The Springdale news., 1909-04-09

Tue firing nole became miseellaaeous. feet on the sights Now abruptly it was plotted out, and semitwilight fell. We all looked up In spite Of our selves. An opaque veil had been drawn quite across the heavens, even the shape of the sun. It was like a thunder cloud except that its under surface instead of being the usual gray black was q deep earth brown. As we looked up d deep below stirred the air, which had fallen quite still. long forks of lightning shot horizontally from the direction of the islands interior, and flashes of dull red were reflected from the canopy of cloud.
 The men stared with their mouths open undoubtedly the change had been some time in preparation, but all had been so absorbed in the affair of the doctors assistant that no one had noticed It came 10 our consciousness with the audiences of a theatrical change. \ dull roaring commenced, grew in volume. and then q great ex plosion shook the very ground under our feet
 We stared at each other. our faces whitening
 What kind If hell has broke Ioosef' muttered HulZ
 The nigger fell fiat on his face. utter Ing deep lamentations.
 "Neodoo, Noedoos, he groaned.
 gentle shower of white flakes be- gan, powdering the surface of every thing Far out to sea We could make out the sun on the water Gradually the roaring died down. The lightning ceased Comparative peace ensued. We looked again toward the cliff. Percy Darrow had net for one instant ceased to climb He was just topping the edge Of the bluff Handy Solomon with q cry of rage seized another rife and emptied the magazine at him as fast as the lever could be worked The dust flew wild in q half dozen places. Darrow drew himself up to the sky line raised his hat ironically and dis appeared
 D his soul," cried Handy Solo mon, his face liyid He threw his rifle to the beach and danced on 1t in an ecstacy of rage.
 What do we care?' growled Thrac- kles. He's no good 10 us. Wat want to know is watts up here any how"
 Did you ever see volcano go of, you swabf" snapped Handy Solomon.
 Easy with your names, mate. No, l never did. We better get out
 "Without the ehest:'
 "S'poSe we go up the guleh and get IT, then suggested Thrackles
 But at this Handy Solomon drew back in evident terror
 "Up to that holef' he objected Not I. You an Pulz go"
 They wrangled over il, Pulz joining. Perdosa. shaken to the soul, crept Tn and made bee line for the rum barrel. He and the nigger were frankly scared. They had the nervous jumps at every little noise or unexpected movement, md even the natural explanation of these phenomena gave them very little reassurarce. I knew that Darrow would hurry as fast as he could back to the valley by way of the upper hills l knew that he had there several sport ing rides, and hoped greatly that he and Dr. Schermerhorn might accom- plish something before the men had recovered their wits to the point of foreseeing his probable attack. The uncanny cloud in the heavens, the weird half light and the explosions, which now grew more frequent, had their strong effect in spite of explana- uon. The men were not really afraid to venture in quest of the supposed treasure, but they were in frame of mind that dreaded the first plunge. And time was going by.
 But the fates were against us, as ai- ways in this i'll starred voyage I, watching from the sand dune, saw q second figure emerge from the arroyo's mouth. It appeared to stagger as though hurt, and every eight or ten paees 1t stopped and rested in bent over position The murky light was too dim for me to make out details. But after moment rift i'll the veil enabled me to identify Dr Schermer- horn carrying. with great difficulty, the chest.