“So far as anyone knows, the duke never betrayed the emperor’s secret. Perhaps he too died during the uprising. As for the queen, everyone knows that she sailed for Europe on the first available boat and never returned to Haiti.
“You see,” he explained, as he felt that Doris was about to ask one more question, “the Emperor had sent a great deal of gold to England by a sea captain he trusted. This was at the queen’s disposal. Since it was enough why risk her head by a return to Haiti in search of further wealth?
“So,” he added, with another low laugh, “the treasure is yours; provided you find it. I too have been on a search for some of the emperor’s treasure, the ‘Rope of Gold’.”
“I know,” she said quietly. “How have you succeeded? When I was at your camp you were mysteriously absent.”
Johnny told her of his search, of Curlie Carson’s strange doings, of his kidnapping by the natives, and his all but miraculous escape.
“And so here we are,” he added. “Two treasure hunters lost in the night and the storm.”
“Here—here’s wishing you luck,” said Doris, reaching out in the half darkness to grip his hand.
“But say,” Johnny asked, “what would you do with all those diamonds, rubies and all that if you found them?”
“I’d sell them. Don’t care much for jewels. They’re too hard to keep. People steal them.
“And then,” she half closed her eyes, to lean far back in her corner, “then I’d buy dresses and shoes and things like that. I like bright things. I want a blue dress with orange trimmings and an orange dress with blue trimmings, and a green dress with an old gold sash, and a white dress with a pink sash; all of them silk, real shimmering silk that shines in the moonlight.”