Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-08-02

The palm treel The big palm has
blown overw he announced to his COM
panlon. ''Now we can get at the rootsl"
Captain Balns turned soiled and
unkempt head toward his first mate.
His eyes were bloodshot. and he was
drowsy from lack Of sleep. The wind
had been merciIess in its lashings. 'Tll
come after Ive had these eggs" he
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-
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 few at the tangle Of upturned
roots and tore madly at the loosened
earth.
"HereF' screamed Darrow suddenly.
and he brought forth a russed 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
OF in 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.
breathless with rage. they faced each
other
Somebody's been here Hrstlr de
clared Bains.
"You mean this morningT' painted
Darrow. hiding his one pearl in his
pocket.
Bains nodded. rsince the palm blew
over. or course II was Sweeney"
ave haven't seen him but that once.
We though mebbe 1t was his ghost"
objected Darrow.
"The grave is empty" said Bains.
Il went and looked the next day"
"Then wen find him" Peter Darrow
arose and looked down at the strip Of
beach visible from the hilltop. He
must come out at night. IN catch him
If it takes twenty years. and then
then
"Then-ehY' leered Bains.
Hell stay in his grave" muttered
Darrow 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 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 can
ister
"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 SOL Lave me
rist In pace. Rimimber. dead men tell
no talesr
"Be careful. Sweeney" warned Peter
Darrow, edging toward the second
mate. Were armed and II you don't
give up those pearls you'll be dead and
wen get 'em anyway"
"rm a ghost said Sweeney, with re
gret, as he tumbled backward into the
water and struck out skillfully. with a
wary eve for sharks. "I'm a spook.
Tn captain there will take oath to it.
He said so.'
Captain BaIns let fly volley of oaths
as he Joined Darrow at the waters
edge.
Suddenly Dennis Sweeney emitted a
frfghtful 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.
"Sharksr muttered Bains hoarsely.
"My Godt" groaned barrow. momen-
tarily unnerved by the unexpectedness
of II.
With one accord they turned and
hurried around to the other side OF the
island. where they remained for sew
eral hours before they yentured to re-
turn to 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 little heap Of pearls,
perhaps a third Of what the tea can
ister had contained Written in the
hard white coral strand were strag
Cling words.
"What does 1t sayT 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 black hull Of an Australian liner
bearing away from Sugar island. at |
means he played trick"
"The sly devilr' gasped Bains at last.
"Here's more writing. Peter. Read 1t, |
man.
Darrow bent over and obediently read |
.he last message Of Dennis Sweeney
Dead men tell no tales" II
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