Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-11-20
4 /. 6be Wings q the
~: ~ By LOUIS
81: T" ~ r1aN AfN q TRACY 4
~: 4 AVA u XAA - Copyright 1908. by
81: ~ j. Clode
By LOUIS
TRACY
Copyright. 1908. by
"a


/, tematic search. Men had been here.
Was there house? Would he sudden
" encounter some hermit Malay or
Chinamnn?
At the foot of the main cliff was n
cluster OF fruit bearing trees-plan-
tains, arecn nuts and cocoa palms. A
couple Of cinchonns caught his eye. In
one spot the underground was rank
and wildly green. The cassava. or
tapioca plant. reared it's high passion
flower leaves above the grass and
some sage palms thrust aloft their
thick sternmed trunks.
Here is a change of menu, at any
rate" he communed
Breaking thick branch Off poon
tree, he whitfield away the minor
stems A strong stick was ncedful to
explore that leafy fastness thoroughly.
A few cautious strides and vigorous
whacks with the stick laid bare the
cause Of such prodigality in soil coy
cred with drifted sand and Jumps of
black and white specified coral. The
trees and bushes inclosed well-safe-
guarded. In fact, from being choked
with sand during the first gale that
blew.
Delighted with this discovery. more
precious than diamonds Mt the mo.
ment - for he doubted the ACCESSIBILITY
Of existing on the water supply OF the
pitcher plant-he knelt to peer into the
excavation. The well had been proper
" made. Ten feet down he could see
the reflection of his face. Expert hands
had tapped the secret reservoir Of the
island. BY stretching to the full ex-
tent of his arm he managed to plunge
the stick into the water. Tasting the
drops, he found that they were quite
sweet. The sand and porous rock pro-
vided the best of filter beds.
He rose. we'll pleased, and noted that
on the opposite side the appearance
Of the shrubs and tufts OF long grass
indicated the existence Of a grown over
path toward the cliff. He followed 1t,
walking carelessly. with eyes seeking
the prospect beyond. when something
ratified and cracked beneath his feet
Looking down, he was Mortified to find
he was tramplihy on skeleton.
Had a venomous snake coiled It's glis-
tening folds around his leg be would
not have been more startled. But this
man Of iron nerve soon recovered. He
frowned deeply after the first involun-
tary heart throb.
With the stick he cleared away the
underground and revealed the skeleton
of man. The bones were big and
strong, but oxidized by the action Of
the air. jerks had injured the left
tibia by his tread, but three fractured
ribs and smashed shoulder blade told
some terrible unwrttten story.
Beneath the mournful relics were
/ fragments Of deeayed cloth. 1t was
blue serge. Lying about were few
+ blackened objects, brass buttons mark
ed with IN anchor. The dead mans
boots were in the best state of preser-
walton, but the leather had shrunk, and
the nails protruded like fangs.
A rusted pocketknife lay there, and
on the left breast Of the skeleton rest
ed q round piece Of tin, the top Of
canister, which might have reposed in
a coat pocket jerks picked 1t up.
Some curious marks and figures were
punched into it's surface. After hasty
glance he put 1t aside for more leisure
" examination.
No weapon was visible. He could
form no estimate as to the cause Of the
death of this poor unknown nor the
time since the tragedy had occurred.
jerks must have stood many min
utes before he,perceived that the skel-
eton was headless. At first he mag
ined that in rummaging about with the
stick he had disturbed the skull. But
the most minute search demonstrated
that it had goneEhad been taken away,
in fact-for the plants which SO effectu-
ally screened the lighter bones would
not permit the skull to vanish.
Then the frcwn on the sailors face
became threatening. thunderous. He