The Harlowton news. [volume] (Harlowton, Mont.) 1909-1914, 1910-02-25

away and presently uncovered 1t. 1t
appeared to be Of silver. It was of
such size that she could clasp it
easily in her hand. She opened it not
without some difficulty and found with.
in it-nothing! Well, not exactly
nothing, but certainly that for which
she could see little value. There were
several hard pieces Of stone of a red
dish color Clipped and shaped in curl
ous fashion. She turned the box over
and examined it on all sides. There
were initials upon it, monogram. She
rubbed 1t clean with her hands and
studied 1t carefully-"J. r. c." The
book and the box had belonged to the
same person, John Revell Charnock.
She laid the box aside and searched
the cave further. There was abso-
lutely nothing else to be seen. Disap.
pointed vaguely. although she had ex-
pected nothing and had gotten more,
indeed, than she might have imagined
II she had thought about 1t, she laid
the book and box down upon the ledge
and went out again. She walked along
the sands until she came to the place
where she had landed the day be-
fore. The tide was low. She could
see the wreck of her boat. partly on
the barrier reef and partly in the
water. It would have been no trick
for her to swim to 1t in the stiffness,
yet she hesitated to attempt it. Ger.
tainly weighted down by all her cloth.
ing it was q matter Of difficulty and
inconvenience. II it were not for this
man by her side! She tried to think
Of some way to restrain him, keep him
away, but nothing occurred to her. In.
vention was paralyzed by the situation
in which she found herself.
Desperately bidding him stay where
he was, she went back to the cave.
She was face to face with a crisis
which had to be met Indeed, the
question of clothes was becoming .
very serious one with her and she
knew she should have to decide upon
some course Of action Immediately.
For the present, she took off her gar
ments, hoping and praying in a SILVER
of dread and anxiety, that he would
remain where she had left him, which
indeed proved the fact. She laid aside
all that she had worn except the
blouse and skirt, including her sadly
worn shoes and stockings. Thus light
ly clad she came out on the sand again.
He did not notice any change in her
condition. AS a matter Of fact she
gave him no time, for she flashed
across the sand at full speed and
plunged boldly into the smiling water
of the lagoon. He followed her in
stantly and swan by her side with
scarcely any exertion whatever.
1t was not long before she reached
the barrier reef. 1t stood up foot or
two above the water now, the tide be-
ing low. and she clambered upon 1t.
The sharp rocks cut her naked and
tender feet, unused to such exertions
and united to such demands, but she
persevered The boat had been beaten
to pieces. 1t had been forced over
the reef by the hurl Of the sea. The
stern had been wedged In between
some projecting rocks. The rest of 1t
had been torn away and had fallen
into tho lagoon. There was no wind.
the sea was unruffled. She could see
a. II through glass the wrecked re-
mains of the boat. There was nothing
in It except the battered motor, USE
less for days before she landed, since
her supply Of gasoline had been ex.
hausted. Everything else had been
washed out Of 1t and carried into the
deeper recesses of the lagoon where
they were inaccessible to the human
vision.
Stop! Under what remained Of a
piece Of thwart she caught a little
CLEAN of metal. Calculating the dis
lance nicely. she plunged In and dove.
Keeping her eyes open she easily
found the piece Of metal. dislodged 1t
from the place where 1t had fallen and
came to the surface with 1t. It was a
sailors sheath knife with a bit of
lanyard fastened to 1t. She had had a
fancy to wear it in her sailors blouse
and she had missed 1t since she had
come ashore.
But there was nothing else in the
boat. not q thing; nothing ON the bar
rier reef. She tried to pull the stern
away where it had been wedged. but
found that impossible. She tugged at
1t valiantly. but could not move It. In
despair she turned to the man who
had watched silently as usual and
pointed. He seemed to understand,
for he came and with great effort
lifted the torn part Of the boat from
the rocks and laid 1t down atSher feet.
She threw 1t into the water, where. of
course. as 1t was wood. 1t hoated
easily. Then. with a nod to him she
plunged in and together they guided
1t to the shore, he taking his cue
from her action.
She had fancy to test his strength
and she managed to convey to him by
signs, mainly by trying herself in vain
to pull 1t apart, what she wished him
to do. The impossible to her was