The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-03-05
lalion into the darkness.

small domed chamber. the only en-
trance into which was through mar
row arch, which the stream more than
half closed And here had been our
treasury. In this water guarded vault
we had deposited the pouches of pearls
and the chests of coin won at the cost
of SO much good English blood. Now
not a leathern bag nor wooden case
remained. The Spaniards had ruth
lessly taken our all.
But there was in the place where our
store had lain n sight which made my
muscles quake with chilling horror.
Supported by a niche in the rock sat
skeleton. pointing its bony fingers at
my breast and grinning at me with
half toothed. fieshless jaws.
had almost trodden on its out
stretched shanks when the fitful light
of the torches falling on the whitened
bones revealed its CHASTITY presence
Mine was not the nervous start of
coward. Heaven knows had seen too
many dead men in the flesh and in the
bone, too. for that matter to quail at
the. sight of Il mere piece of cold hui
manity. Had the skeleton been naked
l might have taken it for that of
Spaniard and have given it no more
than careless glance in passing But
there was that about it which told me
whose body it had once supported
Around the bony lattice Of it's ribs
hung moldering leather jerkin. once
gaudy with slashings and lace. but
now widowed over With soft gray
fur 1t was the old mans. had seen
him change it from dead Spaniard'S
back TO his own and knew that lie had
worn II ever since. And if other evil
deuce was wanted. it was there in the
broken and distorted bones of leg and
wrist It leeds no wizard 10 read the
writings ii The Spania.d's clenpncy
job rrc!lHlion shared my knowledge
and for awhile ga::ed with me in silen,
horror. The others clustered curiously
round, wondering why mere bag of
twisted bones should SO affect us.
AT length Job found his voice.
Master Topp," he whispered hoarse-
ly 'd'you note the old mans outstretch-
ed hand? He's built wall o mud an
pebbles for it to lie on
Yes said 1. 1T seems curious
freak. but he was always strange and
eccentric in his doings''
THE old man never did aught with
.,'s.s -.,.,yss-' iopp. His brain
might take after his legs in being a bit
crooked. but it were a clever brain, for
all that. specially when there was
SpaniardsNto be gammoned. Let's see
where the finger points Blow up your
torches. lads. All, see there! Telled
'ee so. Master Topp! | knowed there'd
be something"
And job broke out into a great chuc-
lSle. which well nigh ended in sob.
See he went on, there's writing
on the wall scratted in with knob
o stone. Read it. Master Topp. l
bain't scholard enough to tell what it
says"
Snake his TRAIL is what is written
Job. II has neither rhyme nor rea-
SON.
No; it han't rhyme, that's true
though none could turn rhyme an set
1t to cheerful Tilt like the old man
when he put his mind to it. But war
rant there's reason. though mebbe the
nuts hard un to crack
Like date stone. job" answered
deJectedly-''hard to break and no kerr
nel when you've broken it,
Well. Master Topp, it won't do no
harm to tell Captain Ireland what was
the last wordssas the old man wrote.
An now
And now" interrupted, Eve must
carry his poor bones back to daylight
ana give them q decent burial So run |
JACK. some of you. and cut saplings
~ Il litter"
owNo need for litter" said Job "Pve
,es Ned the old man living, whites he'd |
ON an say was his moke, an | |
,ed 'ttllnk as he'd ask other arms than
I'M Ahalion's to carry him dead"
ild Nthout another word he rever-
rs snti" tenderly gathered up the
W 81 MS Sorpse and bore it in his
ot- i',st opsshore. We performed the
* " s'o,le and put up a great slab
ne Neu VINE grave, on which Alec
ID Jaeet' AhYord point. ..senex hic
" re.ialion saNtwo whole days Job
rS Ell IN the woeNe grave or wander
ollS whole time weNqe, and during the
TRIO man heard Aped on the island
!ln' 1t was aNgh or saw his
; SpAllch these two eqge friendship
nong Y liio'ilef' zones had for
red meter the burying
rried tha great discussion blone there
at last Y the words whichthe mean
\ q naFf0ritten. Some thoughld man
I'd we kneyandorings of a diseAy were
cached 'he'hers maintained thatNmind,
ug. but that it was Mad
atswa.h ,rno we TO attempt to dively
ept Job IRE En- it, Every one had sy
y were sa.s q; Alec alone remained
was useie,,n Ted his fingers thoughtful.
emselves III NV, US shock of tangled re,
e empt! Wv question him, but wen
.ad been bank ng that his wits wonl,
, idle curlosi'. t}solution.
rhaps II wa oybad scarcely risen ant
.omers wh'l shere still waving lazil,
ting for US a., swaand was laid on my
owed Jeo woke to find nv