The Red Cloud chief., 1905-06-09
! 6he Wings # thu !
49, By LOUIS ]
!: Vnrn1n % TRACY i
Copyright. 1908. by :
: Edward J. Clode
BY LOUIS
TRACY
Copyright. 1908. by
Edward J. Clode

Here Is a change Of menu, at any
rate" lie communed.
Breaking q thick branch of a pooh
tree, he Whitfield away the minor
stems. A strong stick was necdful to
explore that leafy f~astness thoroughly.
A few cautious strides and vigorous
whacks with the stick laid bare the
cause of such prodigallty In a soil COW
cred with drifted sand and Jumps OF
black and white speckled coral. The
trees and bushes inclosed a well-safe-
guarded, in fact, from being choked
with sand during the first gale that
blew.
Delighted with this discovery, more
precious than diamonds ut 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
ly 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 OK
tent of his arm lie 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, well 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 it,
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 trampling on q skeleton.
Had q venOmOus snake coil I'd its glis-
tening folds around his leg he would
not have been more startled But this
man Of iron nerve o recovered. He
frawned deeply after the first %invOlun.
tary heart thrOb.
With the stick he cleared away the
underground and revealed the skeleton
Of a 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 n smashed shoulder blade told
SONlt ttTTlDIc ulWTltttn StOTy.
Beneath the mournful relies were
fragments Of decayed cloth. 1t was
blue serge. Lying about were a few
~blackened objects, brass buttons mark
ri with an 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 Il
canister, which might have rcposed in
a coat pocket. jerks picked 1t up.
Some curious marks and figures were
punched into its surface. After Il hasty
glance he put It aside for more leisure.
ly examination.
No weapon was visible. He could
form 10 sAt.NGtt 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 imag-
ined that in rummaging about with the
stick he had disturbed the skull. But
the most minute search demonstrated
that 1t had gone-had been taken away,
In factor the plants which so effectu-
ally screened the lighter bones would
no permit the skull to vanish.
Then the frown on the sailors face
became threatening, thunderous. He
recollected the rusty creese. Indistinct
memories Of strange tales of the China
sea crowded unbidden to his brain.
"Dyaks." he growled fercely. "a
ships officer, an Engllshman probably,
murdered by head hunting Dyak pl-
rates.
II they came once they would come
again.
Five hundred yards away Iris Deane
was sleeping. He ought not to have
left her alone. And then, with the
devilish ingenuity OF coincidence, a
revolver shot awoke the echoes and
sen all name Of wild fowl hurtling
through the trees with clamorous out.
cry.
Painting and wild eyed, jerks was at
the girls side In an lnconceivably short
space Of time. She was not beneath
the shelter Of the grove, but on the
sands, gazing, pallid in cheek and lip,
at the group Of rocks on the edge Of the
lagoon.
"What Is the matter?" he gasped.
"Oh, / don't known she walled
brokenly. 81 had a dream, such a hor,
riple dream. You were struggling with
some awful thing down there" She
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