La Junta tribune., 1911-07-15

{ h'' AIs We iffu u
/ just such a night as this II isn't 30
old as some of tb. stun he brings In.
4 but guess It's water soaked enough 10
! give US fireworks for awhile"
/ He tossed on several large iimbers
/ which in the dim glow of the -mLer>
were quite indistineuishabIe as to
share.
First the smoke drew up In thin spi.
l rails that grew heavier aud suddenly
I burst Into n broad yellow flame that
/ turned TO orange aud blue and green
and then became II mystic rainbow OF
fsn,astica ly wri,hlnS color The salt
sizxled ms the nre gripred iuro the wooJ
and shot up little electric sparks OF
light that died before they reached the
/ chimney's throat. The wood creaked
as II warped from the scorvhinI touch.
and loosened Iron bolt fell rattllng
TO the bearthstoue. The burning wood
settled anew. and as the dame mount.
I'd higher Captain Jack leaped forward
and pointed a shaking bnger at the
ere.
Look. Gerard" he said hoarseiy
What Is ihatf''
Gerard Ansou stared with fascinated
eyes at the thing that appeared In the
FIRE The heel OF n broken bowsprit
with one spllntered plank thrust forth
As 1t bad been torn from the bow OF q
vessel The paint had burned from the
plank, but there remained imbedded in
the wood several copper letters covered
with verdigris and undoubtedly form.
ing the terminal OF the IN fated ships
name
"E-l-op-e. spelled Gerard slowly,
and then. as IL ID. meaning of the
word suddenly burst upon his bewii-
dered senses. he asked. Good heavens.
Jack. do you-do you suppose this Is
part OF the Antelope" He laughed
sheepishly even as he asked the ques.
ton
"Of course it's the Antelope" re-
turned Captain Jack with quick com
posure. See that little pointed thing
that's flaming uowf' That's one horn
Of the little head that formed the ng.
urehead OF my boat"
As the wonder Of the strange hap
pening grew upon them they sat very
silent. Who could call II n common oc-
curreuce that n broken portion OF Cap
tain Jacks schooner. lost In the West
Indies fve years before. should have
washed upon the strip OF beach that
belonged 10 her owner and should burn
there on the hearth now. n flaming
proof OF her desirnciioni
4 don't wonder sailors are supersti.
fious." said Gerard after long time.
The sea Is tickle mistress. for she
Hut he was doomed never to com.
pleie the sentence. for al that moment
the burning wood stirred strangely In
the FIRE and tn. copper letters burned
at whit. heat. broad sheet OF
Fame seemed to stand mofionless as a
background for curious picture,
Bue flames shot It's upper edge and
h<cAm- tropical midnight sky pow
der.d with golden stars; green iire ran
scross the fiam. and became placid
sea 'inged with moonlight. On the
green sea there rested the graceful out !
Zines W " NlN ihN~Afi N'ho'h'ts 'hs VI !
N. largest and Hcetest OF her kind. !
Her canvas hung motionless. for there |
appeared 10 h. no wind. There We're
eyrmy forms ~ men on d.ck-one u,
tho wheel and others grouped near ny.
Suddenly IN. pygmy men ran To aud
fro as II frantic with fear: something
long and sinuou- swept the deck. and
when II vanished III. men wer. gone.
Then other long. siuuous. shadowy Oh
I~cts appeared Ht Intervals about the
vessels rails. Her sails Iuiyered as II
by some sudden shock. Out from the
companionway there wmbled Two
other plrmy men. who glanced nloft
and then ran 10 the for-castle hatch
and pounded Justify A. " impsll-d by
som. iut.u~. fear that did not take
shap. in that beautiful moonlit night
th. m.n ran to tue pumps aud sawed
away
Tn. vessel seemed 10 scttl. In the
water as II she wRs dragged down by
Invisible hands The two men on the
boat suddenly deserted III. pumps and
leaped into N. sea jus, rs the besuti'
Sul schooner slowly car-.ned. then
strairhteB..,i. Dipped her bow aud went
down IN s--ihlng whit. foam OF
bubbles Tn. bubbles spread away.
aud th.r. remained the green. placid
sea. ou which hHbh-d n little boat and
In II two pvEmy men Then all nj oncr
the seen. disappeared. and there va.
ih. hrepiac. with it. charr.d .mh~rs
u the lost Antelope. The drifiwood
had told it, story. the fat. OF the
schooner was s-cr-i no more.
tn. spell of silence vhirh had rest
ed upon tn. iwu men was broken by
Captain Jacks excited cry. Did YOU
sc- n Gerardy- hr gaspcd Did you
s~- i,f''
Gerard nodded Il saw something.
lack You win laugh n tell You What
irw-you won't believe me"