Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1912-10-11

aye, and he better take care be
don't suspectr' threatened Peter OAR
row.
Several days passed 10 a fruitless
search after the hidden treasure oe
pearls. They dug around the roots OF
al the largest palms.
There came one AIR morning after
two days OF screaming hurricane
wenther. when Peter barrow leaped
high In the cir and yelled with excite
ment.
THE palm treei The big palm has
blown overr' he announced to bis COM
panion. Now we cat get at the rootsi'
Captain Bains turned a soiled ana
unkompt head toward his irst mate.
Ills eyes were bioodshot, and he was
drOwsy from lack Of sleep. The wind
had been merciless in its lashings. "T1i
come after I've had these eggs" hO
grunted. eating %rsvenously of the tuFN'
tie eggs they had captured the night
before.
Peter waited impatiently until the
big captain had finished his breakfast
and Joined him in the thick under
growth Of the jungle. They tore re-
lentlessly through clinging vines and
impeding vegetation until they reached
the summit of the hill where the giant
palm lay PROSTATE on the ground.
They dew at the taugle Of upturned
roots and tore madly at the loosened
earth,
"Herer' screamed Darrow suddenly,
and he brought forth u 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 in Bains' hand. Then they cooled
of sufficiently to look within.
There in the bottom rolled two sma'
pearls. That was all.
Their curses went up to the blue six
bending softly above them and smote
roughly ON the balmy air. Finally.
GREATNESS with rage. they faced each
other.
"~somebody's been here hrsty' de-
cared Bains.
"You mean this morniug?" painted
! barrow, hiding his one pearl in his
/ pocket.
Bains nodded. "slnce the palm blew
over. or course it was Sweeney"
1--WE haven't seen him but that once.
We thought mebbe it was his ghost"
objected barrow.
1.-THE grave is empty" said Rains.
II went aud looked the next day"
"Then well find him" Peter barrow
arose aud looked down at the strip Of
beach visible from the hilltop. He
must come out ut night. I'll catch him
If it takes twenty years, and then
them
"Then-ehT' icered Bains.
He'll stay in his grave muttered
barrow cruelty.
All that day they looked for Dennis
Sweeney and found nothing say his
footprints on the saDd and a pile of CO.
coanut shells showing where he had
eaten. All night long they hunted hin
relentlessly, growing more ugly az
morning approached. They did not
scan the thick tops of the palm trees
where the younger man might hHve
hidden securely from them, for Swee-
ney was agile as Il 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 a moment so that he turned and
saw them.
Bains hourished the empty tea can
lister.
"You devil, you've found the pearlsT"
he shouted.
go away" said the voice Of Dennis
Sweeney. am dead-dead as door
nails. Yez have said sol Lave me
rist in pace. Rimimber. dead men tell
no talesr'
BE careful. Sweeney" warned Peter
barrow, edging toward the second
mate. Were armed and II you don't
give up those pearls yOu'l be dead and
wen get 'em anyway"
Ppm a ghost" said Sweeney, with re-
greet, as he tumbled backward into the
water and struck out skillfully, with a
wary eye for sharks. "I'm a spook.
TIL captain there will take oath to 1t.
He said So"
Captain Bains let fly a volley Of oaths
as he Joined barrow at 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 surface with horror on
their faces.
"Sharksl" muttered Bains hoarsely.
my Cod" groaned Darrow. momen'
tarily unnerved by the unexpectedDess
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
hey had disappeared from their sight
Carefully folded on the beach above
high water mark was the red 1anne
. shirt of Dennis Sweeney. On the shiri
lay two large leaves. and In the middle
OF zach leaf was a little heap Of pearls
, n third of VIA the tea can