Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1905-09-29
CHAPTER l

1t If you like. Remember, however,
what your signature may mean. AS for
what shall do with 1t afterward de-
ponds on many things"
"Do what you like with It," replied
the Englishman, slowly and huskily.
"Send 1t to the police In London, If you
like / don't care what becomes Of 1t,
or Of myself either. For l am tired of
1t; l give in. No one knows what it Is
like until you actually come to fight
with it."
He did not explain what ut" was; but
the other seemed to understand what he
meant, and nodded his head gravely,
though coldly.
The two men were a most curious
couple to look upon, set among most re-
markable surroundings. The scene was,
If possible more interesting than the
couple In the foreground For In front
there stretched the seashore, the little
waves tapping softly and creeping slow
ly over the level white coral sand; be-
yond the smooth water lay the coral reef
with It's breakers; at the back of the
sandy shores was a gentle rise of land,
covered with groves of cocoa palms and
bananas; among them were clearings
planted with fields of sweet potatoes and
two or three huts were visible beneath
the trees. Again, beyond the level belt
rose great green mountain, i've or six
thousand feet high. The time was about
an hour before sunset; the air was warm
and soft the sloping sunshine lay on
grove and clearing, seashore and noun
tain side, forest and green field, making
everything glow with a splendid richness
and probability of color.
As one saw the place this evening one
might see it every evening, for In New
Ireland there Is neither summer nor win
ter, but always all the year round the
promise of spring, the heat of summer
and the fruition of autumn; with no
winter at all, except the winter of death.
when the branches cease to put forth
leaves and stretch out white arms, spec
trail and threatening. among their living
companions in the forest
One of the men-the German-was of
colossal proportions, certainly six feet
in height. He was still quite young
well under thirty His hair was light
brown, short and curly; nm immense
brown beard covered his face and fell
over his chest His eyes were blue and
prominent, and he wore spectacles. His
dress was modelled on the dress of the in
habitants Of these islands. His only robe
was a great piece of Feeje tapu CLOTH
white, decorated with black lozenges and
a brown edging; II was rolled once round
his waist, descending to his knees, and
was then thrown over his left shoulder,
leaving the right arm bare. The sun had
painted this limb rich warm brown.
He wore a cap something like that in
vented, and patented for the use of soil
taires, by Robinson Crusoe; il was conf
cal In shape and made Of feathers
brightly colored. He had sandals of
thin bark tied to his feet by leather
thongs, and he wore kind of leather
scarf, from which depended a revolver
case, a field glass, a case Of instruments
and a large waterproof bag. These con
stituted his whole possessions, except a
thick cotton umbrella. This he CON
Btantly carried open.
The other was an Englishman. The
rough flannel shirt, which had lost all its
buttons and one of its sleeves; the coarse
canyas trousers; the old boots broken
down at heel--all spoke of the soil. His
gait and carriage sung aloud of plowed
fields his broad and rudy cheeks, his
reddish-brown hair and beard, spoke of
the south or west of England. His age
might be about six or Extraordinarily.
His hair hung in masses over his shout
ders, and his beard was thicker than his
companions, though not so long. His
face, which had been once a square full
face, was drawn and haggard; his eyes
which were meant to he frank, were trou-
bled; and his carriage, which should
have been upright and brave, was heavy
and detected. He seemed, as he stood
before the other man, at once ashamed
and remorseful
Listen; l will read 1t carefully and
slowly" said the German. "Sit- down
while l read it. If there is n single word
that is not true you can alter that word
hafora ,ro,, oicn -