Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-03
IRe Argus Daily Story
S"eeneys Ghost-By Clarissa Maclzie
copyrighted 1871. by Assov-atea Literary Bureau


drowSy from lack of sleep. The wind
had been merciless in its lashings. In
come after I've had these eggs" be
grunted. eating ravenouSly OF the tur-
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-
lentlessy through clingiug 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
I roots and tore madly at the loosened
earth
"Herer' screamed barrow suddenly,
and he brought forth a 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
! or in Bains' hand. Then they cooled
! off sufficiently TO look within.
! There in the bottom rolled two small
Learls. That was all.
Their curses went up TO the blue sky
bending softly above them and smote
roughly on the balmy air. Finally,
bceathless with rage. they faced each
osher.
Somebody's been here frstw de-
cIared Bains.
You mean this morning." painted
Darrow. hiding his one pearl in his
pocket
Bains nodded. "Since the palm blew
over. OF course 1t was Sweeney"
I'VE haven't seen him but that once.
We thought mebbe it was his ghost"
objected barrow.
THE grave is empty" said Bains.
Il went and looked the next day"
Then Wen find him" Peter barrow
arose and looked down at the strip of
beach visible from the hilltop. He
must come out at night. III catch him
II 1t takes twenty years, and then
then
''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
relentlessly. 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 a 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 fiourished the empty tea cam
lister.
You devil, you've found the pearls"
. 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 taleSn
BE careful. Sweeney" warned Peter
Darrow, edging toward the second
!, mate. We're armed and If you don't
, give up those pearls you'll be dead and
, Wen get 'em anyway"
"Pm 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"
5 Captain Balns let ny a volley OF oaths
. edge.
i, Suddenly Dennis Sweeney emitted q
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
y. their faces.
= "Sharksr' muttered Bains hOarsely.
MY God" grOaDed Darrow. momen-
-, tarily unnerved by the unexpectedness
of it.
With one accord they turned and
, hurried around to the other side of tho
island. where they remained for sew
eral hours before they ventured to re-
turn 10 the place where Dennis Swee-
ney had disappeared from their sight.
Carefully folded on the beach above
high water mark was the red flannel
shirt OF Dennis Sweeney. On the shirt
. lay two large leaves. and in the middle
of each leaf was a little heap OF pearls.
i perhaps a third Of what the tea can
lister had contained Written in the
:, hard white coral strand were stray
Cling words.
u what does 1t say" demanded Bains.
Take the next ship" read OAR
row slowly. Then he turned and point
, ed to the opening in the coral reefs.
There was trail OF black smoke and
the bInck huh OF an Australian liner
y bearing away from Sugar island. 1T
q means be played a trick"
The sly devilT' guSped Bains at last
Here's more writing. Peter. Rend IL.
d nam
. Darrow bent over and obedieptly resd
he last message Of Dennis Sweeney
Dead men tell no tales"
." July 8 IN American