Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-03-27
TR a SURE
ISLAND [:::: ::::::

.aaaaaess sAsssau,Hses
And then all of sudden he was inter
rupted by a noise. l had found one of
the honest hands-well, here, at that
same moment, came news of another.
Far away out in the marsh there arose,
all of a sudden, a sound like the cry of
anger, then another on the back of it,
and then one holrid, long-drawl
scream. The rocks of the Spy glass re
echoed 1t a score of times; the whole
troop Of marsh birds rose again, dark
ening heaven, with simultaneous
whir; and long after that death yell
was still ringing in my brain, silence
had reestablished it's empire and only
the rustic of the redescending birds
and the boom of the distant surges dis
turbed the dangour of the afternoon.
Tom had leaped at the sound, like a
horse at the spur: but Silver had not
winked an eye. He stood where he
was resting lightly OH his crutch,
watching his companion like a snake
about to spring.
john" said the sailor, stretching
out his hand
Hands off," cried Silver, leaping
back yard, as it seemed to me, with
the speed and security of 81 trained
gymnast
Hands off, if you like, John Silver"
said the other. Its q black conscience
that can make you feared of me- But,
IN heavens name, tell me what was
that?"
THAT" returned silver. smiling
away, but walier than ever. his eye a
mere pin-point in his big face. but
Cleaning like crumb of glass
That? oh, j reckon that'll be Alam.'
And at this poor Tom flashed out like
a hero.
"Alan.' he cried. ssrhen rest his
soul for true seaman. And as for
you, John Silver, long you've been a
mate of mine. but you're mate of mine
no more. If | die like a dog, I'll die in
my dooty. You've killed Alan. have
you? Kill me. too, if you can. But L
defies YOU
And with that, this brave fellow
turned his back directly on the cook.
and set off walking for the beach. But
he was not destined to go far with d
cry, John seized the branch of q tree.
whipped the crutch out of his armpit.
and sent that uncouth missile hurlins
through the air. 1T struck poor Tom.
point foremost, and with stunning
violence, right between the shoulders
IN the middle of his back. His hands
new up, he gave q sort of gasp and
fell.
Whether he was injured much or
little none could ever tell Like enough,
TO judge from the sound, his back was
broken on the spot but he had no time
gwen MN to recover. silver agile as
monkey, even without leg or crutch.
was on the top of him the next moment.
ana had twice buried his knife up to
the hilt in that defenseless body. From
my place of ambush l could hear him
pant loudly as he struck the blows.
do not know what 1t rightly is to
faint, but ! do know that for the next
nttle While the whole world SWAN
away from before me in a whining
mist; Silver and the birds and the tall
spy-glass hilltop going round and
round and topsy turvy before my eyes,
ana all manner of bells ringing and dis
lant voices shouting in my ears.
men l came again to myself the
monster had pulled himself together
his crutch under his arm. his hat upon
ms head. Just before him Tom lay
mot1onless upon the sward; bat the
murderer minded him not a whit
cleansing his blood-statned knife tha
While upon whisp of grass. Every
thing else was unchanged, the sun sim
SHINING mercilessly on the streaming
marsh and the tall pinnacle of the
mountain, and | could scarce persuade
myself that murder had actualls. been
uone, and human life cruelty cut
snort moment since before my evas
Bllt now John put his hand into his
pocket, brought out u whistle and b,aIv
upon it several modulated blasts, that
rang far across the heated air. / could
not tell of course, the meaning of the
sishai, but 1T instantly awolse my fears
More men would be coming. / might
be discovered They had already slain
TWO OF the honest people; after Tom
and Alan, might not I come next?
Instantly began to cxt,,catn myself
aud crawl back again, with what speed
and silence could manage, to the more
open portion OF the wood AS i did so,
could hear halls coming and going
between the old buccaneer and his
comrades, and this sound of danger
lent me wings. As coon as was clear
of the thicket / ran as never ran he
fore, scarce Winding The direction of
murderers; and as ] ram. fear grew
and grew upon me, until it turned into
a kind of frenzy
Indeed, could any one be more entire
" lost than /? When the gun fired.
how should dare go down to the boats
among those liends. still smoking from
their crime? Would not tie first OF
them who saw me wiring my neck like
snipe's? Would not my absence itself
be an evidence TO them of my alarm,
and therefore Of my fatal KNOWLEDGE?
1T WAS all over. | thought. Goodby to
HE Hispaniola; goodby TO the squire.
the doctor and the captain. There was
nothing left fer me but death by star
walton or death by the hanSls of the
mutireers.
All this while, as | say, was stilI
running, and, without taking any no
tlce, | had drawn near To the foot of
the little Hill with the two peaks, and
had got into part of the island where
the wild oaks grew more widely apart
and seemed more like forest trees in
their beaiings and dimensions. Mingled
with these were a few scattered pines
some 80. some nearly 40 feet high. The
air, too smelled more freshly than
down beside the marsh.
And here fresh alarm brought me
to standstill With athumping heart
CHAPTER XIV.
THE MAN OF THE ISLAND.
From the side of the hill, which was
here steep and stony Il spout of gravel
was dislodged and fell rattling and
bounding through the trees MY eyes