Here it
is." And he threw a thin piece of gold on the table before her. "I have
shown it to a man learned in those matters, and he says that it is a
ducat struck by one of the doges of Venice.
"Well, we never found any more. The end of it was that the Makalanga
caught us trying to get in to the secret stronghold by stealth, and gave
us the choice of clearing out or being killed. So we cleared out, for
treasure is not of much use to dead men."
Mr. Clifford ceased speaking, and filled his pipe, while Meyer helped
himself to squareface in an absent manner. As for Benita, she stared at
the quaint old coin, which had a hole in it, wondering with what scenes
of terror and of bloodshed it had been connected.
"Keep it," said her father. "It will go on that bracelet of yours."
"Thank you, dear," she answered. "Though I don't know why I should take
all the Portuguese treasure since we shall never see any more of it."
"Why not, Miss Clifford?" asked Meyer quickly.
"The story tells you why--because the natives won't even let you look
for it; also, looking and finding are different things."
"Natives change their minds sometimes, Miss Clifford. That story is
not done, it is only begun, and now you shall hear its second chapter.
Clifford, may I call in the messengers?" And without waiting for an
answer he rose and left the room.
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