Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-27

| came on in laminated layers, small, brittle scales.
 "Is 1t silver:' Iris was almost ex- cited
 T do not think so I am no expert, but have vague ideal have seem
 He wrinkled his brows and pressed away the furrows with his hand. that physical habit of his when perplexed.
 "I have It. he cried "It is anti mony."
 Miss Deane pursed her lips in dis dain. Anthony, What was anti mony?
 50 much fuss for nothing" she said ! Tt is used in alloys and medicines he explained ITO us it is useless 1 He threw the piece of rock contemp- tuously among the bushes. But. be- ing thorough in all that he undertoos, he returned to the cave and again conducted an inouisition. The silver hued vein became more strongly mark ed at the point where 1t disappeared downward into collection of hubble | and sand. That was all. Did men give their toll. their lives. for this? So it would appear Be that as it might. he had more pressing work. If the 1 cave still held secret it must remain 1 there
 Iris had gone back to her sago knead- 1 ina Shouldering the ak he walked to the beach. Much debris from the steam CT was lying high and dry, It was an easy task for an athletic man to reach the palm tree. yet the sailor hesitated with almost imperceptible qualms.
 "A baited rat trap" he muttered. l Then he Guickened his pace. With the ! first active spring from rock to rock his unacknowIedged doubts vanished. He might find stores of priceless util- ity. The reflection inspired him. ! Jumping and climbing like cat. in two minutes he was near the tree. He could now see the true explana- ton of it's growth in seemingly inn possible place Here the bed of the sea bulged upward in a small sand cay. which silted round the base of limestone rock so different in color and 
 lure, whose engineering contrivances can force springs to mountain tops. managed to deliver to this isolated ref uge sufficient supply of water to nourish the palm. and the roots, firmly lodged in deep crevices. were well pro- tected from the waves.
 Between the sailor and the tree in- tervened a small stretch of shallow wa ter. LandEard this submerged saddle shelved steepiy into the lagoon. Al though the water in the cove was twen- ty fathoms in depth. its crystal clear ness was remarkable. The bottom. composed of marvelously white sand and broken coral. rendered other ob- iects conspicuous He could see plenty Of fish. but not single shark. while on the inner slope of the reef was plainly visible the destroyed fore part of the Sirdar. which had struck be- yond the tree. relatively to his present standpoint. He had wondered why no boats were cast ashore. Now he saw the reason. Three of them were still fastened to the davits and carried down with the hull.
 Steward the water was not so clear. The waves created patches of foam. and long submarine plants swayed gen. fly in the undercurrent.
 To reach Palm Tree rock - antici- pating it's subsequent name-he must cross a space of some thirty feet and wade ID to his waist
 He made the passage with ease.
 Pitched against the bole of the tree was a long. narrow case. very heavy. iron clamped and marked with letters in black triangles and the broad arrow of the British government.
 Rifles. ny all the gods" shouted the sailor.
 The Sirdar carried consignment of arms and ammunition from Hongkong to Singapore. Providence had decreed that a practically inexhaustible store of cartridges should be hurled across the lagoon to the island. And here were rifles enough to equip half com pany He would not risk the precious aJ in an attempt to open the case. He must go back for 3 crowbar.
 What else was there in this store house thrust hy Neptune from the ocean bed? \ chest of tea. seemingly undamaged: three barrels of four. ut- terlv ruined: saloon chair smashed from it's pivot: battered chronometer For the rest. fragments of timber in termingled with pulverized coral and broken erockery.
 little farther on the deer water entrance to the lagoon curved between sunken rocks On one of them rested the Sirdar's huge funnel The north west section of the reef was bare. Among the vreckage he found a coil of stout rope and q pulley He instant lv conceived tho idea of constructing an aerial line to ferry tine chest of tea across the channel he had forded.
 He threaded the pulley with the rope and climbed the tree. adding touch of artistic completeness to the ruin of his trousers by the operation. He had fastened the pulley high up the trunk before he realized how much more sim ple 1t would be to break open the chest where fl lay and transport its contents in small parcels.
 He laughed lightly. T am becoming addIe headeI.~ he said to himself Anyhow. now the job Is done. I msv ss well make use of it.
 Reooiling the rope ends. he east them across to the reef Tn such small ways