Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-07-18


don't suspect!' threa tened Peter Oar
row.
. Several days passed in a fruitless
search after the hidden treasure of
pearls. They dug around the roots of
all the largest palms.
There came one fair morning after
two days Of screaming hurricane
weather, when Peter barrow ieaped
high In the air and yelled with excite
ment.
THE palm tree! The big palm has
blown over!" he announced to his com
panion. Now we can get at the rootsr'
Captain Bains turned soiled and
unkcmpt head toward his first mate.
His eyes were bloodshot. and he was
drOwsy from lack Of sleep. The wind
had been merciless in its lashings "PIl
come after I've had these eggs" he
grunted. eating ravenously of the tur-
tie eggs they had captured the night
before.
Peter waited impatently until the
big captain had finished mis- breakfast
and joined him in the thick under
growth of the jungle. They tore re-
lentessy through clinging vines and
impeding vegetation until they reached
the summit of the hill where the giant
palm lay PROSTATE on the ground.
They few at the tangle Of upturned
roots and tore madly at the loosened
earth.
"HereW screamed barrow suddenly,
and he brought forth rusted tea can
! lister
| CraZed by the nearness Of the treas
ure they had come so far to seek, the
two men fought over the possession of
the canister until finally the lid came
off I'm Bains' hand Then they cooled
off sufficiently to look within.
There in the bottom rolled two small
pearls. That was all
Their curses went up to the blue sky
bending softly above them and smote
roughly on the balmy air Finally,
GREATNESS with rage, they faced each
other
Somebody's been here frst!" de-
clared Bains.
you mean this morning?" painted
barrow. hiding his one pearl in his
pocket.
Bains nodded. "Since the palm blew
over. or course 1t was Sweeney"
eve haven't seen him but that once.
We thought mebbe 1t was his ghost"
objected barrow.
'The grave Is empty" said Bains.
II went and looked the next day"
"Then Wen find him" Peter Darrow
arose and looked down mt the strip of
beach visible from the hilltop. HE
must come out at night. I'll catch him
If 1t takes twenty years. and then
them
"Then-eh?" leered Bains.
Hell stay in his grave" muttered
barrow cruelty
All that day they looked for Dennis
Sweeney and found nothing save his
footprints on the sand and pile Of CO.
coanut shells showing where he had
eaten. All night long they hunted him
relentlcssly, growing more ugly as
morning approached. They did not
scan the thick tops of the palm trees
where the younger man might have
hidden securely from them for Swee-
ney was agile as monkey.
At that mysterious hour between
gray dawn and actual daylight they
came upon him standing at the wa
ter's edge, and there was something so
dim and shadowy about his appearance
that the two treasure seekers hesitat-
ed for moment so that he turned and
saw them.
Bains nourished the empty tea can
lister.
you devil, you've found the pearlsr'
he shouted.
go away" said the voice of Dennis
Sweeney. I'm dead-dead as door
nails Yez have said SO! Lave me
rist In pace. Rimimber, dead men tell
no tales!'
"Be careful. Sweeney" warned Peter
barrow, edging toward the second
mate. Were armed and If you don't
give up those pearls you'l be dead and
Wen get 'em anyway"
Pm ghost" said Sweeney, with re-
gret, as he tumbled backward into the
water and struck out skillfully. with n
wary eye for sharks. I'm spooll
TIL captain there will take oath to it.
He said so"
Captain Bains let fly volley of oaths
as he joined barrow Mt the waters
edge.
Suddenly Dennis Sweeney emitted a
friGhtful scream and disappeared be-
meath the surface of the water.
The two onlookers watched the bub-
bles rise to the surface with horror on
their faces.
sharks" muttered Baius hoarsely.
My Godr' groaned barrow. momen-
tarily unnerved by the unexpectedness
OF It,
with one accord they turned and
hurried around to the other side of the
island. where they remained for sew
eral hours before they ventured to re-
turn to the place where Dennis Swee-