The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-09-30
CHAPTER l.


what your signature may mean. As for
what / shah do with it afterward de-
psnds on many things."
''Do what you like with Il" replied
the EnSlishman, slowly and huskily.
''Send 1t TO the police In London, II you
like. l don't care what becomes OF II,
or Of myself either. For | am tired OF
It: l give In. No one knows what It Ii
ike until you actually come to hght
with It."
He did not explain what ''ft' was: but
the other seemed 10 understand what he
meant, and nodded his head gravsly,
though eoldly.
The two men were a most curious
couple to look upon. set among most re-
markabls surroundings. The scene was.
II possible. more interesting than the
couple In the foreground. For in front
there stretched the seashors, 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 its 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 4 great green mountain, FIVE 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 q splendid richness
and prodigality Of color.
As one saw the place this evening one
might see Il every evening for In Nsw
ireland there IL 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 feat
In height. He was still quite young
well under thirty. His hair was light
brown. short and curly; an 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
brown edging; it was rolled once round
his waist, descending to his knees, AMI
was then thrown over his left shoulder
leaving the right arm bare. The sun had
painted this limb a rich warm brown.
He wore a cap something like that In
vented. and patented for the use Of soli-
taires, by Robinson Crusoe; II was conf
cal in shape, and made Of feathers
brightly eolored. BE had sandals OF
thin bark tied to his feet by leather
thongs, and be wore 4 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 be con
Btantly carried open.
The other was an Englishman. The
rough flannel shirt, which had lost all its
buttons and one Of It's sleeves; the coarse
canvas trousers: the old boots broken
down at heel-all spoke Of the soil His
gait and carriage sung aloud Of plowsd
fields; his broad and rudy cheeks, his
rsddlsh-brovn hair and beard, spoke Of
the south or west Of England His age
might be about six or eiEht-and-tWsnty.
His hair hung In masses over his shout
ders, and bis beard was thicker than bis
companions, though not 80 long. His
face, which had been once 4 square fall
face, was drawn and haEEard; bis eyes.
which were meant TO be 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: | will read Il carefully and
slowly" said the German. "Sit down
while read II. II there Is a single word
that Is not true you can alter that word
before you sign"
The man sat down obediently-ther.
was a curious slowness about his move
ments as well as his speech-whIle the
German read the document, which was
written very closely on two pages Of q
notebook.
Listen" be said again. "and correc,
me when | am wrong"
This was the paper which he read on
the shore Of the Pacific ocean and on III.
island Of New Ireland one evening in the
year 1884:
81. David LsighAn, farmer, Of ChalIa.
eombe, DsVonshirs, being now on an
island In the Pacific ocean, where I az
pect to be shortly killed and eaten by
the cannibals, declare that the followinr
Il the whole truth concerning the deaf
Of my uncle, Daniel LeiRhan.
HE jockeysd me out Of my property
he kept on lending me money in IarT,
sums and small sums, and making m,
sign papers In return. and never let m,
know how much owed him; he mad
me mortgage my land TO him; he eneour
aged me TO drink, and 10 neglect M
farm. At last, when | was head owe
ears In debt. he suddenly brought dow
the law upon me, foreclossd and took m,
land. / stayed about the place till m,
money was nearly all gone. Then
must either starve, or ! must become
iaborsr where had been a master. or
must 20 away and find work somswhsr
else. had but thirty pounds left 4
the world, and / made up my mind :
70 away. Il was q day In October o
the yeas 1880. ! went TO see my incl
- - IL. A La IA Ill., ..o...a