The Washington times., 1910-09-17
PLUMBER ISLAND By LOUIS 39s5 e. Vance n, 3,
a
tine AMunv
y LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE,

appeared in Jungle Of weeds and
bramDly shrubs Through the tanrIe
OF foliage giimmered The pale ana
weatn er-w orn Corinthian columns OF
across the ground toward IL. forcfag
his way through the underground.
a nearer view demonstrated the faI-
SHY OF an impression gained at a dis
tance- The house was OF wood. IL
stead OF stone and had once been
painted with many coats Of white
which had cTumbled and faxed away,
lending 20 the edifce a peculiarly
CHASTITY look One felt sorry FOR IL
somehow. All the windows we're close.
y shattered and the building seemed
other wise 10 be In a state OF excellent
repair. Little would be needed 70
make II comfortable home
It's architect had built on the de-
signs once in rampant popularity over
the length and breadth OF the South
The main BODY, With its Portico and
pfIlared face. was nanked by two Sc
verely angular wings. and ali were OF
generous dimensions. Rising from the
ground two low stories. * was sur
mounted by a gently sIOpinR roof and
capped by a cupola, an seFie from
which no doubt the bucaneer who frst
owned IL had raked the sea with his
braSs-bound telescope watching his
ships sweep forth az hts behest to
harry the Gulf and its shores
How he must have 81 eEied with the
fat, -insolent p-ide Of might. this La
fftte knowing himself lord OF AL The
Gulf OF Mexico. knowing that his nzr1s
was terrible IN mems mouths from
the Bermudas TO Yucatan and Pans-
ma. And what "A treasure miEht he
not have piled up II he had been so
minded Could he have buried Il here2
There WAS z sharp rustic OF foIfa zs
somewhere to the Ieft. and out OF the
blue sky. apparently. flashed something
hard and white that first tapped Cado-
gan lightly on the chest. then fell with
a soft sOun1 to the ground directly az
his feet
He started back with cry and looked
down Then. IN the trembling OF an eye
lash his pistol was in his hand and he
had shattered to fragments a human
skull. bleached white and crumblf1E. AZ
the same time cutting 70 pieces the body
OF a small diamond "a ttlesnake that had
been cOlli1g In and out the nose and eye
holes IN the skull
The staccato crash OF the eight shots
died. and the blue vapor thfnued. as
cendinK slowly in the sTiII an Silence
succeeded. silence seHsibly 3mpreRuaJed
with menace. while CadoKan stood star
ing down at the still vrithinE coils OF
the dead serpent
In a moment. however he looked UPS
casting swift giances 10 right and left.
ewes dilated nOstrils quiveriHg- temples
flushed. At the same time ne hastily re-
loaded his weapon and waited strung
tense expect ing another and more dead
" attempt On his life
Heaven knew that this last had been
Qcd0lF enough IN ocSiNIi. ne h11 1eaFu
that living flesh would corrupt on con-
tact with the venom OF the diamond rat
tIcsnake Of the Gulf coast II the rep
tile had had time to strike, He shud-
dered and kept very Still waiting, alert.
vigflanf. ralbId with anger at the COW
ar5ily attempt upon his life
But the silence held undisturbed. and
the Genius Of the Place. that bad now
a second time siGnified 50 plainly its H.
sentiment OK his intrusion CDon It's do
Enain-the Genius Of the Fiace made no
Sign
Ike COnffaEati0u of This SfSry WIN
Be Found TX TO1OrroW's
Issue Of Tie TfneA