；　then　leaned　forward　and　spoke　directly。
　　〃Marr；〃　stated　the　old　aristocrat；　〃I　appreciate　your　friendship。　It　has　served　me　in　a　time　of　great　need。　When　you　purchased　the　Nautilus；　one　month　ago；　you　did　me　a　marvelous　favor。〃
　　〃I　don't　agree；　Danforth；〃　replied　Marr。　〃The　favor　was　yours。　You　offered　me　the　Nautilus　for　twenty　thousand　dollars。　A　mere　half　of　its　value。
　　Naturally。　I　made　the　purchase。〃
　　〃But　I　promised　you　delivery　of　the　yacht　within　thirty　days；　or　your　money　back　with　interest…〃
　　〃And　you　tell　me　now　that　I　must　wait　a　little　longer　to　receive　the　ship。
　　That　is　a　trifling　matter。〃
　　〃You　don't　understand；　Marr；〃　said　Gaudrin；　in　a　kindly　tone。　〃I　have　kept　the　real　facts　from　you。　Purely　as　a　matter　of　policy；　you　understand。　I　have　been　striving　for　something；　Marr；　the　goal　is　almost　attained。　I　want　you；　as　my　friend；　to　hear　the　details。〃
　　Marr　looked　interested；　though　puzzled。　Danforth　Gaudrin　smiled。
　　〃I　am　telling　you　no　secret；〃　declared　the　elderly　man；　〃when　I　state　that　I　have　been　living　on　the　verge　of　poverty。　Not　just　for　the　past　month；　but　for　nearly　two　years。　My　finances　have　long　since　reached　the　stage　of　exhaustion。〃
　　〃I　understand；　Danforth。　If　there　is　anything…〃
　　〃No。　You　have　done　enough。　Two　years　ago；　Marr；　I　reached　the　point　where　my　resources　consisted　chiefly　of　this　house　and　my　yacht；　the　Nautilus。　I　could　have　sold　the　yacht。　Instead；　I　kept　it　and　chartered　it　for　cruises。　I　made　just　enough　to　keep　the　yacht　in　service。
　　〃You　chartered　the　Nautilus　a　year　ago；　Marr。　That　is　how　we　came　to　meet。
　　You　said　that　you　and　your　guests　enjoyed　the　cruise　in　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　You…like　others…wondered　why　I　did　not　extend　those　trips　to　the　Caribbean。〃
　　〃I　recall　that；〃　nodded　Marr。
　　〃Well；〃　stated　Gaudrin；　〃the　answer　is　simple。　While　you　and　others　were　enjoying　your　pleasure　cruises；　the　Nautilus　was　also　serving　me。　It　was　prospecting；　under　the　mand　of　Captain　Peters　Emory；　in　an　effort　to　restore　my　lost　resources。〃
　　〃Prospecting！〃　exclaimed　Marr。　〃A　yacht…prospecting…〃
　　〃I　thought　that　would　interest　you；〃　interposed　Gaudrin。　〃A　man　who　has　made　his　wealth　through　Mexican　mines；　as　you　have；　should　be　intrigued　by　the　idea　of　hunting　for　gold　with　a　yacht。　That；　Marr；　is　exactly　what　the　Nautilus　has　been　doing　all　along。〃
　　
　　THE　old　aristocrat　paused　to　take　a　swallow　from　his　glass。　He　smiled　dryly　as　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　Then　he　continued。
　　〃More　than　one　hundred　years　ago；〃　he　declared；　〃a　Spanish　ship　named　the　Don　Carlos　left　Cadiz　on　a　special　errand。　Its　object　was　to　regain　lost　treasure　from　the　wreck　of　a　Spanish　galleon　that　lay　off　the　coast　of　Hispaniola。　The　Don　Carlos　succeeded　in　its　mission。
　　〃Presumably　a　merchantman；　the　Don　Carlos　cruised　westward　and　rounded　Cuba；　en　route　to　Havana。　There；　the　ship　encountered　a　storm。　In　a　sinking　condition；　it　put　in　toward　the　Gulf　Coast。　It　reached　some　obscure　place　that　offered　safety；　there　it　sank；　close　by　land。
　　〃The　crew　took　to　the　small　boats。　Only　a　few　had　survived；　those　men　were　the　possessors　of　a　great　secret。　They　knew　where　the　wreck　of　the　Don　Carlos　lay。　They　were　sure　that　they　could　regain　the　treasure　for　themselves。　So　they　decided　not　to　return　to　Spain。
　　〃They　fell　in　with　the　crew　of　a　pirate　ship　belonging　to　the　famous　Jean　Lafitte。　They　joined　that　band　and　all　was　well　until　one　of　the　Spaniards　decided　to　betray　his　panions。　He　made　a　deal　with　certain　of　his　new　pirate　friends。　They　were　to　supply　a　ship　and　aid　him　in　a　secret　expedition　to　regain　the　treasure。　That　led　to　trouble。〃
　　〃The　other　Spaniards　discovered　the　treachery？〃　Marr　put　in。
　　〃Exactly！　A　battle　followed。　In　the　melee；　all　of　the　Spanish　survivors　were　slain。　Not　one　man　remained　who　knew　where　the　wreck　of　the　Don　Carlos　lay。　Hard　after　that　came　the　disintegration　of　Jean　Lafitte's　pirate　band。
