A mass of earth, grass, and smashed bushes had

M down very naturally from above upon the cavity under the leaning tree. Decoud had attended to the ealment of the silver as instructed, using the spade with some intelligence. But Nostromo's half-smile of Bproval changed into a scornful curl of the lip by the Hht of the spade itself flung there in full view, as if in utter carelessness or sudden panic, giving away the whole thing. Ah! They were all alike in their folly, th'.> ^e hotnbres jinos that invented laws and governments and barren tasks for the people. The capataz picked up the spade, and with the feel of the handle in his palm the desire of having a look at the horse-hide boxes of treasure came upon him suddenly. In a very few strokes he uncovered the Bges and corners of several; then, clearing away more earth, became aware that one of them had been slashed with a knife. He exclaimed at that discovery in a stifled voice, 1 ropped on his knees with a look of irrational ap- cnsion over one shoulder, then over the other. The stiff hide had closed, and he hesitated before fee pushed his hand through the long slit and felt the ingots inside. There they were. One, two, three. Fes, four gone. Taken away. Four ingots. But who? Decoud? Nobody else. And why? For what purpose? For what cursed fancy? Let him explain. Four ingots carried off in a boat, and blood! In the face of the open gulf, the sun, clear, uncloud- ed, unaltered, plunged into the waters in a grave and untroubled mystery of self-immolation consum-

mated far from all mortal eyes, with an infinite