The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-05-05

sued from the recesses of the chest
Here's some driftwood that Peters
has picked up. I've been saving 1t for
just such night as this. 1t isn't so
old as some of the stuff he brings In,
but guess It's water soaked enough to
| give US fireworks for awhile"
He tossed on several large timbers
which in the dim glow OF the embers
were quite indistinguishable as to
shape.
First the smoke drew up in thin spi.
rails that grew heavier and suddenly
burst into broad yellow flame that
| turned to orange and blue and green
and then became a mystic rainbow of
Enthusiastically writing color. The salt
sizzled as the fire gripped into the wood
and shot up little electric sparks Of
light that died before they reached the
chimney's throat. The wood creaked
as it warped from the scorching touch,
and loosened iron bolt fell rafting
to the hearthstone. The burning wood
settled anew, and as the flames mount
ed higher Captain Jack leaned forward
and pointed a shaking finger at the
fire.
Look. Gerard" he said hoarsely.
What is that?'
Gerard Arson stared with fascinated
eyes at the thing that appeared in the
fire. The heel of a broken bowsprit
with one splintered plank thrust forth
as it had been torn from the bow Of a
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 i'll fated ships
name.
"E-lo-p-e," spelled Gerard slowly,
and then, as if the meaning of the
word suddenly burst upon his bewil.
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.
posture. "See that little pointed thing
that's flaming now?' That's one horn
of the little head that formed the fig
urehead of my boat"
AS the wonder of the strange hap
pening grew upon them they sat very
silent. Who could call it common &C.
currence that broken portion Of Cap
tain Jacks schooner, lost in the West
Indies five years before, should have
washed upon the strip Of beach that
belonged to her owner and should burn
there on the hearth now, flaming
proof Of her destruction?
II don't wonder sailors are supersti-
tious," said Gerard after long time.
1.-THE sea is tickle mistress, for she"-
But he was doomed never to COM
plete the sentence, for at that moment
the burning wood stirred strangely in
the fire and the copper letters burned
at a white heat. A broad sheet of
flame seemed to stand motionless as a
background for curious picture.
Blue flames shot its upper edge and
became a tropical midnight sky pow
dered with golden stars; green fire ran
across the flame and became placid
sea tinged with moonlight. On the
green sea there rested the graceful out
lines of six masted schooner, one of
the largest and feetest Of her kind.
Her canvas hung motionless, for there
appeared to be no wind. There were
pygmy forms Of men on deck-one at
the wheel and others grouped near by.
Suddenly the pygmy men ran to and
fro IN mi of m
long and sinuous swept the deck, and
when it vanished the men were gone.
Then other long, .sinuous shadowy OBJ.
jects appeared at intervals about the
vessels rails. Her sails quivered as II
by some sudden shock. Out from the
companionway there tumbled two
other pigmy men, who glanced aloft
and then ran to the forecastle hatch
and pounded Justify. AS If impelled by |
some intense fear that did not take
shape in that beautiful moonlit night
the men ran to the pumps and sawed
away.
The vessel seemed to settle in the
water as If she was dragged down by |
invisible hands. The two men on the
boat suddenly deserted the pumps and
leaped into the sea just as the beauti-
full schooner slowly careened. then
Strengthened. dipped her bow and went
down in seething white foam of
bubbles. The bubbles spread away, |
and there remained the green. placid |
sea, on which bobbed little boat and |
in it two pygmy men. Then all at once
the scene disappeared, and there was
the fireplace with it's charred embers
Of the lost Antelope. The driftwood
had told its story; the fate Of the
schooner was a secret no more.
The spell Of silence which had rest
ed upon the two men was broken by |
Captain Jacks excited cry. did you
see II, Gerard?" he gasped. did you
see it?"
Gerard nodded. 81 saw something, |
Jack. You will laugh IL tell you what
I saw-you won't believe me-"
"I'll believe you. never fear. You
don't mean the picture in the flame
OF course you saw thatT"
"No. don't mean that. Jack: I mean
the thing that pulled the Antelope and
tho nrau, dnxvy, IN THAR dao the. \ v,,oor