　　〃The　secret　of　the　Don　Carlos　came　down　through　generations。　But　no　one　who　learned　it　possessed　the　means　to　search　for　the　lost　vessel。　Some　years　ago；　I　heard　the　story。　I　bought　the　Nautilus　and　assigned　Captain　Emory　to　the　treasure　hunt。
　　〃My　resources　failed。　But　I　clung　to　the　Nautilus；　chartering　it　for　cruises　under　Emory's　mand；　hoping　that　he　might　locate　the　missing　treasure。　One　month　ago；　he　returned　from　a　cruise　with　the　news　that　he　had　located　the　wreck。〃
　　〃Excellent！〃　exclaimed　Marr。　〃Do　you　know；　this　explains　some　odd　events　that　happened　on　the　cruise　I　took。　Emory　was　always　going　on　launch　trips　whenever　the　Nautilus　was　at　anchor　near　an　island。　He　said　that　he　was　studying　navigable　passages。〃
　　〃That　was　his　pretext；〃　smiled　Gaudrin。　〃He　was　actually　seeking　the　Spanish　wreck。　But　let　me　proceed。　When　Emory　returned　from　the　last　cruise；　bringing　the　good　tidings；　I　was　forced　to　inform　him　that　the　Nautilus　was　under　attachment　for　the　sum　of　fifteen　thousand　dollars。〃
　　
　　〃I　DID　not　know　that；　Danforth。〃
　　〃Of　course　not；　Marr。　I　wired　you　in　Florida。　You　were　kind　enough　to　e　to　New　Orleans。　I　offered　you　the　yacht　for　twenty　thousand　dollars。　You　agreed　to　purchase　it。〃
　　〃On　a　bargain　basis。〃
　　〃Perhaps。　But　you　conceded　to　my　terms。　They　were　quite　unusual；　I　must　admit…cash　down；　with　the　yacht　to　be　delivered　in　one　month。〃
　　〃I　remember。　But　you　explained　that；　Danforth。　You　told　me　that　you　had　chartered　the　yacht　to　a　British　professor；　Pearson　Babcock；　who　intended　to　go　on　a　coral　hunting　cruise。　He　had　e　here　from　London。　You　did　not　want　to　disappoint　him。〃
　　〃That　is　true。　I　used　Babcock　as　an　excuse。〃
　　〃Then　he　did　not　take　the　present　cruise？〃
　　〃Yes；　indeed。　He　is　aboard　the　Nautilus　studying　his　corals。　Emory　and　I　decided　that　he　should　most　certainly　make　the　trip。〃
　　〃Why　so？〃
　　〃Because　I　invested　some　of　the　five　thousand…the　money　of　yours　that　remained　after　I　paid　the　attachment…in　special　diving　equipment。〃
　　〃Yes。　I　remember　that。　You　said　that　Professor　Babcock　needed　it　for　gathering　coral。〃
　　〃Another　excuse；　Marr。　Babcock's　cruise　had　been　publicized。　By　going　through　with　it；　Emory　and　I　were　able　to　offset　the　ment　that　would　have　arisen　had　Emory　alone　set　out　equipped　to　scour　the　bottom　of　the　Gulf。〃
　　Dunwood　Marr　chuckled　in　admiration。　He　took　a　swallow　from　his　glass；　then　declared：
　　〃You　took　me　in　pletely；　Danforth。　I　saw　that　new　equipment　for　the　Nautilus。　I　fell　for　the　coral　story。　Well；　good　luck　to　the　enterprise〃…Marr　raised　his　glass…〃and　you　are　wele　to　keep　the　Nautilus　at　sea　until　she　finds　the　treasure。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　Marr；〃　said　Gaudrin；　warmly。　〃Your　kindness　assures　my　success。　You　are　not　pressing　me　for　the　twenty　thousand　dollars…〃
　　〃Of　course　not。　Unload　your　treasure…here's　hoping　Emory　finds　it…then　deliver　me　the　yacht。　I　had　not　intended　to　use　it　for　some　time　to　e。〃
　　〃It　is　not　a　case　of　seeking　the　treasure；　Marr。　Emory　has　already　found　it。　A　radio　message　informed　me　that　the　gold　will　soon　be　raised　from　the　wreck　of　the　Don　Carlos。〃
　　
　　MARR　was　speechless。　He　arose　from　his　chair　and　extended　his　hand　to　Gaudrin。　The　two　men　gave　the　clasp　of　friendship。
　　〃I　am　worth　millions；　Marr；〃　declared　Gaudrin。　〃Much　of　my　gain　will　go　toward　restoring　my　former　losses。　But　I　shall　be　wealthy；　even　after　repaying　Captain　Emory　and　his　faithful　crew。　As　for　you…well；　Marr；　I　shall　have　a　present　for　you。〃
　　〃A　present？〃
　　〃Yes。　The　Nautilus。　I　shall　return　your　twenty　thousand　dollars　when　I　give　you　the　papers　to　the　yacht。〃
　　Marr　began　a　protest；　trying　to　make　Gaudrin　retract　his　generous　offer。
　　The　elderly　host　would　not　listen。　Shaking　his　head；　he　filled　up