Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-27
coexA<o17

barak3 went up towards the right,
and the bottom shelved, 80 that pres
emily the water was down to her
waist, and then she stood still and
pointed to dark hollow Just above
the little beach. Her wet garment
elung to her, and with her left hand
she began to wiring the water from her
hsid behind her head.
1.-THE rubies are there" she said
thousands upon thousands of them
FIJI the sack quickly, but do not take
more than you can carry. for they are
very heavy"
The traveller waded out upon the
beach, and the water from his clothes
ran down in small rivulets and made
little round holes IN the white sand.
He put down his revolver IN dry
place, and both his hands felt for the
precious stones in the shadowy hol.
low, loosening small fragments of a
sort of brittle crust In which they
seemed to be clustered.
"You cannot choose" Baraka said,
"for you cannot see, but I have been
here by daylight and have seen. The
largest are on the left side of the hol-
low, near the top.
BY the stars the traveller could see
the pieces a little, as he broke them
out, for the white rocks collected the
light; he could see many dark crys-
tails, but as to what they were he had
to trust the girl.
do not take more than you can
carry" she repeated, "for you must
not throw them away to tighten the
burden"
you can carry some Of Them" an
Bwered the traveller.
He broke up the crust Of crystals
with small biologists hammer and
tore them out like mailman, and his
hands were bleeding, for though he
was philosopher the thirst for wealth
had come upon him when he felt the
riches of empires In his grasp, and
the time was short; and although he
knew that he might some day come
back with armed men to protect him,
and workmen to help him, he know
also that to do this he must share the
secret with the overload Of that wild
country, and that his portion might be
the loss Of his head. So he tore at the
ruby crust with all his might, and as
he was very strong he broke out
great pieces at once.
I'VE cannot carry more than that,
both Of US together" said Baraka,
though she Judged more by the sound
OF his work than by what she could
see.
He lifted the sack with both his
hands. and he knew by its weight
that she was right. Under the water
IL would be easy enough to carry, but
It would be a heavy load for a man to
shoulder.
Come" Baraka said. ~ will go back
drst."
She moved down into the deeper
water again, till It was up to he1
neck; and feeling the way with hel
hands she went in once more under
the rock. The traveller followed he1
cautiously, carrying the heavy sacl
under water with one hand and hold
ing up his revolver with the other tc
keep it dry,
Il begin to see the starlight on the
water" Baraka said, just as before
when they had been going in.
When she had spoken, she heard q
heavy splash not far of, and the wa
ter in the subterranean channel rose
suddenly and ran past her in shor,
waves, three of which covered he1
mouth in quick succession and
reached to her eyes. and almost to the
top Of her head, but sank again in
stantly; and they passed her com
panion in the same way. wetting his
weapon.
Go back" Baraka said, when she
could speak; "the rock is falling"
The traveller turned as quickly as he
could, and she came after him. gaining
on him because he carried the heavJ